2023 Steel Intern Scholarship – PremierJack K. Doll
Nucor–Vulcraft, in St. Joe, Ind., USA, provided me with an incredible internship experience that was full of learning and growth. Throughout my time at Nucor–Vulcraft, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in understanding the product, which was a great experience in itself. However, the most rewarding aspect of the internship was gaining insight into Nucor’s recycling process, from scrap to the final product.
During my second year with Nucor–Vulcraft, I worked as a sales engineer intern. Working with the Dayton sales office, I was involved in completing take-offs of our material, including steel bar joists and deck, for bidding on projects. I also took on the task of optimizing these packages for our customers and provided valuable assistance to fabricators in handling special engineering projects. Being trusted to work directly with our fabricator customers like a full-time teammate was a tremendous responsibility that meant a lot to me.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the sales engineering aspects of my internship, I found true fulfillment in my leadership responsibilities. As a returning sales engineering intern, I was given the opportunity to lead the four first-year interns’ development in understanding the basics of our products. Over the course of 12 weeks, I designed, developed and executed the sales engineer intern curriculum and development plan. This included organizing intern summits, coordinating multiple mill visits to Nucor Marion and Kankakee, assigning weekly tasks, and leading two significant projects. The experience of guiding and assisting my intern teammates was incredibly rewarding, and I found that my own learning also expanded exponentially through this process.
One of the projects that contributed to my personal growth involved designing and coordinating the final sales engineering internship project for the first-year interns. This allowed me to enhance my skills in various software tools, including AutoCAD. Collaborating with each of the four interns daily throughout the work term, I was there to support them with any questions they had. Though I had held leadership positions before, my internship with Vulcraft was especially rewarding.
I also had the pleasure of getting to know my teammates, who were all eager to share their knowledge and assist me with any questions, no matter how long it took. The Nucor culture, centered around safety, team and family, left a lasting impression on me. The positive and winning attitude at Vulcraft was very refreshing.
As my internship concluded, I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to pursue a career in the steel industry. I am grateful to everyone at Nucor–Vulcraft for providing me with this invaluable opportunity. I would also like to thank AIST for making this experience in the steel industry possible. This internship has had a profound impact on me, and I am eager to see what the future holds for me in the steel industry.