University Visit to Kiewit

Ten university employees representing the TAMU-CC Career Professional and Development Center (CPDC) and the TAMU-CC College of Engineering and Computer Science visited Kiewit’s Offshore Services in Ingleside, TX, on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Kiewit is one of North America’s largest construction and engineering firms and a valuable TAMU-CC partner. The goal of the visit was to strengthen university-industry connections, including opportunities for internships, research, university capstone projects, STEM curriculum alignment, and job development. 

Kiewit has several departments, but at the Ingleside location, they specialize in structures that operate offshore, like oil rigs. The faculty and staff first met with the President of Kiewit, Fuat Sezer, and other top managers.  

“From this visit, I realized how Kiewit is a valuable partner for TAMU-CC,” said Stefani Schomaker, CPDC Senior Career Counselor. “Our goal always comes down to student success and Kiewit continues to enrich our community with the internships, class lessons, and career opportunities for our students.”  

After the meeting, Robert Rios, a training coordinator at Kiewit Offshore Services, instructed faculty/staff to put on safety helmets and goggles for a facility tour which showcased Kiewit’s work on offshore structures. University representatives witnessed the massive size of the equipment, the height at which the engineers and technicians work, and how these parts and structures are moved to their destinations. It was an eye-opening experience because, while oil rigs are common to society, witnessing the level of hazard of their manufacturing is an intense and reverent sight. The visit concluded with the exchange of contact information for future collaborations, including research projects and the possibility of tours of the facility by university students. 

“My main takeaway from this visit was how collaborative the engineers were in working towards a common goal,” said Dr. Jose Baca, TAMU-CC Assistant Professor of Engineering. “This partnership is closing the gap between students and the industry so students can witness real-world engineering conditions.”