A Summer on the Jobsite: RO Construction Interns Share Their Advice, Surprises, and Lessons Learned

Jul 29, 2026

Sarah Trocolli

Senior Communications Specialist

4-minute read

RO’s 2026 interns reflect on a summer of hands-on learning, from writing RFIs to coordinating with trade partners. Their biggest takeaway: confidence grows through asking questions, taking ownership and learning from experienced teammates.

Everybody starts somewhere. How far you go from there depends on who’s around to teach you. Just ask our 2026 interns.

“When I started, I could barely read a set of shop drawings,” Caleb Arris said. “Now I can write submittals, RFIs, and a full three-phase action plan.”

We asked this year’s group what they learned, what surprised them, and what they’d tell the next person walking onto a job site for the first time. Here’s what they said:

What was the best part of the summer?

Nearly every intern answered with a person.

“The most enjoyable part was the people,” Andrew Leal said. Leal spent his summer in San Antonio. “Everyone I met had years of experience, some more than I’ve been alive. Be a sponge. It’s the perfect environment to learn.”

Chase Hodges felt the same pull from his team in Dallas. “Everyone around me pushes me to be better and expand my knowledge of construction and life,” Hodges said. For Connor McGrath, in preconstruction, it came down to relationships. “I didn’t realize how meaningful the connections in this industry would be,” McGrath said.

James Penver found his people on the VDC team in Austin. “What I enjoyed most is the collaborative nature of VDC. There’s a lot of nuance to the work, and my team was always willing to get me up to speed,” Penver said.

*James celebrates with the VDC team in Austin after the 2026 Moonlight Margarita Run.*

What they can do now

Diana Pina Romero, in Dallas, can now write a strong RFI from start to finish. Connor McGrath runs takeoffs and works through Bluebeam. Ayden Kloewer, in San Antonio, got comfortable with quality inspections, submittals, transmittals, and punch lists, and, in his words, “got real familiar with door hardware.” Sawyer Kelly, back for a second summer, reads the sequencing of the work now and moves through Procore with ease.

“I can communicate more confidently with the trades about daily operations and project progress.”
Sawyer Kelly, returning Operations Intern

And James Penver picked up something most people never do. “I can 3D print now. I took stalled projects across the finish line and started new ones from scratch,” Penver said.

What surprised them: it’s more communication than construction

“I came in thinking the physical work was the biggest thing,” said Gus Scott, on the Block FG team at Fields West in Frisco. “It turns out getting everyone on the same page takes just as much effort.”

Charlie Cox, on the AMD Met Center Phase 2 build in Austin, agreed. “Keeping a project on track depends just as much on clear communication and making sure everything gets documented,” Cox said.

Hayden Mooney, back for a second summer, said it plainly: “So much of the job is coordination and communication, not just the building itself.”

A lot of that communication happens with the trades, and the interns learned to work shoulder to shoulder with them. “Building that one-to-one relationship on the jobsite gave me hands-on experience I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else,” Diana Pina Romero said. She also learned that the work takes judgment. “Construction isn’t black and white. Experience shapes how every situation gets handled,” Romero said.

*Diana Pina Romero stands with her project on a Mission Critical site in North Texas.*

Andrew Leal watched how tightly the schedule ties everyone together. “One trade’s delay can push back three or even five more. It’s on us to adapt as fast as we can,” Leal said.

Quality and safety, learned by doing

The interns noticed how seriously the standard of the work is taken here.

“Quality is a bigger deal at RO than any jobsite I’ve worked. That’s something to take pride in, and it proves the work we’re doing matters.”
chase HOdges, Operation Intern

Others got hands-on with safety. Hayden Mooney now runs orientation for new workers. “That built my confidence more than anything,” Mooney said.

Colby Estill, in Waco, left with a habit he’ll keep: “Take pictures, write everything down, and keep an eye out so everyone’s working safely.”

*Colby Estill with project team at Indian Springs Middle School in Waco, Texas.*

Their advice to the next intern

“Be okay with feeling stupid,” James Penver said. “You’re going to have a lot of questions, so ask them. Most of the learning comes through failing, and you’ll always find a solution.”

*Ayden Kloewer documents the work being done at Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio.*

“Ask a million questions,” Ayden adds. “Anything jobsite-related that crosses your mind, ask it. People like teaching when you’re eager to learn.”

Charlie’s version: “Take ownership of what you’re given and make the opportunity matter.”

“Come in with humility so you can build confidence. Not asking questions is just holding yourself back.”
Gus Scott, Operations intern

Caleb Arris, who began his summer barely able to read a drawing, has some perspective now. “It feels crazy to look back at where I started. Soak up everything you can. I’m heading back to school more prepared and more confident than ever,” Arris said.

Thank you

To the PMs, superintendents, engineers, and quality managers who answered the fifth question of the day and then the sixth: thank you. The interns named you by name: Bo Moore, Trevin Claire, Chad Smith, Jacob Berry, Eduardo Lopez, Antonio Castellano, Jacob Becka, Mason Deering, Nolan Reynolds, Bryce Laurent, and the entire Austin VDC team. That’s the part that doesn’t show up on a schedule.

Ready to apply for an internship at RO? Fill out the contact form here: r-o.com/contact-us