This summer, Nathan Duncan stepped into the world of construction safety as an intern at JP Cullen—and quickly discovered that no two days are the same. From early morning huddles and site walkthroughs to critical lift planning and team collaboration, Nathan’s experience was anything but ordinary. His story is one of growth, mentorship, and finding a sense of belonging in a company that treats interns like family. Let’s take a closer look at what made Nathan’s summer unforgettable.
Could you share what a day in life as an intern looks like? Could be morning routines to any tasks you found especially exciting, we’d love to hear about what made your summer special!
- A day in the life of a safety intern here at JP Cullen can be very exciting. Every week on Friday, we design and make our schedule for the following week. This tells me which safety specialist or manager I’ll be working with and which job sites I’ll be visiting. During the week, I will drive (we even carpool) to the specified site and meet with the safety team there. Once on site, we usually attend the morning huddle, then participate in the morning stretch and flex with the crew. After that, we will walk around the site and interact with the crew. We will then complete a site safety report and give that to the project team. This process can take as little as an hour or as long as a full day; it just depends on the size of the site and the activities for the day.
Reflecting on the summer, what’s been the most memorable project or task you’ve been involved in? How did it contribute to your understanding of the construction industry and your personal growth? Is there anyone in particular that stood out to you as a mentor?
- Over the summer, one of the most memorable projects I was part of was at Camp Randall. Being a huge Badger football fan, it is incredibly cool to be working next to Camp Randall and see first-hand the projects we are doing there, which makes it even more memorable. There, we’re building the Badgers’ brand-new indoor practice facility. This job requires us to set trusses that weigh around 90,000 lbs, making them critical lifts—something I had learned about but never seen or participated in before. This experience has taught me a lot about rigging, cranes, the importance of planning, and what goes into a critical pick plan. Dakota, Safety Specialist at JP Cullen, did an incredible job of keeping me involved and informed even though I only saw him maybe once a week.
Internships often provide unique learning opportunities. Can you share an instance where you faced a challenge that may have pushed you out of your comfort zone? How did you tackle it and what did you learn from the experience?
- This internship has provided many unique opportunities and challenges. Being one of the youngest guys on the safety team and most likely one of the youngest onsite, many people think this would be a challenge—but not here at JP Cullen. Everyone I’ve talked to has been open to feedback and willing to correct mistakes; many of them even ask me questions, and I do the same. Many have taught me what they are doing and how they do it. The crews definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and put me in situations where I wasn’t sure what to do, but they were always there to lend a helping hand.
Are there any other parts of your internship experience that especially stood out for you? Could be a memorable tour, company culture, coworkers, or even a training session!
- Being an intern at JP Cullen, you aren’t just another intern or a number—you are part of the team; you make a difference. One of the coolest things JP Cullen does for its interns is host intern training days at each of the three different offices. These are especially fun because I get to ask the other interns what issues they are seeing and see all the different projects people are on. This isn’t just a company—this is a family.
If you are interested in joining our team, check out our Careers Page!
