My sixth week with Ideal Contracting has yet again been an awesome learning experience.  During the beginning of the week, I was in charge of creating booklets that have all the reviewed DCR’s and submittals.  I had to make books for three different jobs.  Once completed, these books were returned to the superintendent that was in charge of each particular job.  This is a great reference tool for the superintendents to have in order to track and account for everything that has been reviewed.  The most exciting thing about my week was having the opportunity to work with Ideal’s field workers on several occasions.  I was able to help on several concrete pours that took place at the WTC.  It’s important for me to learn the trades hard work and build a relationship with all the workers.  Being able work side by side with Ideal’s impressive workers gives me an insight into the construction industry that they don’t teach you in school.  I have a lot of respect for the guys in the trenches getting the work done on a daily basis.  I like showing them my dedication in trying to learn their skills that they have built their careers on and this creates a level of respect and sense of team morale that is crucial for success in the construction industry.  Furthermore, this field work experience that I gained this week gives me the opportunity to gain the respect from Ideal’s workers, which is satisfying.  There is no doubt that I have a lot to learn, but when I establish that I’m working hard, the workers take time out of their routine to simply help me do the job correctly and giving me tips into their work.  Here are some photos shown below that were taken during my site visits and the concrete pours that I was apart of.  Enjoy!

Shown above is me working on a concrete side walk and new location of a smoke hut above the VEC executive garage.

The photo above depicts the form work and grade work for the new concrete side walk and smoke hut above the VEC executive garage.

Here is another pour that I was apart of at the 7000 building for a new smoke hut as well.

Great picture of Toro Hayes, one of Ideal’s impressive superintendents.  Just a man trying to enjoy some ice cream while making sure the pour at the 7000 building went accordingly.

Great photo by Gus Cerku of this hawk that was confused with seeing its reflection in a nearby window at the pour above the VEC executive garage.

This photo above shows me filling out the pre task plan, which is mandatory for all workers that will be performing work on an active construction site.  The pre task plan goes over the scope of work that will take place on an active construction site, as well as the risks involved with a particular job.

Shown above is me at a the pond site for my first concrete pour that I was a part of during the week.

Another photo above shows me filling out another pre task plan before I began my pour above the VEC executive garage for the sidewalk and smoke hut.

Shown above is another photo of me at the site pond concrete pour.

This photo above shows me pointing out the location of the smoke hut on the plan with regards to the pour above the VEC executive garage.
In addition to my field work experience, I was able to walk the sites thoroughly and figure out what problems the crews may be encountering.  For example, Ideal Contracting stumbled upon a problem with a damaged column that I spoke about last week pertaining to the VEC Mockup lobby restoration.  I was able to create a formal DCR for this problem this week to correct the issue and relieve the shutdown of construction that had taken place at this particular site.  Another great aspect of this week was having my fellow intern Dylan Yore come out to the WTC, which was his designated site last summer.  It was cool showing him things I have learned and was currently working on.  Dylan Yore chose an opportune time to come visit the WTC on Thursday, because Ideal was hosting another great lunch for everyone at the WTC.  During the end of the week I was focused on contacting all the subs and issuing requests for them to bill for any outstanding amounts that Ideal Contracting might owe them for work that they performed in past jobs.  This is crucial because Ideal Contracting can’t be bill for their work until all the subs have been paid accordingly.  Lastly, I was able to complete the PIF and BUT forms for one of my jobs that I have been in charge of, which is the Man C 2nd floor noise control project.  We have received a formal job number and next week I will have my first kick off meeting which is exciting.  On Friday I was able to take another walk through with Mike Torres who will be the superintendent on this Man C noise control project.  We discussed the scope of work that needed to be addressed and made sure that we were both on the same page when it came to the carpentry hours that were laid out in the original estimate that I devised.  Towards the end of the day, I got another great learning experience by having the opportunity to head over to the design building with another PM, Erin Wolfe.  Erin took me through a pre-bid walk through of several restrooms, break rooms, and studios that Ideal Contracting will be renovating.  It’s always good to see what the other PM’s are working on and gives me more exposure into different work that I’m not as familiar with at the WTC.  What a great week!  Thanks again to both my supervisors, Gus Cerku and Joe Welmers.  They and everyone at Ideal has really helped me progress in the past weeks.  Until next week!

