Construction site in Newport Heights

My name is Isabella DeAngelo, and I am a senior studying Communication with a minor in entrepreneurship at Chapman University! This past semester has been very different than my previous semesters here at Chapman, because I have been working as an intern while also completing coursework. I am an intern for a custom home building construction company called Gonterman Construction. It is a company that focuses on bringing their clients imaginations to life by giving them the home of their dreams. This internship was brought to me through a friend of family, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work in a field I never saw myself taking part in.

By taking this internship, I have learned that it is always important to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and there are many ways to apply your skills to jobs that may not seem up your alley. I have been able to utilize my education and skills that I have learned as a student at Chapman and apply it to real world experiences. This has shown me that my hard work has truly paid off, and that communication is a key component in almost every job out there.

The construction industry requires much more attention to detail than I could have ever imagined, and there are many more facets of the process that exceeds just the actual construction building of the home. It requires a tremendous amount of communication between designers, architects, site managers, clients, and many more. Permits and city ordinances are also something that completely affects a job site, and no progress can be made without them. Since our company is based out of Newport Beach, along with the many inspections of the city planning department, we also have to take in consideration the Coastal Commission and their role in the seaside projects.

Construction site on Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA.

What I believe is the most valuable knowledge I have gained from working with Gonterman Construction, is the importance of every trade being on the same page. Having the most effective workflow is crucial in the construction industry, because without completing one task you are unable to move onto the next. This internship has taught me great time management, attention to detail, and how significant communication truly is in the workplace. If I could offer any advice to a student looking for an internship, it would be to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try something you couldn’t see yourself doing. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to try something new, and I am sure it will better you in the long run if you decide to do so as well.