KSC Senior Working with Construction Company on New Residence Hall
Keene State College is partnering with Engelberth Construction to complete its newest residential building, which will provide students with space for new living and learning opportunities. This exciting addition has also provided a senior, who is studying Safety and Occupational Health Applied Sciences, with an opportunity for hands-on work experience. Peter Spanos, of Westford, MA is completing his undergraduate degree at Keene State while also interning as a safety engineer with the company that is responsible for constructing the newest dorm building on campus.
“I do site safety inspections and make sure they’re up to code on everything and enforce Engleberth’s safety policies because they’re a well-recognized construction contractor with a great safety program,” said Spanos. “I like working out in the field and getting a little dirty, but at the same time I like doing my office work and writing up my reports, so I get the best of both worlds.”
Spanos says that while there is a steep learning curve when it comes to working in the field, it’s helpful to be able to put the things he’s learning into practice at work as supplemental lessons.
“We have a lot of professors in the program who have a lot of real-life experience and they give us insight into what it’s like working in the field. But a lot of what you learn in the classroom is hypothetical and putting it into practice helps me to learn it in a practical sense,” he said.
“It’s great that Safety faculty are right on campus too. Lonna Blais teaches Construction Safety Standards. She takes our class over to look around the site. I can also get advice from a former OSHA compliance officer. It’s professional and, at the same time, it’s still in a classroom setting.”
Spanos said that he grew up around construction and wanted to be able to at least begin his career in safety engineering in the construction field. When Engleberth and Keene State faculty were communicating about internships, he was happy to apply. “Jaime Ingalls is my advisor, and I made it known that I was looking for some summer work. She helped me get it set up. Engleberth came to the school because they knew they would be working on campus and were looking for someone in my position,” said Spanos.
Being both a student and an employee of Engleberth on the Keene State campus makes Spanos feel that he has a special connection to his internship. “I do feel like I have a different connection to the new residential space. It’s nice that I can talk to subcontractors and Engleberth staff and tell them that I have a connection to the college,” he said. “I’d like to say that it makes me more of a unique asset to the company because, if there is an issue, I know the right people to talk to at the school.”
