CDOT Named 2023 "Best Intern Program" by Employ Humanity!

What does the Colorado Department of Transportation offer to interns and fellows?

One of the things this program offers in particular is a well tailored experience for college students and fellows alike. An intern in the Office of Process Improvement, Remy St.Pierre stated "The CDOT Process Improvement Internship has been a fantastic opportunity for me to explore a field I am less familiar with. It has also allowed me to manage large projects as an intern, a rare learning experience." In addition to exposing our interns to new and valuable experiences, the program also provides flexibility for interns by allowing them to take advantage of a hybrid work schedule and even a part-time schedule. This flexibility makes the internship program more accessible for current students.

Considering that many interns and fellows are students earning degrees, at CDOT, an intern’s first job is to learn. To set interns up for success, they are assigned a mentor who provides guidance and support throughout their internship. Mentors guide interns through the day-to-day procedures of being part of Team CDOT. Additionally, during their internship, interns are encouraged to build connections with each other. We’re provided opportunities to sit with professionals in their field, participate in lunches, and attend field trips to various CDOT facilities. These experiences hold incredible value for individuals that are just starting their careers - or those who are pivoting their career. 

"Sit-With Opportunities"

Speaking to professionals in their field provides much insight into the type of career interns might have, and also facilitates connections to help them achieve their career goals. Going on excursions opens up doors to new knowledge and gives students firsthand experience with some of the concepts they’ve learned about in school. I’ve attended two such excursions this summer, one to I-25 North, where my team and I learned about the challenges and opportunities the communities around the corridor face. The most recent was the CTMC excursion, which allowed me and the group to ask a multitude of questions regarding how we keep our roads safe, how tolling works, and the future of connected transportation. 

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting with Veronica McCall who was an intern not long ago. She had this to say about her time working as an intern with Region 1 Planning and Environmental: "...I had the opportunity to work with individual resource specialists and learn about their processes. For example, I went out with our Biologists to delineate wetlands, collected traffic noise data with our Air and Noise Specialist, and inspected infiltration basins for adequate water quality function with a Water Quality Intern. Additionally, I assisted with reviewing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) technical documentation for transportation projects and it was eye-opening to see how environmental compliance and stewardship is ultimately demonstrated to the public. My internship emphasized the fundamental importance of state agencies championing the natural and human environment. I'm proud to now serve in a full-time position in Region 1 and be a part of this integral process for delivering transportation projects."

As Veronica demonstrates, at the end of their internships, interns can confidently say they have learned new skills, made valuable contributions to Colorado State Government, and formed life-long connections that will aid their success in future endeavors. I myself had the opportunity to grow and learn more about myself and am setting myself up for a career path in environmental work. I'm so grateful this internship provided me the time to do self-discovery, and to follow up on the things I find myself interested in.

As an intern who is wrote this article, we thank CDOT for all that its staff does to foster our education and encourage us to grow!