Ingenuity Magazine Spring 2019

12 Pond | www.pondco.com INTERN CONVERSION A Foundation for the Future We have been extremely fortunate that our great relationships with our partner higher education institutions have helped Pond get top-notch students in our doors. Since starting with Pond, I have met with countless students from these universities. They have spent hours meeting with advisors, tweaking their resumes, and rehearsing their “pitch” to companies to prepare for a few minutes of conversation in a crowded auditorium every semester. Every time that we step on to a campus for a career fair, I am reminded of what helps someone stand out as a great fit for our firm. Our hiring managers may often be focused on coursework and a student’s GPA, but the items that jump out to me are more than what is on a piece of paper. While we always love to see students that have previous work experience through high school and college, it is their ability to passionately explain why they have chosen their professional path that always moves the needle with me. When we discuss our firm’s culture and growth, it is often the questions asked by those students that show me they are a fit with Pond. They seek to understand who we are, and then want to know where they can fit in. Those are the people that make me want to come back to the office and immediately explain to our leadership why we need to hire them. Seeing those students get hired over the years has been a thrill to watch. There is no formula in place that helps us to ensure we are hiring the right person for a position. However, I believe those who embrace their passion for their field, and who use that to proactively help their teammates are the people who become long-term members of the Pond family. I hope a few of these stories surrounding our student program can benefit all our students and their managers going forward. Chris Scott Human Resources Manager I t was 1996 and Pond was Armour, Cape & Pond. That March, Kevin Skinner was brought on as a “co-op”, a member of the firm’s cooperative education program, while earning his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering at Georgia Tech. In the years following his stint as a co-op, Kevin would go on to serve as Engineer I & II, Project Engineer, Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, Director of Roadway Design, and most recently, Principal and Regional Office Manager of Pond’s Augusta, Georgia office. Kevin started his co-op employment working in the petroleum group before mov i ng t o t he new l y c rea t ed transportation group. At the time, co-ops were given the basic tasks of editing This is part of a series of stories about successful internships at Pond. From very recent graduates to the longest tenures with Pond, we’ll take a look at what it takes to go from intern to full-time professional. Intern Success Kevin Skinner reflects on his career with Pond N E SI N