Crest Industries believes in empowering individuals and businesses to grow beyond what they believe is possible. We welcome new perspectives and innovative ideas, and we believe in helping others learn and grow with a mindset of continuous improvement. This year, we invited 12 student interns and summer helpers to join our team and help us to do just that. 

Our summer internship program brings together students from various backgrounds, disciplines and universities to share their unique perspectives and help our Crest Family to learn and grow along with them. Students get practical, hands-on experience that gives them a competitive advantage and kickstarts their professional journey and future success.

We sat down with some of these team members to check in, get to know them better and see all they have accomplished during their time at Crest. Hear more from the Crest Industries 2021 Summer Interns in the Q&A below, and see how these bright and passionate students are building a better future for themselves, our teams, and our communities. 

Jacob Smith, Engineering Intern at DIS-TRAN Steel

Jacob is a senior at Louisiana Tech University studying Civil Engineering.

What’s something you’re proud of?

I’m proud of working my way up from a plant maintenance worker to an engineering intern for DTS! I had great experiences working for DTS in past summers, and now I’m gaining valuable work experience in the civil engineering field.

What’s something that makes you feel empowered?

When I feel like I’m making a difference or helping someone, that’s when I feel empowered. Work can be tough, but it’s always rewarding.

What has been your favorite part of working at CrestIndustries this summer?

Getting to work on projects and learning the small details that make a company successful, but also just working with a top-notch group of engineers. I worked on an Irby project that I really enjoyed, it was the first project I completed this summer, so it was a big accomplishment!

‍Payton Jenkins, Summer Intern at Beta Engineering in San Diego

Payton is getting an early start in engineering by interning during the summer as a high school junior. 

What is something that makes you feel empowered?

Something that inspires me is when I see other people work really hard to overcome obstacles to achieve their goal. I am proud of the hard work that both of my parents show every day.

What is something you have learned that you will be able to apply now or in the future?

I have learned that it is good to ask questions and step outside of your comfort zone because that is how you learn and grow. My favorite part of working at Crest is the other people around me because I can learn so much from them.

‍Marlee Paulk, Accounting Intern at Crest Operations

Marlee is a senior at Northwestern University studying Business Administration.

‍How is this internship helping you to reach your goals?

This internship is allowing me to gain great experience in my field of study. As a student, I think not knowing what is going to happen after graduation is something most students worry about, but this summer, I’m getting to build professional relationships with people which will help open doors for me upon graduating.

‍What has been your favorite part of working at Crest this summer?

My favorite part about working here is the experience I am getting. Everyone wants to make sure that I am learning and understanding the different things that they are doing and why they do it. It’s been really great!

‍Peyton Forester, Summer Help at DIS-TRAN Steel

Peyton is a junior at Louisiana Tech University studying Civil Engineering.

What is something that inspires you?

Learning the potential I can achieve through my degree is inspiring. I’ve always had a strong determination to succeed, so working hereat DTS has helped me to begin to learn and grow as a person and into my future.

What has been your favorite part of working at CrestIndustries this Summer?

All that I’ve learned in just a short amount of time! I’ve sat down with many of the managers and learned the basics and the important parts of the business that keep DIS-TRAN successful. In the future, I can apply whatI learned from them into the classes I take and in my career. I’ve enjoyed the experience and hope to learn more every day.

‍Ethan Dowell, Summer Help at Crest Properties

Ethan is a sophomore at Louisiana Tech studying Mechanical Engineering.

‍What is something that makes you feel empowered?

I feel empowered whenever I learn something new. I’m really proud of my ability to pick up more difficult concepts quickly, and I’ve been able to do that a lot here this summer.

What is your favorite part about working for Crest this summer?

This experience is a blessing! I needed work for the summer, and I felt like I could learn a lot through working with the teams at Crest. And I was right – I always have something different or new to do or learn about that I’ve never done before.

‍Grace Roberts, EngineeringIntern at DIS-TRAN Steel

Grace is a sophomore at Louisiana Tech University studying Civil Engineering.

What made you want to work with Crest Industries this summer?

I wanted to learn more about the Civil Engineering field and try to figure out what I enjoy for my future career. I’ve liked learning more about steel designs and how each part of the company contributes to make everything happen.

What is something you’ve learned that you will be able to apply now or in the future?

I’ve learned that you are not going to know how to do everything that’s given to you – and that’s okay! All you need is a determined mindset and a desire to grow.

‍Tyler Flynn, Accounting Intern at DIST-TRAN Steel

Tyler is a senior at Northwestern State University studying Accounting.

What is something that inspires you or makes you feel empowered?

I enjoy finding ways to solve problems and overcoming challenges. This summer, I've learned much more about processes relevant to accounting, including billing and processing invoices. This knowledge will certainly help my career in the future.

What was something you hoped to gain through working at Crest this summer?

I wanted to be a part of a great company and the great things happening here because I've always admired the core values and culture that Crest represents. This internship has given me so many opportunities to develop technical and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in my career. I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had to work forDIS-TRAN Steel and to be a part of this amazing team!

‍Hannah Jones, Engineering Intern at Beta Engineering

Hannah is entering her final year as an Instrumentation and Control Systems Engineering Technology (ICSET) student at Louisiana Tech University.

Have you worked on a specific project or team that you have enjoyed?

I have really enjoyed working with the Substation Design Engineering group. I hadn’t done much work with electrical engineering before this summer, but this team has helped me to learn a lot. I have not met a rude co-worker, and everyone is very nice and welcoming!

How is this internship helping you to reach your goals?

I had heard a lot of great things about this company, and I wanted to learn more from the teams here. I am excited because I know that this internship has helped me show off my work ethic and become more prepared for a full-time job once I graduate.

‍Evan Stuckey, AccountingIntern at DIS-TRAN Steel

Evan is a senior at Northwestern State University studying Accounting.

What is something that you are proud of?

I’m really proud of my ability to pick up a difficult task quickly. While working at DTS, I have been able to use that to learn valuable skills that will help me in future careers.

How is this internship helping you to reach your goals?

I knew I wanted to work for Crest because they were a great local business where I could gain valuable work experience and start building toward my future career. My coworkers and I helped our teams this summer by learning how to optimize tasks and create standard operating procedures to help others continue doing their work while finding a better way.

‍Graham Pearson, Finance Intern at Crest Operations

Graham is a senior Finance student at Louisiana Tech University.

How is this internship helping you to reach your goals as a student or a professional?

I have found that the people at Crest are very skilled and driven. They also value collaboration and teamwork so I’ve learned so much from them. I have gained real-world experience, developed new skills, been exposed to new things, and challenged to do my best.

Is there anything that you'd like to share with the Crest Family?

Working at Crest this summer has been such a great experience. By working alongside the team here, I have learned more than I could have ever imagined. I am thankful for the experiences that I have had and the people that I have met as they helped me grow and develop as a professional.

‍