Elara Engineering’s 2019 Summer Internship Program recently concluded with four future engineers gaining critical insight, knowledge, and experience in numerous aspects of the MEP industry. Developed to ensure that interns become fully immersed in a variety of project types at various stages of their lifecycle, all four college students supported Elara’s multidisciplinary engineering design teams from May to August of this year.
Over the course of the 2019 summer, Elara’s interns performed field surveys to document existing site conditions, assisted in the development of company drawing standards, utilized both AutoCAD and Revit to support the preparation of engineering drawings, executed basic engineering calculations, and worked directly with Elara’s engineers to meet project deadlines. The Summer Internship Program also included a series of Lunch-and-Learns presented by Elara Principals and managers for the interns to learn about the company’s history and service offerings, gain 
insight into the MEPFPIT systems design process and potential career paths, and discuss numerous innovative projects completed by the firm. At the conclusion of the Summer Internship Program, the interns toured the University of Illinois at Chicago’s newly constructed Academic and Residential Complex to review the innovative design strategies implemented by Elara and to gain further exposure to energy efficient systems in operation.
During my summer…I had the opportunity to work on multiple engineering teams on a variety of different projects. The internship team gave us very clear directions and equipped us to complete our tasks. I did not have one time this summer where I didn’t have an assignment to tackle or an engineer to check in with. I have learned so much about the construction process and how engineers work with contractors to go from an idea to a physical structure. ~RW
I was able to work alongside practiced engineers while learning various design techniques and practices in the HVAC industry. Everyone was extremely helpful and ensured, over anything else, our understanding of the material. ~ Ben K.
I had an awesome experience at Elara and…it was really cool to be able to work on all different projects throughout the summer. The high school project was particularly interesting for me because I was able to spend time onsite as well as working on the drawings. I have learned so much…. ~ Abby M.
I gained experience in Revit and AutoCAD and I enjoyed attending the Lunch-n-Learns because they provided a deeper discussion on specific topics. This experience also improved my skills working in a team as it showed me how quickly a job can be completed. Every employee brings a different experience to the table so there was always something to learn from them. ~ Rahul M.
Elara is pleased to offer internships for aspiring engineers each summer with additional opportunities to engage students throughout the year. Resumes for internship consideration can be submitted to employment@elaraeng.com.
