This week’s profile is on Josh Gable, a junior civil engineering major, who is working for L.F. Driscoll Construction as a construction clerk. This is Josh’s second co-op and his employer, Driscoll is the largest construction management firm in the Philadelphia region!
Josh found his co-op through Drexel’s SCDC online system. “Driscoll has projects in many different fields including commercial, education, hospitality, retail, and government clients,” he said. Josh told us a little about his daily routine at work. “My co-op involves working on the construction of the Comcast ITC building. I oversee the construction process as the building progresses in size by working closely with the field and design team,” Josh said.
Some of the tasks Josh is usually busy with include daily inspections of the site, processing and distributing information between the subcontractors and the design team, and working with upper management employees on time sensitive assignments. When asked what his favorite part of the job was, Josh said, “Going out on site to do inspections related to steel and other structural work on the building is definitely one of my favorite parts.”
Josh also gave us some advice for those who will be going through the interview process in the distant future. “The best tip I can give is to be relaxed and outgoing,” he said. The smoothness of the interview depends on how relaxed you are during the process. “The interviews where I was relaxed were my best and coincidently the same ones I received an offer from,” Josh added. He also pointed out that being outgoing helps because the interviewer knows a bold candidate won’t be afraid to ask questions and get the job done right. Sometimes, the interviewer may be put off by someone who is shy and quiet. If you don’t seem outgoing during the interview, it could hurt you in the long run when the employer compares you to other applicants, he said.
Josh recommended some places to find appropriate work clothing. “Your work wardrobe depends a lot on the work environment you are in. For example, I work on a construction site where business casual usually isn’t preferred, so I wear jeans, button down shirt and boots to work. For the first week or so, I’d recommend wearing business casual just to get the feel for your work environment,” he said. Josh recommends shopping at Kohl’s, Gap, and Target for great pieces that won’t break the bank.
Josh is originally from Thornton, Pa., and in his free time he enjoys going paintballing. He is also a part of Drexel University Club Paintball. The team practices at The Playground Paintball Park located in Mantua, N.J. They also compete in the North-East Intercollegiate Conference (NEIC), which is part of the National Collegiate Paintball Association (NCPA). The team has won several awards over the years, including second place in the NCPA-NEIC Event for the 2013-2014 season.
Before graduation, Josh hopes to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam in order to set himself up with an Engineer in Training (EIT) certification. After graduation, Josh plans to work for a structural engineering firm. He would also like to obtain a Professional Engineering license.