My sixth week with Ideal Contracting has yet again been an awesome learning experience.  During the beginning of the week, I was in charge of creating booklets that have all the reviewed DCR’s and submittals.  I had to make books for three different jobs.  Once completed, these books were returned to the superintendent that was in charge of each particular job.  This is a great reference tool for the superintendents to have in order to track and account for everything that has been reviewed.  The most exciting thing about my week was having the opportunity to work with Ideal’s field workers on several occasions.  I was able to help on several concrete pours that took place at the WTC.  It’s important for me to learn the trades hard work and build a relationship with all the workers.  Being able work side by side with Ideal’s impressive workers gives me an insight into the construction industry that they don’t teach you in school.  I have a lot of respect for the guys in the trenches getting the work done on a daily basis.  I like showing them my dedication in trying to learn their skills that they have built their careers on and this creates a level of respect and sense of team morale that is crucial for success in the construction industry.  Furthermore, this field work experience that I gained this week gives me the opportunity to gain the respect from Ideal’s workers, which is satisfying.  There is no doubt that I have a lot to learn, but when I establish that I’m working hard, the workers take time out of their routine to simply help me do the job correctly and giving me tips into their work.  Here are some photos shown below that were taken during my site visits and the concrete pours that I was apart of.  Enjoy!

Shown above is me working on a concrete side walk and new location of a smoke hut above the VEC executive garage.

The photo above depicts the form work and grade work for the new concrete side walk and smoke hut above the VEC executive garage.

Here is another pour that I was apart of at the 7000 building for a new smoke hut as well.

Great picture of Toro Hayes, one of Ideal’s impressive superintendents.  Just a man trying to enjoy some ice cream while making sure the pour at the 7000 building went accordingly.

Great photo by Gus Cerku of this hawk that was confused with seeing its reflection in a nearby window at the pour above the VEC executive garage.

This photo above shows me filling out the pre task plan, which is mandatory for all workers that will be performing work on an active construction site.  The pre task plan goes over the scope of work that will take place on an active construction site, as well as the risks involved with a particular job.

Shown above is me at a the pond site for my first concrete pour that I was a part of during the week.

Another photo above shows me filling out another pre task plan before I began my pour above the VEC executive garage for the sidewalk and smoke hut.

Shown above is another photo of me at the site pond concrete pour.

This photo above shows me pointing out the location of the smoke hut on the plan with regards to the pour above the VEC executive garage.
In addition to my field work experience, I was able to walk the sites thoroughly and figure out what problems the crews may be encountering.  For example, Ideal Contracting stumbled upon a problem with a damaged column that I spoke about last week pertaining to the VEC Mockup lobby restoration.  I was able to create a formal DCR for this problem this week to correct the issue and relieve the shutdown of construction that had taken place at this particular site.  Another great aspect of this week was having my fellow intern Dylan Yore come out to the WTC, which was his designated site last summer.  It was cool showing him things I have learned and was currently working on.  Dylan Yore chose an opportune time to come visit the WTC on Thursday, because Ideal was hosting another great lunch for everyone at the WTC.  During the end of the week I was focused on contacting all the subs and issuing requests for them to bill for any outstanding amounts that Ideal Contracting might owe them for work that they performed in past jobs.  This is crucial because Ideal Contracting can’t be bill for their work until all the subs have been paid accordingly.  Lastly, I was able to complete the PIF and BUT forms for one of my jobs that I have been in charge of, which is the Man C 2nd floor noise control project.  We have received a formal job number and next week I will have my first kick off meeting which is exciting.  On Friday I was able to take another walk through with Mike Torres who will be the superintendent on this Man C noise control project.  We discussed the scope of work that needed to be addressed and made sure that we were both on the same page when it came to the carpentry hours that were laid out in the original estimate that I devised.  Towards the end of the day, I got another great learning experience by having the opportunity to head over to the design building with another PM, Erin Wolfe.  Erin took me through a pre-bid walk through of several restrooms, break rooms, and studios that Ideal Contracting will be renovating.  It’s always good to see what the other PM’s are working on and gives me more exposure into different work that I’m not as familiar with at the WTC.  What a great week!  Thanks again to both my supervisors, Gus Cerku and Joe Welmers.  They and everyone at Ideal has really helped me progress in the past weeks.  Until next week!