TBT Engineering is a civil engineering firm located in Thunder Bay that specializes in highway design, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, engineering and legal surveys, material testing and inspection.
As an Intern, I assist the technicians in the laboratory, testing concrete, soil and superpave aggregates to ensure materials meet certain specifications to qualify for road construction and other projects. I perform gradations, proctors and take natural moisture content for aggregate testing. The lab has been very busy so my 8 hour work day has grown to 9 or 10 hours some days. Today, I left home at 6:30 a.m. and rode my bike to work. I arrived 15 minutes early at 6:45 am to start a busy day.
In the morning, I start by taking samples out of the oven from the day before and set them up to be tested later in the day. We start with the higher priority samples first, for example, proctors. The work is very interesting and very dirty! After that we go straight to Production, which usually consists of basic gradations for the Ministry of Transportation.
In the lab, I perform and assist in the following tasks:
Proctor – finding the optimum moisture content of the sample through method of compaction.
Gradation – size down the stone and record the masses to make sure the samples reach the standards.
Investigation Tubes – size down soil samples which are used for geotechnical profiling, these samples are taken at different depths and locations on a job site.
Maintenance – clean and maintain the work area and testing equipment.
TBT Engineering Limited treated me very well. I work with a great team in the lab. My co-workers are helpful and friendly. Most of them are heading back to College or University and this is our last day of work!! I consider myself very lucky to have worked at TBT Engineering Limited this summer. I have gained relevant work experience, technical skills as well as organizational, time management and team work skills.
Jonathon Kranyak
Hometown: Thunder Bay, ON
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This blog captures Shad internship experiences. A different student each day describes their endeavours, and the Shad community gets an inside look at what Shad students do in their summer roles.