Keller's geotechnical expertise allows them to be awarded projects that require a wide range of geotechnical solutions. As a result, I was able to gain a wide range of knowledge relating to the geotechnical focus of civil engineering. Keller is a geotechnical contractor and therefore has its own estimating team, design/engineering team, and field team. As a result, it was easy to gain experience working through each piece of the general construction process. As a Co-Op, I was mainly in the field working to assist the superintendent on site and the project manager in the office. This again exposed me to a wide range of problems that can be encountered in construction--logistical and financial.
What I wish was different
As a Co-Op at Keller, I was expected to travel throughout the US Midwest. Communication about where I would be sent was often given with relatively short notice, so personal planning was sometimes difficult.
Advice
Hands-on experience in the field is likely the most beneficial experience a first or second rotation Co-Op can gain. It allows one to understand how operations are carried out in the real world, which is often necessary for bidding, engineering design, or project managment.
