Self-Reflection: Internship Experience at Colas Construction

This assignment is a reflective journal detailing a student's internship experience at Colas Construction Company. The student, working as an architect, recounts their involvement in the bidding process, contractor selection, and project management, specifically focusing on a renovation project for the Fitz building. The paper highlights the supportive environment provided by the student's boss and the company's emphasis on relationship-building. The student reflects on their learning about the bidding process, facility project management, and the importance of pre-qualification conditions for contractors. The reflection concludes with an acknowledgment of improved decision-making skills and the applicability of the learned techniques to future assignments. The student also references supporting literature on self-reflection and its impact on learning and decision-making.

Running head: REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Name of Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................4

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Introduction
Self-reflection refers to the ability of individuals to learn from their past experiences such
that they can apply the same for future activities and decision-making. Therefore self-reflection
helps in improving the decision making skills of an individual (Koopman, Eva and Frank). The
main aim of the paper is to reflect upon my experience in the internship program with Colas
construction company. The paper will, therefore, discuss my overall experience at the internship.
I had a great internship experience at the colas construction company. The Colas construction
company is a construction company that is aimed at providing affordable houses for tenants
improvements or even commercial retail purpose.
Discussion
My overall experience at Colas Construction Company has been excellent. One of the
main reasons for my good experience is that my boss was very supportive and the company also
has a culture of relationship-building and therefore my boss allowed me to run a small
renovating project for the Fitz building. Since I was hired as an architect, therefore, I carried out
the plan review, and my boss even helped me with the same. I carried out the bidding process
with my bosses’ supervisor, who was also an architect after getting approval from all the
stakeholders (Yamada, Masanori, et al.). The bidding process was started after the selection of
the contractors based on the prequalification conditions. And after that, we carried out the
bidding process successfully. The valuation of the project was done approximately around
150,000 to 200,000, including all costs. Since I was working as the architect, I had to set a
schedule with the contractors, and I was also responsible for drawing and making arrangements
for the bidding process. Facilities project management includes the operation of drawing up

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sufficient special funds for the project and also conduct the bidding process for all the
contractors.
However, for the contractors to take part in the bidding process, they need to qualify
specific processes. These include- arranging for pre-qualification documents and also evaluation
of the applicants for the bidding process will be done and only after the assessment will the
candidates be eligible for the bidding process, and it depends upon whether they get a fail or pass
marks in the evaluation process. The method of selection is done based on the criteria's or
conditions that are different from company to company. The construction company must enter
into a contract with various professionals such as consultants and state to proceed with the
project designs (Travers et al.). Therefore through my internships, I have learnt a lot related to
the bidding process and selection of contractors who take part in the bidding process.
Conclusion
Therefore from the above discussion, it can be concluded that through this self-reflection
task, my decision-making skills have improved as I have learnt a lot from experience at the Colas
construction company and I can apply the same for my future assignments. I have understood
about the bidding process, and various other techniques and the same can be made use by me in
future also.

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References
Koopman, Eva Maria Emy, and Frank Hakemulder. "Effects of literature on empathy and
self-reflection: A theoretical-empirical framework." Journal of Literary Theory 9.1 (2015): 79-
111.
Travers, Cheryl J., Dominique Morisano, and Edwin A. Locke. "Self‐reflection, growth
goals, and academic outcomes: A qualitative study." British Journal of Educational
Psychology 85.2 (2015): 224-241.
Yamada, Masanori, et al. "Learning analytics of the relationships among self-regulated
learning, learning behaviors, and learning performance." Research and Practice in Technology
Enhanced Learning 12.1 (2017): 13.