A Culture of Learning

How does an organization commit to a culture of learning?

For Alvine Engineering, it involves a precise focus on crafting an environment where industry professionals with a wide range of experience engage with the next generation of designers, engineers, and world changers. Our firm believes a commitment to mentorship and continued learning requires a focused curriculum that balances real-world job opportunities and structured learning.

Our leadership team paired aspiring engineering interns, such as Jessica Olson and Espen Avenson, with bright, young professionals, such as Luke Dolezal P.E., an electrical engineer, and Jonathan Storm, a mechanical designer. Jessica is assigned to Luke, who has been with our firm for over 6 years. Espen is assigned to Jonathan, who has worked in the industry for 5 years. Luke and Jonathan have curated a personal mentorship track for their assigned interns in order to help them build technical competencies, on-the-job skills, and interpersonal skills for working professionals, and have selected educational learning objectives based on their specific industry interests.

Luke and Jessica

“Luke makes an effort, no matter how busy his day is, to mentor me every day,” Jessica explained, “He’s knowledgeable in a wide variety of topics, so I’m always learning new bits of information from him through every conversation we have. I can tell he cares about making sure my internship prepares me for future roles.”

Luke and Jessica work through scheduled one-on-one meetings to discuss project-related duties assigned to Jessica, review Alvine Engineering protocol, and engage in subject matter related to Jessica’s coursework. Luke and Jessica also take time for brief touchpoints throughout the day to allow Jessica to discuss questions and ensure she is comfortable with her current workload and new tasks. Throughout Jessica’s internship, she has been responsible for providing design and consultation on small projects throughout their entire life cycle. She is currently learning more about high-end architectural lighting design software, which she is utilizing in her studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Jessica has also learned how to coordinate electrical loads with mechanical equipment and other important multidiscipline collaboration skills.

“I’ve been working with the firm for a good amount of time now, but I’m still pretty fresh in the industry. I understand those early struggles young engineers can run into,” Luke explained, “I think being able to relate to those challenges helps our mentorship program provide exceptional outcomes for our interns.”

Jessica has learned the value of constantly asking questions and growing her knowledge base throughout her internship. Being surrounded by passionate individuals who are intentional about collaboration has helped her find productive and valuable ways to gain more insight into projects and technical concepts. Jessica has enjoyed the opportunity to work on real-life projects with the firm, stating that it has made her feel valued and has inspired her to go above and beyond throughout her internship experience.

Espen is the first intern who Jonathan has had the opportunity to mentor. As a young designer, Jonathan felt valued being entrusted with coordinating the mentorship. He found that being able to highlight specific content, review Alvine Engineering’s design methodology, and work through career and interpersonal questions were advantageous professional development opportunities.

“I feel like I have also learned a ton through our mentorship efforts here at Alvine Engineering,” Jonathan explained, “I find explaining and teaching the concepts I use in my own work gives me a more thorough understanding of their application, and having the opportunity to mentor has also taught me tangible leadership skills which I get to take with me as I further my career.”

Some lasting takeaways from Espen’s internship thus far have been seeking guidance in order to build confidence in his skill set. Espen finds when he is most timid about working on something new, asking questions and engaging with team members gives him the best groundwork to take on a different challenge.

“I know Jonathan’s going to help me no matter what,” Espen stated, “I never have to feel shy or embarrassed about asking a question. Everyone I’ve worked with has frequently encouraged me to ask questions, which speaks to the healthy environment of learning that’s been cultivated here.”