Need suggestion on how to make the best of my internship

[Anonymous]

Hello, I need suggestions.

I recently got an Internship from an Architecture firm and have been working here for four weeks. I mostly do general office work. From time to time, I receive small project, such as making presentation poster, and small detailing. I also completed a site plan for a small transitional housing unit.

And here is my problem. I often finish my job very soon, and my boss is having a hard time to find me anything to do. On the other hand, my co-workers are busy working on bigger projects. Every day I come in, I always offer to help out and suggest them to let me know if there is anything that I can do. However, on their perspective, it is easier and faster for them to finish the plans and detailing than telling me what to do steps by steps. Therefore, after I finish all the general office duties, I end up sitting in front of my computer and wondering within Archicad.

To all the experts, how your internships were like? What did you usually do when you were an intern. How did your make the best of it and get hire after the internship period? And how long did your internship last?

Thank you for spending time to read my post.

[Dwight]

1: Use the time to observe.

2: Study their construction documents and go around the office asking people to spend fifteen minutes at the end of the day or lunch hour telling you about their work.

3: Watch the people. Are they happy or miserable? Stimulated or dull and plodding [AutoCad drafters]? Perhaps it is not to late to take up dentistry.

4: Re-organize the material and catalog library. [Brownie Points]

5: Su c k up, big time, since good spirit, enthusiasm and curiosity go farther than talent in getting a job. Find out your worker's favorite cocktails and coffee blends.

6: Make jokes: Always respect the parking stall of the senior partner and wonder aloud to co-workers why she needs a parking space when there is plenty of room in the closet for her broom.

[Anonymous]

just a note on re organising the library and materials.

try and do them in order of country of origin,
ie. doors from indonesia, rug object from Iran, VW car from germany.

makes it much easier for collegues to find what they are looking for.

[Anonymous]

Student to professional is always a tough transition - especially in a recession.

I spent a year drawing power station elevations and making multiple prints to mask off A0 site plans which we coloured with car spray paint. (I'm not that old, but the office was not an "early adopter"). Furniture layouts was another good one.

Try to get invited on site - make yourself useful by taking meeting minutes. The real fun starts when you start seeing your ideas taking shape on site...even if its only a stair detail.