Garver Launch interns begin journey at Ignite

Garver has always been dedicated to training the next generation of engineers through internship programs, but the creation of Garver Launch two years ago established a more comprehensive program that focuses on on-the-job experiences and guidance through assigned mentors. 

This year, for the first time, Garver hosted interns at its headquarters in North Little Rock, Arkansas for a two-day welcome event called “Ignite,” which gave them a chance to meet with their fellow interns and company leadership, as well as learn about company history and some of its signature projects. The 2018 Garver Launch class includes 31 interns chosen from 14 different universities working on Garver's Aviation, Transportation, and Water teams from 12 different offices. 

“Our goal for Garver Launch is to provide interns the opportunity to experience what a future career with Garver would look like while preparing them to be instant contributors to the industry,” said Andrew Snyder, Garver Launch committee leader and project manager. “We feel that cultivating a close connection to their peers, their coworkers, as well as the company, is a great way to accomplish that.”

Ignite began with providing interns an overview of the program, followed by office tours separated by each of Garver’s different services, and then an outing at a local escape room. The second day included a round of stretching with Garver’s wellness coordinator, a Q&A panel with Garver leadership providing insights on career advice, business development, past experiences, and work-life balance.

“I’m most excited that each of us are going to be assigned a mentor during our time with Garver,” said Katelyn Patterson, who is interning in the Fayetteville office and will be a senior at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. “We’re here to learn as much as we can about engineering, and to have someone you can rely on for questions and tips is going to be a great resource.”

“I had a previous internship at a smaller company, and I felt it didn’t provide much diversity or direction in civil engineering,” said Colin Cook, who will be a senior at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Georgia, and is interning in the Frisco, Texas office. “So far, I’m excited about all the possibilities that can be provided by working with different services and engineers with such varied experiences.”

The final day concluded with a presentation on the Broadway Bridge over the Arkansas River, and visits to the Highway 286 intersection and widening project in Conway, and the Garver-designed Conway Municipal Airport.

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