Architectural Engineering Work Experience Reflection Report

This report presents a reflection on a student's work experience as an architectural engineer, detailing two internship experiences. The first internship involved gaining practical skills in architectural engineering, including strategies to reduce costs and evaluate electrical systems. The second internship focused on project management, where the student learned to handle project tasks, interact with clients, and collaborate with project teams. The student highlights the importance of work placement programs in bridging the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application, emphasizing the development of software skills (Revit, AutoCAD, etc.), communication skills, and adaptability. The report also discusses the value of site visits, client meetings, and contractor interactions in shaping the student's understanding of the workplace. Through these experiences, the student developed skills in problem-solving, time management, and professional relationships. The student recommends that universities incorporate more practical training based on their internship experiences.

Running head: WORK EXPERIENCE REFLECTION
Work Experience Reflection
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1WORK EXPERIENCE REFLECTION
A good professional career can be planned in various ways such as by planning academic
studies in a way it makes sense with the current job trends. Successful completion of academic
studies is not the only hurdle to a good career. It is the start of a journey that has many barriers to
success. To be able to survive such circumstances and achieve the desired job goal, this journey
must be effectively structured. One of the elements of such a structured journey is to pursue
‘Work Placement’ programs (Yusoff et al. 2017). These programs are good ways to gain
experience in real job nature. Besides, interns do also get paid for doing the internship.
I feel lucky for getting numerous opportunities to work as an intern. I worked as an
architectural engineer. During my academics, I went through so many tricks to handle work
pressure. However, it was during my internship that I realized the actual pressure of being an
architectural engineer. I was clueless about interacting with so many new things. I was being
introduced to many job-related tasks routinely. These helped me learn new things like how to get
through with the system prototypes submitted by architects. During my internship days, I was
being told to pay serious attention to finding strategies to decrease costs, increase efficiency,
compliance issues, etc. I also got to learn that architectural engineers should also evaluate the
proposed electrical systems. This is required to ensure that occupational safety is attained and
that window cost is also attained.
My next internship experience was working with Liwan for project management. I could
remember my first day at work as memorable. I was being introduced to other project members.
It helped me gain some confidence to work. Straightaway, I have handled a project and asked
about my viewpoints on various options that we can use to handle the project as per the client's
expectations. As I was new to this job, my nervousness was evident to the project manager as

2WORK EXPERIENCE REFLECTION
well as other project members. However, since they were open to new suggestions and also had a
friendly attitude, I could positively contribute to the project.
During the first few days of mine into this project, I had a mixed feeling. I was
overwhelmed to get such an opportunity. On the other hand, I was feeling nervous because of the
work and responsibilities placed on me. However, I could somehow survive such a testing period
of my professional career. It was all due to the help of my project manager who with his years of
experience in such work could guide me to success (Blicblau, Nelson and Dini 2016). I was glad
to have spent my initial few days successfully.
Days kept on passing and I continued learning new things with every passing day. The
knowledge and techniques, which I learned at University were helpful for me in learning things
quicker. I used to think during my University days that the theories and concepts taught to us will
not be practically helpful. However, I was glad and delighted for being able to apply all my
learning to a real-world scenario.
During my entire 4 months in the internship, I got to learn about new software such as
Revit, Raken, SketchUp, 3D Max, AutoCAD, Primavera and Photoshop (Yousefi and
Moghaddam 2016). Indeed, it is worth a mention that I got to know about this very useful
software. This knowledge will truly help me in my career ahead and open up new opportunities
to explore. I will look to grab more understanding of this software to gain more expertise.
My internship was not just about learning new software and be limited to the workplace.
Indeed, it was more than just these. During my internship, I also got the opportunity for site
visits, meeting client and being in regular contact with the contractor. Site visits helped me
understand how things go on the operations floor. I could realize how to handle things while

3WORK EXPERIENCE REFLECTION
being to a site. The client meeting provided me opportunities to groom my communication skills
as well as check my negotiation capabilities. Working with the contractor helped me understand
how things go in practical terms. Surely, these learning and lessons encourage me to be adaptive
with the work nature that may vary from one site to another.
Through observation and experience of working on a project, I could change my
perception of the workplace. The project had surveyors, civil engineers and project managers
working from one office. It is such structuring of the unit that helps them facilitate the effective
flow of communication. By working as a group they were able to make quicker decisions as well
as take immediate actions. The project had many other people having strengths in diverse skills.
All these make the working environment just workable. Hard-working people should not have
support related concerns in projects as they might easily reach to the concerned person (Picton,
Kahu and Nelson 2018).
During my project works, I had tight work schedules sometimes. However, with the
support of my project manager, I could manage to keep the pressure off. During tight schedules,
I had to go for a stretch to get the work done within the deadline. However, I could manage all
these as I had this habit in me inherited from my University time. I used to do late night studies
at my University. It is this habit in me to do excessive studies that helped me manage tight and
stretching work schedules during my internship. The internship took me to the troubles of
handling a project. It is why I am now equipped with capabilities to perform under tight work
schedules and stressful nature of work.
Therefore, I could say that my overall work experience was excellent as I could learn new
problem handling tricks and skills to maintain good relationships with the project managers,
contractors and more. I must share these bunch of experiences with my University. I would

4WORK EXPERIENCE REFLECTION
recommend my University to consider my inputs of internship to educate students on more
practical ground.

5WORK EXPERIENCE REFLECTION
References
Blicblau, A.S., Nelson, T.L. and Dini, K., 2016. The Role of Work Placement in Engineering
Students' Academic Performance. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 17(1), pp.31-
43.
Picton, C., Kahu, E.R. and Nelson, K., 2018. ‘Hardworking, determined and happy’: first-year
students’ understanding and experience of success. Higher Education Research & Development,
37(6), pp.1260-1273.
Yousefi, E. and Moghaddam, M.N., 2016. Design and Construction of Household Composter
and Detection of Extended Spectrum β-lactamase Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
Enterobacteriaceae in Compost. Advanced Studies in Biology, 8(1), pp.39-52.
Yusoff, W., Al Ghamdi, A.A., Hafez, K.M., Badawi, I. and Elboughdiri, N.A., 2017. THE
EVALUATION OF COOPERATIVE WORK PLACEMENT IN MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HA’IL, KINGDOM OF SAUDI
ARABIA. Science International, 29(2), pp.167-167.