By: Matthew Alongi
In recent years, the job market
has become increasingly competitive as a result of the economic downturn. This
trend has made a pronounced impact in the engineering field. Earning good
grades, although important, will no longer guarantee a desirable job to recent
graduates. Employers have become more selective and are looking for candidates that
stand out. Students must now also accrue career related work experience during
their college years in order to impress potential employers. For this reason I
was ecstatic to be offered the opportunity to work at the City of Glendale's Building & Safety Division two years ago as a summer intern.
The internship, was an incredibly valuable experience in more ways than one. It considerably
strengthened my resume, which will set me apart from other candidates when I
apply for engineering jobs after college. However, even more valuable was the
real-life engineering experience and knowledge I was able to take away from my
summer working in Building and Safety. The internship allowed me to glean a
real sense of what a job in civil engineering would be like. I became friends
and keep in touch with several of the professional engineers at the office.
They are not only great contacts for job applications, but are also very
helpful in providing career advice.
After a summer of hard work, I
returned to school with a new outlook on my engineering material at school, as
well as my future profession. The following summer I was invited back as an
hourly city employee in the Building & Safety Division. This promotion
tangibly illustrated the benefits of hard work and dedication. I felt
comfortable returning to the division and reconnecting with all the friendly
people that work there. My second summer in Building and Safety was even more
rewarding than the first as I strengthened my relationships and learned more about civil engineering and the building code.
I value the two summers I spent working at the Building and Safety Division every bit as much as I value
the two years I have spent studying engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The
lessons I’ve learned will stick with me for the rest of my working career.
Note: Matthew Alongi is presently pursuing a degree in Civil
Engineering. He will begin his 3rd
year at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo , one of the
premier engineering institutions in California
About "Connecting the Dots"
The Community Development Department prides itself in providing a broad spectrum of high quality services to anyone seeking assistance from our team. Developers, teachers, homeowners, contractors, high school students, Realtors and kindergartners are just a few of the people that come into contact with our staff on a regular basis. We help you build your home or start a business. We help you get involved in your community and we help improve the quality of life in your neighborhood. "Connecting the Dots" is all about the people we serve.
