School year: Graduated in January 2022
Major: Software Engineering
What projects are you working on/involved with during your time at Arbor? I am working on scanning documents, moving documents within the system, and consolidating similar documents. I also work on some specific requests regarding document templates.
What are you hoping to learn from this internship? I am hoping to learn skills for operating in a work environment. I also want to get more experience with IT and tech jobs in general.
Where would you like your career to go? How will this internship help? My goal for my career is to eventually find a full-time job working with technology. This will help by giving me vital work experience that will not only benefit me going forward, but will also be good for my resume.
What do you enjoy about working at Arbor? My favorite thing about working here is my co-workers. Everyone is so nice and friendly, and they make me feel very comfortable at work. As far as the work itself goes, I really like contributing to the company by fulfilling the document requests I am given. Additionally, I love keeping track of how many files I’ve scanned. Currently, I have scanned over 300 files, and I look forward to seeing how many more I will finish.
What are you most looking forward to this school year? I already graduated
ZACH DOERR
School: Purdue University
School year: Junior
Major: Construction Management Technology
What projects are you working on/involved with during your time at Arbor? Over the course of the summer, I worked at The Retreat and Cherry Tree Walk neighborhoods, following and learning from Zach Edwards and Jon Atkinson. I started off mainly observing the job, but as time progressed, I have moved more on my own and began learning frame checks, QC sheets, schedules, etc.
What are you hoping to learn from this internship? I am hoping to learn more about the critical path of residential construction to better understand the process of building. I would like to learn use the critical path to walk around and confirm schedules. I addition, I want to learn how to be a leader so that I may understand the ways of a superintendent and how to communicate information with contractors.
Where would you like your career to go? Overall, I would like my career to eventually move on to custom home building in the distant future. Working with the superintendents has really helped me understand the process of residential construction and all the necessary steps to close a house.
What do you enjoy about working at Arbor? I like that the internship is allows me to learn and follow the superintendents, but also complete tasks on my own so that I can understand the process better. In addition, the people I work with are great, allowing me to have fun on the job, while also learning a lot along the way.
What are you most looking forward to this school year? I am looking forward to seeing a lot of the CM friends I made at Purdue and finding a suitable minor to accompany my major.
KYLIE DONALDSON
School: Purdue University
School year: Just graduated in May 2022
Major: Marketing
What projects are you working on/involved with during your time at Arbor? I have been involved in the new Silverthorne website. During my time, I have helped double check the information for the specs, writing descriptions on the spec homes, moving photos to the new website, and finding locations for the Point of Interest Map. While I didn't do as much as everyone else on the marketing team, it was nice to know that I was doing something important to help them.
What are you hoping to learn from this internship? From this internship, I hope to learn more about the different marketing jobs that are offered in new home building. So far, I have been lucky enough to learn about digital marketing, print marketing, event marketing, and market research. Every day I get to learn or do something new!
Where would you like your career to go? How will this internship help? I am hoping that by the end of this internship to have a full time position at Abror Homes. It has been great working with everyone and getting to know the company better. In my career, I hope to not only enjoy what I do, but have variety. I don't want feel like every day is the same. This internship gives me variety that allows me to learn about the different types of marketing. Interning at Arbor Homes has shown me that marketing is more than just handing out flyers or looking at charts. I have really learned a lot and can’t wait to continue to learn more!
What do you like about working at Arbor? At risk of sounding like a broken record, I really enjoy the variety. I also love the people that I get to work with and see every day. Christina has been great about helping me improve my marketing skills and teaching me about the new home building industry. It is also great working at a company where the higher ups offer to help if there is an issue that I have or even just remembering my name and offering a smile.
What are you most looking forward to this school year? I just graduated so I am glad to be done!
LUKE SMITH
School: DePauw University
School year: Senior
Major: Economics & History
What projects are you working on/involved with during your time at Arbor? I am shadowing the superintendent and his assistant at Northwood Haven in Danville, IN to learn the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of a residential home builder. This requires helping with all the inspections that take place throughout the home building process and many other tasks. These tasks include things such as marking for drywall and paint touch ups, maintaining the yards, and fixing minor issues. One of the most important aspects of the job is walking all the houses twice a day to make sure the houses stay on schedule. To keep track of this ever-changing schedule, Arbor uses Sapphire. Sapphire shows the schedule for each house and what is happening each day. I am being taught how to keep up with the schedule in Sapphire. It truly makes a difference when an issue arises, as we can go back and use Sapphire to push jobs out a day or so until the house can get back on track. Overall, I am learning so much about residential home building and appreciate all I’ve been able to do in only 2.5 months.
What are you hoping to learn from this internship? I am hoping to learn about the home building process from start to finish. More specifically, I am eager to gain a complete understanding of how a superintendent not only builds a home, but how they manage their trades, navigate an ever-changing schedule, and keep the job site running smoothly when so much is occurring at once.
Where would you like your career to go? I would like to get into construction after I graduate this school year. I have always been interested in the construction field. Since this internship at Arbor, I have found out that I really enjoy residential home building, and it has helped me understand much more about what it takes to become a successful superintendent. Not only do I get to work in a field I love but seeing the happiness of a new homeowner when they finally get to move into their new home is special and being a part of what made that possible is very satisfying.
What do you like about working at Arbor? I have really enjoyed my time at Arbor. There are so many nice people that I have met and made connections with. My Superintendent, Jeff Hill, is superb at his job and is also a great teacher; I have learned so much during my time with him at Northwood Haven. I also have had a great experience with multiple assistants and my area manager Jordan Brewer. They never hesitate to answer a question I might have and always explain to me why and what they are doing along the way. All these people have made my internship with Arbor one of the best experiences of my work career.
What are you most looking forward to this school year? I am most looking forward to graduating and the Monon Bell football game this fall. Go Tigers!