“Without My Internship, I Don’t Know Where I’d Be”- Mike McVaugh’s Intern Success Story

Mike McVaugh (pictured to the right), the CDOT Regional Transportation Director for CDOT’s Southest Region (“Region 5”), began his career at a CDOT Intern in 1991 through 1992. Mike went to Colorado State University for Civil Engineering, originally wanting to be a bridge engineer. Mike heard of the internship because he knew some of the current and former CDOT interns at the time, but was hired because of his skill in Leroy lettering during a time when almost all CAD drawings were done by hand in ink (at the time, CDOT Headquarters had 8 design units and only 2 Autocad computers). During his 1991 internship, Mike worked with a design squad where he learned about design and survey. The next year, returning for a second internship, Mike developed his survey and field survey work and learned that he’d rather work outside than work inside an office. After his internships, Mike began to apply for CDOT jobs in earnest and was hired as a Pavement Manager and Materials Tester in Pueblo. After three years in Pueblo, Mike moved into Region 5 where he has worked up to earning the title of Region 5 Transportation Director.