Raisel Nanda joined K+A – Denver from April through July for a summer internship. Born and raised in India, where she is pursuing her bachelor’s in civil engineering. She has expressed that her experience here has been enriching and largely met her expectations. Working on real-world jobs and expanding her insights on her desired industry. Wishing she had more time out in the field she didn’t wish to change a thing about her time with K+A. Check out her interview below!
Q: Tell me about yourself
Hey, my name is Raisel and I’m from India. I am currently pursuing my bachelor’s in civil engineering. In my free time, I love to draw and read books.
Q: What are you studying and what school are you attending?
I’m a junior at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, India and I’m currently pursuing my bachelor’s in civil engineering.
Q: Why did you choose your major?
With my dad being a structural engineer, I was always intrigued by this field and that made it easy for me to choose my major. Overall it was a combination of my interests, academic strengths and long-term career goals that led me to choose this major.
Q: Why were you interested in this internship?
I was interested in this internship because it aligned perfectly with my career goals and academic background. It provided me with not only a platform to get practical working experience but also an opportunity to upskill and learn more about this industry.
Q: What helped you choose K+A for interning?
I chose this company as it is a leading organization in its field and has a great reputation for providing excellent hands-on experience and a supportive learning atmosphere. Working here would provide me with the right environment to grow both personally and professionally. When I learnt that Mr. Kumar is an alumnus of my college it made it even easier.
Q: What new skills did you learn here?
Throughout my internship, I developed valuable technical skills along with improving my communication skills. I also got the opportunity to interact and learn from professionals within the organization. Also encountered real-world challenges and learnt how to propose effective solutions for the same.
Q: Tell me about the biggest challenge you faced while interning.
The biggest challenge for me during this internship was to live away from my family and friends back in India and adapt to living alone for the first time. I didn’t face any challenge at work itself, it’s been a smooth journey especially with everyone being so helpful and supportive at K+A.
Q: What did you learn about this industry?
I think the biggest thing I learnt is that as an engineer, being thorough and ethical are the essential qualities that should guide one’s professional conduct and decision-making. Thoroughness in understanding client requirements and expectations helps ensure that your deliverables meet or exceed their needs
Q: Tell me your biggest achievement here at K+A.
I got to experience and learn about all the different aspects related to Geotechnical engineering: from working at the lab to going out in the field for inspections and then finally working at the engineering department. It has been a full circle and every day has been a new learning experience and I would consider that to be my biggest achievement at K+A.
Q: How did this internship match your expectations?
My internship experience has been enriching and I’m pleased to say that the internship largely met my expectations. Throughout the internship, I had the chance to work on various projects, which allowed me to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in my studies to real-world situations. The internship provided me with valuable insights into the industry and helped me develop essential skills in communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.
Q: Would you change your experience here?
I wish I could spend some more time in the field but other than that I wouldn’t want to change anything.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
After I graduate, I would like to pursue my master’s to enhance my skill set. I would definitely love to come back to Colorado and work for K+A in the future.
