How do you get an environmental engineering internship as a freshman?

I'm going to University of Texas at Austin this fall and I'm an environmental engineering major. I don't have too much experience in this field, but it feels like all my peers have already gained experience. How can I get an introductory level internship and learn more about the industry?

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Kassie Grimes , Department of Energy

Answered Friday, October 18, 2024 at 4:06 PM

Hi Kayna,

First of all, it's great that you're already thinking about opportunities to get more experience this early in your engineering career - well done! In my experience, securing an internship as a college freshman can be challenging, but not impossible. I recommend taking a few different approaches.
1. Ask career advisors at your university. These career advisors can likely help you connect with environmental engineering organizations that may be hiring student interns. They can also help you with resume development and career coaching. Many universities also host student job fairs, which is another great way to connect face-to-face with employers specifically looking to bring on interns from your university.

2. Consider different types of experience. For example, are you interested in gaining research experience? There may be professors in your department who are interested in hiring students to do research during the summer or even part-time during the school year. I highly recommend talking with your professors about these opportunities if you're interested in research or going to graduate school in the future.

3. Get involved in student engineering societies on campus or national engineering organizations. Many student engineering societies have resources to help students find internships and also support students to attend local job fairs. Likewise, most national engineering organizations such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) have an online job board where employers post open job or internship opportunities that you can apply to.

Overall, there are lots of different ways to get environmental engineering experience early in your collegiate career. Getting started early (like you are now!) will likely help. Don't be discouraged if you find it hard to secure an environmental engineering-specific position as a freshman. Other job experiences, like working at a restaurant or summer camp can also hep teach you incredibly valuable skills that will be useful in your career. Good luck!

-Kassie Grimes