“In a very general way, our society has fallen out of love with the skilled trades. Part of the problem is a myriad of myths and misperceptions that surround the jobs themselves, but the biggest cause is our stubborn belief that a four-year degree is the best path for the most people.” – Mike Rowe
Since 2019, Boulter has opened its doors to students ready to roll up their sleeves and see what life in the trades really looks like. Unlike what you see in the movies, these interns didn’t spend their days fetching coffee; they spent them getting their hands dirty, problem-solving, and working alongside seasoned employees.
Here’s a look at their stories:
Nate Michel
Nate joined our team as our very first project management intern. His role blended project management with business development and marketing, giving him a full-picture view of what a project looks like from start to finish.
One standout project was assisting with the optical table installation at the University of Rochester: “My favorite project… was the optical tables at U of R, because I went there and did the estimation… then I got to see the tables get craned up through the fifth floor of the building. That was really cool to see start to finish."
For Nate, the internship confirmed his career goal of becoming a project manager while also showing him how sales and marketing align with operations: “It’s very unique to see how sales and marketing are aligned, and how they can work together to help a company.”
Nate Hoban
A returning intern from Le Moyne College, Nate split his time between field operations and shadowing President and CEO, Bill Boulter.
“This summer I’ve been helping with a new construction project… when the project is completed, the site will be a huge impact to our community,” Nate said.
He compared his two years at Boulter: “The biggest difference between my first year at Boulter and my second year would be learning new tasks, requiring more skills, and time management."
Nate believes this experience is a direct stepping stone: “This internship for the past two years is going to help me with my future career in project management by teaching me the behind-the-scenes… being able to see a project from start to finish will help me put things into perspective on scale and what it really takes to get things done."
Connor Moore
Connor valued the variety in his internship. “A typical day has been a lot of problem solving, trying to figure out how to work through an issue and try to predict when an issue would occur, so you can fix it beforehand.”
He recalled one moment when he knew he was contributing: “Andy didn’t realize he still had all of his side shift. I said, why wouldn’t you just side shift over? … that just saved us some time.”
His favorite project had personal meaning: “Probably the first job when I went to the winery with Lou and Tim. I’ve been there before because my dad used to work there. So it was fun being there again… compared to watching my father work there and then me being able to work with equipment that he wasn’t even able to do, kind of one upping him there.”
Gracin Kubida
Gracin’s connection to Boulter runs deep. His grandfather, a former Boulter employee, sparked his interest in applying for the internship.“My grandpa… worked here about seven years ago. He operated cranes a lot, but then he was also in the diesel shop with John. That kind of sparked me to come here and try out the internship and see what it’s like.”
From loading trucks at 6:30 a.m. to spending time in the wood shop and field, Gracin learned what it means to take on real responsibility. He discovered how much skill goes into work he thought he already knew, such as fine-tuning his forklift operation.
Gracin found unexpected enjoyment in the wood shop, preparing crates for multi-million-dollar machines. For him, the most meaningful part was realizing he was learning in the same spaces his grandfather once worked.
Parker Holtz
Parker didn’t come from a technical program, but he brought curiosity and a willingness to work with his hands. “Before the internship, I didn’t have really any technical skills, and they taught me everything I know now.”
What stood out most was the people: “The wood shop was fun because I was able to build my relationship with my coworkers.”
And he shared advice for anyone interested in the trades: “Stick with it. Sometimes it might get hard and you might get down on yourself, but if you just push through, you’ll most likely figure things out and have fun with what you’re doing.”
Alex Galka
Alex appreciated the practical start: “I thought the internship was great overall. I liked that it was hands on from day one. I learned a lot about attention to detail… learning how to maintain equipment is huge as well. Operating and gaining confidence with the forklift was good too because they are used pretty much everywhere. I enjoyed seeing all the sides of the business and getting to work with everyone.”
Looking Ahead
Each of these interns brought something different to Boulter, but they all left with a stronger understanding of what it takes to succeed in this industry: safety, teamwork, adaptability, and respect for the work.
We’re proud of the impact they made this summer, and we’re excited to see where their careers take them next.
