As an aerospace engineering major at Texas A&M University College Station, Project Engineer (PE) Intern Minchan Jeong didn’t always see himself planning a career in the construction industry.

“I knew I wanted to be a well-rounded engineer capable of performing engineering skills in every industry,” Minchan shares. “I was drawn to aerospace engineering because the skills required for success in that field, such as data analysis and product design, can be applied to all types of industries, from construction to oil & gas.”

‍

‍

While meeting Project Director Soonrock Park at an event, Minchan shared that he was an aspiring engineer pursuing his bachelor’s degree. Their casual introduction quickly evolved into an extensive, honest discussion about Minchan’s envisioned career trajectory and overall professional goals. In turn, Soonrock shared his own career development story within the AEC industry and explained the typical expectations of a director leading large, complex construction projects. Minchan was engrossed in every detail—by the end of their conversation, he knew he wanted to follow in Soonrock’s footsteps and pursue the construction path.

“I’m drawn to construction’s impact on our daily lives,” he says. “I’ve also found it fascinating that construction is not simply about time and money—it’s really about the intertwined relationships between general contractors, the owner, the architect, and trade partners.”

The exceptional level of collaboration demanded by a successful construction project is what continues to intrigue Minchan most about the industry, especially now that he’s a PE intern on 300 Kansas in San Francisco. Supporting his team has given him his first real glimpse of how integral seamless team collaboration is to successful project delivery.

“It’s necessary to establish positive relationships with colleagues and motivate one another to fully contribute everything they can,” he says. “I’ve been really pleased to observe all the positive interactions between team members to accomplish a common goal: building something meaningful.”

As a PE intern, Minchan supports Assistant Project Manager Marina Rosso with waterproofing, drywall, and LEED certification-related tasks—something Minchan’s particularly excited to tackle, as Webcor’s commitment to sustainable building practices was one of the company identifiers that most compelled him to join Webcor. He’s also appreciated the opportunity to apply his programming skills to his internship tasks: “When my superintendent, Ryan Kisner, asked me to determine the amount of concrete required for a staircase, I leveraged my programming knowledge to automate the calculation process. It was a great application of my academic learning to real-world challenges!”

Aside from his daily on-site responsibilities, Minchan’s enjoyed simply observing how the 300 Kansas team nurtures positive relationships and carefully coordinates precise construction plans.

“Watching and absorbing Marina and other team members’ meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of building has been extremely valuable,” he says. “I’ve also learned so much from seeing everything the team does to uphold Webcor’s reputation as a dedicated partner to owners and subcontractors.”

It’s been a particularly interesting time for Minchan to join the team—currently, 300 Kansas is on track to reach completion in about two months, meaning the team is working at a faster pace than ever before. Continuing to work efficiently without sacrificing quality and attention to detail is critical.

“It’ll be gratifying to witness the fruits of my team’s labor over the last few years and know that I contributed to the final structure,” Minchan says. “My experience here has taught me so much about the power of effective leadership, relationship development, and strong attention to detail. I look forward to seeing the near-final product once my internship with the 300 Kansas team concludes in September!”

Minchan’s ambition extends beyond his career—as an avid traveler, he hopes to explore several different countries and experience their cultures. So far, he’s visited Portugal, Spain, Russia, China, Japan, Korea, Florida, Georgia, Washington D.C, and New York and plans to visit Hungary and several European countries in the near future.