Civil Engineering Internship Question

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I am currently a sophomore in civil engineering and I am fairly positive I have two internship opportunities this summer. One is in the private sector and the other is in the public sector</p>

<p>Both jobs are in the realm of construction engineering. One is a private firm based in Cleveland that specializes in road and bridge construction and engineering. </p>

<p>The other is a construction engineering internship in Columbus with the state of Ohio. So it is a public sector internship. </p>

<p>Both internships are fairly similar. </p>

<p>Both companies will offer me an internship next year if I wish to go back, I think. And if I decline one, it is unlikely that I would be chosen again for that position next summer </p>

<p>So my question is... is there an advantage to working in the public or private sector for civil engineering? Which internship would provide me with a better overview of civil engineering work? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I would without a doubt choose the private sector; there’s a world of difference between the cultures of the two. In my experience in the public sector, everybody tries to do the minimum amount of work that they can get away with. In the private sector, people are focused on getting the project done and getting it done efficiently. You end up learning a heck of a lot more and morale tends to be better.</p>