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TRANSACTIONS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

September 2002

High School Interns Get a Taste of Transportation


Wielding everything from a camera to spray paint and a measuring wheel, 44 teenagers fanned out across the nine-county region this summer to get first-hand experience in the transportation industry — courtesy of MTC’s high school internship program.

Now completing its third sea-son, the program matches students looking for a summer challenge with public transit and government agencies in need of extra help. Although the students are technically employed by the individual agencies, MTC foots the bill for their salaries. This
past summer, the students got an up-close look at what it takes to run buses and trains, prevent potholes, and keep traffic flowing smoothly in their communities.

Young as they are, the interns proved they could pull their weight. “We all had to keep reminding ourselves that she is still in high school,” said one pleased supervisor of his young charge.


Intern Cory Holman marks a sidewalk hazard in El Cerrito.
(Photo: Peter Beeler)

Cory Holman’s internship with the city of El Cerrito involved both indoor and outdoor experiences. The 18-year-old spearheaded the switch to a computerized filing system for the city’s “flat files” of maps and drawings. While Holman also spent time checking the streets for potholes, he excelled at his task of marking (with spray paint) sidewalk hazards — so much so that he was quickly promoted to project manager. “This is the only place that will actually pay me to draw graffiti,” he joked.

It was 18-year-old Christopher Yee’s second year as an intern at San Francisco International Airport. His assignments this summer ranged from cataloging traffic accidents and plotting them on roadway maps, to performing routine traffic counts and photo-graphing every sign at the airport. “It was so varied, I was never bored,” he said.


Wei Kwan on the job in San Francisco with his street measuring wheel.
(Photo: Peter Beeler)
Wei Kwan, 17, was one of two interns assigned to work at the
San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic. He worked on the Third Street light-rail project as well as various sewer replacement and paving projects, inventorying traffic signals and checking construction sites while also learning the rudiments of AutoCAD (computer-aided drafting). “The job gave me a taste of what it means to be an engineer,” Kwan said.

The innovative program was conceived by MTC’s Minority
Citizens Advisory Committee (MCAC). “The hope is that by offering a chance to interact first-hand with transportation professionals, more young people — and particularly minority students — will become interested in the transportation field,” said Dr. Roop Jindal, MCAC chair.
— Pam Grove

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