Every year, students from across Texas come to Cleary Zimmermann Engineers to learn, contribute, and build relationships through Texas engineering internships. Our firm facilitates across many disciplines, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, commissioning, marketing, accounting, administration, and more!
We sat down with Maddie Goerig, EIT, Mechanical Engineer at our Bryan/College Station office to learn more about her time interning with CZ and how it shaped her subsequent career with the company. Goerig interned with Cleary Zimmermann back in 2020 and joined us as a full time Mechanical Engineer in 2021.
Hi Maddie! First off, can you tell us how you heard about the internship program at Cleary Zimmermann?
“I reached out to CZ and asked to work part time during my graduate program.
I heard about CZ previously through my cousin, who had worked with and recommended the company. [When I first started], I worked with Zac and Colby in the Bryan/College Station office, and they helped me get introduced to projects.
I started right after everyone came back to the office after the pandemic. Many projects were put on pause, which was great timing for me, as I was able to learn more about mechanical design and current projects.”
Can you tell us a little bit more about what you did during your internship? What team(s) did you work with?
“I mainly worked on projects in the Bryan/College Station office. It was very interesting because I was able to work on a variety of projects at [Texas A&M College Station], such as Construction Administration on Peterson, as well as the Halbouty study.
It was cool to work and go to class on campus!”
What did you learn during your internship at CZ?
“Working with MEP is very different than what you learn in school.
We learned fundamentals and theories in school, but at CZ, as a mechanical engineer we are applying our knowledge to real life projects.
More than anything, I learned how to apply what I learned in school to real life.”
What other skills from your engineering internship did you bring into your current position?
“During my internship, I was able to network with others in the Bryan/College Station community. I had more time to spend outside the office. These relationships have been helpful going into a full-time position because I now have a foundation in the community. This gives me more confidence.
It was fortunate for me that I started after the pandemic when it was slower. Zac and Colby were able to spend more time teaching basics, such as modeling, Revit, and AutoCAD.”
What made you want to return to CZ? Tell us more about the transition from your internship to a full-time job?
“I really appreciated the culture and working downtown Bryan/College Station. I am from College Station, and it was nice to stay close by.
The main reason was the culture CZ has to offer. I was very interested with staying at CZ.
In May of 2021, I was able to start full time right after my classes finished.”
How have you grown professionally at CZ?
“I’ve grown a lot.
If you want to take on more responsibility or learn something new, Cleary Zimmermann provides you with resources to make that happen. That was very unique to me.
Coming to CZ, it was great to see that we have a variety of projects that we can work on. As well as CZ always gives you the opportunity to learn more.”
