A Moment with Jehu Lucien, L+M’s 2020 Builders Intern

L+M reached out to the 2020 intern cohort to find out more about their intern experience and how it informed their professional development. This submission is from Jehu Lucien, who interned with our Builders team and is now an L+M field engineer.

What impact did the 2020 summer internship program have on you professionally and personally?

Through the efforts of the 2020 summer internship program with L+M Builders, I was able to expand my practical expertise in the field of construction. Prior, my internships were primarily office-based, and the limited available field work was confined to inspections. L+M provided me the opportunity to have a hands-on experience where every email, submittal, and correspondence had a tangible outcome in the field with one of the trades. Whether it was carpentry, super structure, or one of the MEPs, the ability to see written plans manifest in real-time felt rewarding and communicated the importance of this line of work.

Personally, the 2020 internship was a way to get back to normal. Back in the summer of 2020, the pandemic was just starting, and like many college students at the time, I was under lockdown. At the time, several internships were still unaware if their programs were even going to take place. I was lucky to not only be able to have a job for the summer and get out of the house but to be part of a program that would jumpstart my professional career.

How did L+M live up to its mission “Working Together to Building Stronger Communities” through its internal culture and the community they serve?

It is very easy to talk L+M’s mission literately because we all work to together, and make buildings, which does help the surrounding community. Even at face value that is great mission; erecting buildings is a notably positive contribution. Construction is, by default, is a collective effort from development, pre-con, builders, and everything before, in-between and after. It wouldn’t be possible to be successful and get the job done if we didn’t work together. However, the communities we work in can speak to that effort. During construction, they come to us on site and ask about what is being built, when will it be completed, and how can they apply to move in.

Based on your experience at L+M, how will the summer experience for the next generation of interns impact their professional development?

To put it simply, the summer experience will show you whether you enjoy the work in this line of work. L+M makes a conscious effort to try and place their interns in a daily routine in order to familiarize them with what’s expected in this field. Although this might be a daunting or unfamiliar experience (e.g., hands-on scenarios), embracing this challenge with the guidance of your mentors will positively mold you into a more adept and prepared young professional. Your professional development is impacted by understanding the tasks and challenges you will see in the workforce, and L+M doesn’t shy away from showing that to their interns.

What advice do you have for the 2022 summer interns?

I would advise the incoming summer interns to learn from the people they work alongside. A benefit, and what attracted me to L+M, is that everyone is eager to collaborate, share their knowledge, and provide guidance to whoever seeks it.

As an intern, more times than not, there is going to be something you don’t understand, and those are the times when you need to step up and push yourself to learn and grow. Although you will have resources at your disposal, the challenges will position you to think critically and be innovative. One of L+M’s main objectives is to foster a strong community—which starts with us as individuals. And now, that includes you as our 2022 summer interns.