If Tanner Thomas had any question about going into civil engineering as a career, his summer internship with Marine Solutions helped him to solidify that decision.
Thomas is a junior civil engineering major from Martin, and he took part in an internship this summer with Marine Solutions Inc., a civil engineering and commercial diving firm specializing in underwater and topside inspection, imaging, design, repair and construction of waterfront and bridge infrastructure.
Thomas was able to use his knowledge of computer-aided design (CAD) and other classroom studies and gained real-world experience, helping him to better prepare for a career in civil engineering.
Brian Giltner, senior engineer at Marine Solutions, said Thomas’ internship experience included bridge inspections, surveying, pre-bid meetings, drawing revisions and construction detailing. The internship also helped him develop proficiency with industry tools such as AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Excel, Vantagepoint and Photoshop.
“A significant part of the internship involved hands-on field work, including underwater bridge inspections, acoustic sonar imaging and project scoping activities,” Giltner added. “The internship strengthened his technical and communication skills, increased his confidence in a professional engineering environment, expanded his understanding of the marine construction industry and reinforced the importance of safety while applying engineering concepts to real-world projects.”
Thomas said that Marine Solutions is unique in that it does engineering and construction, so when it does an engineering project, it also has to bring in materials for its construction.
“I’ve been able to sketch engineering designs using AutoCAD and put them on paper,” he said. “I enjoy seeing projects come to fruition. I’ve been able to go out to a bridge and see what needs to be fixed, put that into a sketch and see how we can do those repairs or design solutions.
“I was able to go to a town north of Cincinnati and see a bridge that had lost a pier due to scour (removal of sediment such as sand and gravel around the bridge pier caused by fast-moving water). We took a bunch of measurements to get the repairs underway. I was able to sketch out the design on AutoCAD so we could present our possible solutions to the client.”
Thomas worked at the Marine Solutions office in Paducah, Kentucky. He said his target graduation date is spring 2028.
“For my engineering degree at UT Martin, I had to have an internship three semesters before graduation,” he said. “So, technically, I didn’t need an internship this summer, but I wanted to gain experience and put my name out there and to see real-world examples that you aren’t able to see in a classroom. This internship has been a great opportunity and something I can further my career with.”
Thomas said his experience with Marine Solutions has solidified his career goals of working in civil engineering.
“It’s everything I thought it would be – even better,” he said. “I’ve loved everything that I’ve seen so far, and it’s exactly why I chose civil engineering as my degree.”
Thomas said what he would take away from this experience is the unusual aspect of civil engineering that Marine Solutions provides.
“I’ve liked working with Marine Solutions because it has the unique side of civil engineering that many people don’t see,” he said. “All the work is on the water, while, usually, the most visible engineering work is working with buildings or roads on land.
“Through this internship, I’ve had the ability to travel to go out into the field. I’ve worked in Kansas City and Waterloo, Iowa, and I’ve also traveled to Cincinnati and Louisville, doing bridge inspections and surveys. This internship brought me to places I’ve never seen.”
More information about the UT Martin College of Engineering and Natural Sciences can be found at www.utm.edu/cens.
For more information about UT Martin, visit www.utm.edu or call 1-800-289-UTM1 (-8861).
PHOTO: Tanner Thomas, a junior civil engineering major from Martin, poses at a job site along the Cedar River in Davenport, Iowa. Thomas took part in an internship with Marine Solutions Inc. doing bridge surveys and inspections.
