Last fall, Project Engineer Intern Alastair Howarth walked into Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Construction Management Career Fair energized and ready to secure his first college internship. He’d just begun his first semester of freshman year, and already, he was hungry for his first taste of real-world work experience.

As he made his way around the dozens of construction and engineering company booths and introduced himself, however, he struggled to connect with the attending recruiters. Most of the introductions, which he’d envisioned as lively, mutually rewarding conversations, fell flat. He was disappointed but determined to find the right match.

Then, Webcor’s recruiting banner caught his eye. He recognized the name immediately—his family friend had worked there for several years. He walked over to the booth and introduced himself to Webcor recruiters Kelly Martz (superintendent), John Tuttle (construction manager), and Niki Blinov (senior project engineer), hoping this conversation would be different.

The connection was instant—and refreshing. Their conversation flowed naturally from one topic to the next as they discussed Webcor’s vast California resume, current projects, internship opportunities, and alignment with Alastair’s career aspirations.

“Right off the bat, I really liked the people at Webcor,” Alastair says. “I genuinely enjoyed talking to them and, soon afterward, the Webcor leaders I interviewed with.” He accepted their internship offer a few weeks later.

It would be his first experience on a construction site. He was eager to dive right in and experience it all—the challenges project engineers often tackle, the office and field environments, the collaboration between project team members and subcontractors, and much more.

On June 18, Alastair began his summer as a PE intern at the UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital (HHDH, previously UCSF New Hospital at Parnassus Heights)—the very hospital where he was born. For the last three months, he’s supported UCSF HHDH’s Increment 2 team, which focuses on foundations and underground utilities, in both the office and the field.

“I’ve learned more about construction and the PE experience than I could have possibly imagined this summer, as well as more general lessons like the significance of asking thoughtful questions and paying close attention to the seemingly small details,” Alastair says. “I’ve also met some great people, including fellow interns who have shared personal stories about their school and hometown experiences.”

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A standout moment of the summer came just two weeks into his internship, when he went up to the roof of the existing Moffitt Hospital with the project’s surveyors. The sweeping views of the city from the 16^th floor stunned him, even as a native San Franciscan.

“In addition to a complete overview of the job site, I took in what’s arguably the best view of San Francisco,” he says. “I could see the ocean, all of Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, and downtown.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to support this incredible project. We’ve made great progress over the last three months, and I can’t wait to see the final product in the next few years.”

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