Which summer internship should I choose? Any opinions/advice?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I'm torn between a few summer civil engineering internships and I'm not sure which opportunity I should take.</p>

<p>1) My dad has a friend in Hong Kong who owns a civil engineering firm that is involved in many railway and transportation projects in the city. I've looked at a list of projects that they are working on and it's pretty impressive. Working overseas would definitely look good on a resume and I want to have a career in the transportation field. I asked them what I would be doing and it seems like a lot of office work (could consist of bid preparation, report compilation, attending meetings etc...) which I'm not a huge fan of (love being outside more). I'm also not sure if he actually is going to have something for me to do or if he is just doing this as a favor to my dad. I'm also pretty uncertain about going to Hong Kong by myself for a whole summer. My parents take me there every 3 years (I was born in the US) but I'm very uncomfortable with my ability with Chinese. This is definitely the choice that my parents want me to take. They keep calling me everyday to figure out when I am going to tell their friend that I am going to start and say they need to buy my plane ticket over there (which is understandable) but I feel I need to have more thought into this.</p>

<p>2) I applied to work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. I applied freshman year and was accepted to the internship program at one of their offices throughout the state but declined because I decided to go home to Boston for the summer. My grades have remained about the same so I assume that there's a pretty good chance I could get into the program again (won't here till beginning of April). I'm not exactly sure what work an engineer at the DOT does so if someone could shed some light on it that would be fantastic. </p>

<p>3) I'm currently interning at the US Forest Service. I've learned a lot here but I feel like a lot of the stuff they do here is really simple and really doesn't involve too much engineering stuff. Summer school tuition is too expensive so that's why I'm planning on interning in the summer again and then going back to school all of next year. I've been writing some specifications and conditions for projects including renovating the HVAC systems and repainting the buildings in the forest service complex buildings as well as doing some minor surveying and layouts. Ultimately I don't see myself working here as a career (like I said, I'd love to do something with transportation) BUT if I do stay for another semester/summer, I would have worked enough hours to be eligible for conversion to a full time position with the Forest Service after graduation so it would be something to fall back on. </p>

<p>I probably left out a lot of key details that you would need to give an opinion so let me know if you need any more info!</p>

<p>Thanks for any advice you can give me on this situation!</p>

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<p>In the end the choice is yours. Here’s some comments about each position:</p>

<p>1) Despite being in the office, working alongside engineers is a learning experience in itself. You have to learn all the necessary steps that need to be taken to approve building structures and whatnot. Hongkong doesn’t seem like a bad place either. If you feel uncomfortable though, don’t take it. Your parents do not know what you will enjoy for your career. However, it is a learning experience.</p>

<p>2) The DOT does everything. Some interns will be working alongside engineers and construction workers making sure a project is smoothly going into Others will be in an office programming transportation signals. Apply and see what you get. Just note that other options may not be waiting if you do pursue this options and there are a lot of stories where people are given interviews the first time around and not the second. (despite similar grades, etc)</p>

<p>3) An internship should be used to help direct you towards your goals, whether it is the be a field engineer or a structural engineer. Working at the US forest Service probably does not do this justice but it is a good safety. </p>

<p>Your choice in the end.</p>

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<p>1) Bird in the hand and it is what you want. Most adventurous choice. (You are young…this is the time for adventure.) Also, the projects are impressive. And one big thing is that you will get a chance to become more fluent in Chinese, a skill which will set you apart from the crowd, i.e. give you more options after you graduate.</p>

<p>2) Pretty good chance does not equal bird in the hand. Apply immediately because you need a quick answer if that is the direction you will take.</p>

<p>3) I hate the phrase “fall back on.” My parents always brought up the “fall back on” phrase. It suggests failure at your original pursuits. Now that I have children (one in college, one a junior in high school), it is a phrase I refuse to use with them. Young people shouldn’t be thinking of falling back on something.</p>