My name is Iaroslav Slavin, and I am an intern at Vortex Companies in Houston, Texas for the summer of 2021. I am currently attending the University of Texas A&M to pursue a degree in Construction Science with an expected graduation date of May 2024. I would describe myself as hard working and dedicated. Some of my hobbies include fishing, lifting, and spending time in the nature. Currently I am staying in Seabrook, Texas with my family for the summer. In the fall I am heading back to College Station, Texas to start my junior year.
This is my first internship at a construction company and this opportunity was huge for me. Last summer I worked at Stolt Nielsen Ltd. as a Port Operations intern, but this is my first real experience working for a construction company. This internship has already helped me learn a lot more about onsite work and provided with valuable firsthand experiences.
One of the things that I have really enjoyed while interning at Vortex is having the opportunity to visit job sites and see firsthand the equipment and products we sell in action. After learning the technical aspects, it is helpful to see them on a job with our crews working together to get the job done. This truly provides a better understanding for what we are promoting and selling and seeing the operations help me visualize that.
Here is a look at a typical day in my life as Vortex Intern:
8:30am
Every week is different but typically my day starts at around 8:30am. My drive from Seabrook to the office is about an hour long. When I get in, I start my morning by checking any emails or Teams messages I have. After catching up I check in with my boss Josh Marazzini, Director of Sales and Engineering, to see if there are any tasks to add to my day. This allows me to prioritize and plan my day accordingly. Every week brings something new at Vortex, and I love the ability to tackle new projects.
10:00AM
Time to head to a local jobsite, one of my favorite things I get to do in my internship. Today, I am onsite at a local sewer rehabilitation project for a municipality. The customer is rehabilitating their damaged storm culverts to restore structural integrity and protect them from corrosion. They are applying GeoKrete to fill pipe voids and seal cavities. It is cool to learn about the types of products used for different challenges and see them firsthand.
1:00pm
Back to the office and out of the heat! Houston heat is serious this time of year. Time for a quick lunch and break before I get back to my tasks and projects.
2:00pm
Time for a quick check-in with my boss to discuss key updates on projects and see how I else can provide support to our engineering team. We are meeting weekly to stay connected on key projects. Right now, I am working on a competitive analysis project where I am gathering key information about competitors in each product category. This project has allowed me to learn more about the market and solutions available to the customers we serve. I will provide an update on this project and get some input to keep it moving along.
4:00pm
Around 4pm is about the time I start getting ready to drive back home. Today was a busy and productive day. Thanks for following along!
I have really enjoyed my internship and appreciate everyone that has been a part of it!
-Iaroslav Slavin