Fall is here and that means our summer interns are now heading back to school. We would like to give a special shout out to our four outstanding student interns; Jakob Wanaka, Caprial Farrington, Cameron Perry, and Carson Hull. Although they were only here for a short time, they quickly became part of the Westlake family, and each wrote a little about their experience.

(Pictured from left to right: Jakob, Caprial, Cameron, and Carson)

“Although I have only worked here for a few months, I learned a variety of different things. I was able to work on a bunch of different projects including subdivisions, retirement centers, and wind farms. I was able to have a role in sheet development for two wind farms – which was a great introduction to working hard to meet a deadline. Not only did I learn many engineering concepts, methodology, and terminology, but also had a small introduction to surveying and received helpful career advice.” 

Jakob Wanaka, Engineering Division

“Of all the projects I worked on this summer, my favorite was doing affordable housing research. Oregon, especially the metro area, has several new affordable housing initiatives and I was able to help Westlake stay on top of these trends by creating a briefing book that covered the $650 million housing bond which passed in November of 2018. I was also able to visit the new Northwest Housing Alternatives campus and saw the tangible impact these types of projects have on our community.” 

Caprial Farrington, Admin and Land Use Planning Divisions

“Being able to experience different parts of Oregon on job sites, while working with equipment that requires attention and detail, was what got me out of bed excited every morning. Learning so much, in such a short period, was made easy by co-workers both in the field and in the office. I can’t thank everyone enough for making this summer one of the most productive and influential summers I’ve ever had.”

Cameron Perry, Survey Division

“I enjoyed how the Westlake family offered me ways to get involved with some of their main projects. My supervisors were willing to help me if I had any questions about surveying or why the process is the way that it is. I was able to expand my knowledge on issues that may arise on job sites and how to best approach them with efficient solutions. I learned how every part, from staking out beginning plans to working with already built structures, come together with subcontractors to create something bigger. I enjoyed this internship and would recommend to anyone looking to learn about the surveying trade!”

Carson Hull, 3D Scan Division