Growing the Next Generation of Designers

From different architectural styles to the latest software, schools across the country help design students refine their technical skills. But nothing truly compares to the real-world experience an internship can provide, where they work directly with clients, design projects that impact local communities, and gain confidence in an authentic business environment.

“I had three really great internship experiences before I started my full-time job,” says Rich McNeil , principal at TMP, who oversees the internship program. “I wanted to share that experience with others and give back to current students. Plus, it’s a great test drive for TMP and the intern in mutually finding potential full-time hires.”

Going into its seventh year, TMP’s internship program consists of a 12-week paid experience for anywhere between one to six college students depending on the time of year. Over the past five years alone, TMP has hosted an impressive 31 interns. The program focuses on real-world, on-the-job learning that prepares interns for future challenges they’ll most likely encounter in their careers. Interns are fully embraced as members of the team, thrown into active projects, and given the opportunity to meaningfully contribute.

Hit the Ground Running

“Our interns really get to do it all,” McNeil says. “We have them visit as many job sites as possible, travel with team members for life safety reviews and owner meetings, and they have full access to firm leadership. We encourage them to ask any and all questions.”

He adds that when recruiting interns, TMP focuses on passion, energy, coachability, and good communication over technical skills. “Those soft skills are really what appeals to us,” he says. “Technical skills can be taught.”

Each intern is assigned an employee ambassador on their first day. Typically, it’s a younger full-time staff member who isn’t too far removed from the college stage themselves.

“We’re there to be the point person and really help them get acclimated,” says Clarita Lopez Fontela, who’s been at TMP for about two years. “You’re honestly their first friend, even for things that aren’t work-related, which I think is really helpful for them.”

Although the main responsibility is helping the intern, the role of an advocate has mutual benefits. Advocates often develop advanced skills like delegation and leadership.

“Being an ambassador has really helped my confidence. It has helped me realize how much I’ve learned in my time here and that I know what I’m talking about,” says Lopez Fontela. “It’s also helped me with delegation. I don’t do a lot of delegating at my level, but we want to give interns a meaningful experience and make sure their tasks are broad — not just filing, for example.”

Winning Recruitment

Nathan Tong , who has been full-time at TMP for two years, was an intern himself and has been an ambassador four times so far.

“I didn’t even think of architecture as a career before my internship at TMP,” he says. “I had previously done internships with construction companies in their virtual design and construction departments. My internship experience here played a huge role in me wanting to come back full-time.”

He adds that he’s more than happy to help new interns get accustomed and thinks being an ambassador is a great way to share the experience he had.

“The program really is a great trial run for the future,” Tong says. “It helped me find a great employer where I wanted to start my career.”

Charlie Shepherd and Hope Cook are part of the summer 2024 intern class, both currently attending the University of Cincinnati (UC). They heard about the program from former UC interns — a testament to the impact it leaves.

“I’ve had two previous internships and this has definitely been my favorite,” says Cook. “It’s an environment where everyone is eager to help you learn but they also meet you where you’re at. It’s been awesome to get down to the nitty-gritty of design and help with significant factors. Even things like getting to put my initials on official documents has been really exciting.”

Shepherd adds that getting to interact with different people at different levels in the firm has helped him better learn how to adapt and accommodate different needs.

“Being on a team and getting to work on different projects has been really helpful, because you don’t do a lot of collaboration in school,” he says. “It gives you a more holistic view of what the job will actually be like.”

VIDEO: MEET THE INTERNS

A Place to Build Your Career

Looking at the number of full-time staff at TMP who were previous interns, the value of the program is clear.

“We’re really proud to have built a program and culture that produces awesome people who become full-time hires,” McNeil says. “By being transparent and helping folks understand the nuances of the job, we allow them to decide the best path for their career. And whether that’s TMP or not, we believe it will pay back.”

Interested in learning more about interning at TMP? Send your resume to Rich at [email protected].