As a company building for the long term, Schick puts a lot of effort into our Summer Internship Programme. Joseph Loveridge Mills has experienced the benefits of the programme first hand and has already gained valuable hands-on industry experience.
When Waikato Uni civil engineering student Joseph Loveridge Mills was applying for summer placements, he was looking forward to seeing how the theory he was learning applied in the real world. He was also hoping to learn how to drive a digger. “That’s not something I’d heard other students talk about but it was something I really wanted to try,” Joseph said. “I did know from other students who’d worked at Schick, that interns were given hands-on work as well as technical challenges, so I figured getting into their programme was my best chance to get the best of both worlds.”
Schick has a long history of supporting student summer placements. However, four years ago, the business recognised there was a lot more the programme could offer for both students and the business. “The value of getting talented, skilled people into the business early was important to us even before the pandemic hit,” said Schick’s People Development Manager, Nathan Twaddle. “We’ve thought a lot about what we’re trying to get out of the programme, that is good people who understand how to deliver good outcomes, and to get that, being clear on what experiences and support do we need to offer.”
Getting the buy in from the operational team is a key part of ensuring the onsite experience delivers good learning outcomes for interns. Site Supervisor James Jackson has started to see the dividends from the time he has spent training interns over the last of two summers. “There are now past interns coming in as grads who are able to get up to speed really quickly, which is great for the team and the project outcomes” said James, “Joseph and the other interns have been great this summer, they’ve picked up the practical experience and skills well and think we’ve done a good job giving them the foundation to build on for when they’ll be running jobs too”.
The programme also includes offsite development to build professional skills and ensure interns understand the career options ahead of them. Schick runs training sessions on leadership principles, communication skills and career planning. “The last two years have reinforced the importance of giving people a clear picture of what the career pathways are,” said Nathan, “for the interns we host, that means ensuring they believe the work and learning they’ve given will help them get where they want to go.”
In the end, Joseph got the experience he was looking for, “I got my digger time and I got pretty good by the end of the summer” he said. He also his time at Schick has helped him to develop skills that will benefit him in the future, “I’ve also learnt a lot about the application of civil engineering in civil projects as well. They’ve already offered me a place for my final placement next summer and I’m looking forward to coming back” Joseph said.
Schick has a wide range of career opportunities on offer, check out Trademe job ads if you’re interested. We are committed to building for the long term, so if Joseph’s story has you wanting to learn more about our Civil Internship Programme, head to our Internship Page on the Schick website.
If Jacob’s story has pegged your interest, you can learn more about our Graduate Programme and apply today at our career pathways page
