When Cooper Hawk began searching for his first engineering internship, he was looking for more than a typical summer job. He wanted hands-on experience with real impact.
The Florida Polytechnic University electrical engineering student found exactly that with The Haskell Company in Jacksonville, Florida, where he is now designing electrical systems for schools, libraries, hospitals and other public facilities.
As an electrical engineering intern on the company’s public sector buildings team, the rising junior helps create construction plans for lighting, power distribution, telecommunications, grounding and lightning protection systems. He uses industry-standard software to develop electrical layouts that guide construction teams in the field.
“The work that I’m doing is actual real-world work,” Hawk said. “The designs I’m working on will actually be built, which makes it feel like it has a real impact.”
His projects include an airplane hangar and a local library in Jacksonville, giving him a direct connection to the work he is helping bring to life.
For Hawk, the internship has reinforced the value of the hands-on, problem-solving education he has received at Florida Poly.
“I felt very prepared,” he said. “I think the experiences like hackathons and the projects that I’ve done at Florida Poly really helped me feel ready.”
The experience has also shifted his perspective on career possibilities.
“I hadn’t really considered this industry before,” Hawk said. “But then actually getting into it and seeing it, it’s not so bad. I could see myself doing this as a career for a while.”
The internship has helped build his readiness and skills as an engineer.
“I hope to walk away with the confidence that I can face any engineering challenge that I might encounter in the future,” he said. “I’ve learned that these challenges aren’t as intimidating as they might seem.”
Additionally, working in his hometown is providing an unexpected benefit that Hawk sees every day as he travels around Jacksonville.
“I love the community impact, being able to see that what I’m doing is actually having an impact in my community,” Hawk said. “Maybe in three or four years I’ll be able to go visit that library and say, ‘Hey, I worked on some of this.’”
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Lydia Guzmán
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