My name is
Nicole Ortega and I am a senior Architecture Design major. During the Summer of
2017, I was a student intern for Architects International, Inc., a small
architecture firm based in the Design District of Miami, Florida. During my
earlier years of study, I would ponder the idea of interning at an architecture
firm, but I never felt fully prepared nor did I feel like I was good enough to
take on a serious opportunity like this one. I appreciate the patience I had
with myself at the time but now I realize how significant and impactful it is
to undergo the transformative experience that exists only in the professional
field. As the Spring Semester was coming to an end, I touched base with my
uncle who is an engineer and has an ample network. He connected me with three
different firms in the city, which I immediately researched and contacted. I
later received the news that I had been accepted to intern for AI.
Architects
International, Inc. primarily work on city projects that deal with water,
sewage, and pump stations/plants. They occasionally work on school projects and
hotels. Because their main client is the city of Miami-Dade County, they are considered a public sector.
My experience as an intern
was a culmination of tasks and assignments that challenged my skills, both
personal and professional. I worked in an office among designers and
individuals who were responsible for different aspects including financial and
construction. I was given the advantage of gaining knowledge
and skills from each of these departments.
My direct
supervisor was Juan Crespi, the president of the firm. Each day was broken into
different parts that would change depending whether on a client meeting or a
site visit was going to take place. During the morning, I would sit down with
my supervisor and the employees and we would brainstorm ideas and plan out the
day ahead. The afternoon was spent working on the computer and discussing
progress and ideas with the other architects. I was involved in a project for
the design of a new bus station. I was responsible for documenting the site and
creating drawings and renderings for the design. I am most proud of the work I
produced for this project because it not only sharpened my rendering skills and
software knowledge, but it exposed me to the unique phases that occur in each
design project.
The growth I experienced while
working at AI is one to be reckoned with. I sense that I have reached a new
level of experience that I would not have gained solely by going to school.
This opportunity has provided me with the confidence and the assistance to move
further into my future and It has brought my career goals into a clearer view.
I am more than satisfied with the decision that I have made and feel prepared
to finish my final year at MICA on a positive note.
