Since the start of the year, Summer Search Boston and New York City students have participated in career exploration trips with Shawmut Design and Construction. In February, Summer Searchers toured Shawmut’s headquarters in NYC and earlier this spring, a group of Summer Search Boston students donned hard hats for a hands-on visit through an active jobsite. These opportunities provide students with the opportunity to engage with industry professionals in the architecture, engineering, and construction community and envision what a future in construction, design, or project management might look like.

And for at least one Boston student, the experience was life-changing:

“I really enjoyed this trip. Speaking to the people and walking through the site made me feel really excited. I finally made my decision that I will be majoring in engineering while in college. When I get out, I’m going to apply for a job at the Shawmut site and live my dream of becoming a construction girl.” – Monet G., current Summer Searcher

The day at NYC headquarters included a guided tour of Shawmut’s jobsite and office space, plus a panel discussion featuring Summer Search alumni Joseph Reed and Patrick Anika. Joseph spent several years working with Shawmut after interning there, and Patrick is now a full-time team member.

“It was truly refreshing to see your students taking an interest in construction, whether they’re interested in the management side or even the various trades. Talking about my own journey really brought back memories and made me remember why I wanted to get into this industry. No matter what education background you have, as long as you are passionate you will find a way and figure it out.”  — Courtney Chan, Project Manager, Shawmut Design and Construction

At Summer Search, career exploration is core to our mission — we help students not only dream big but understand the steps and skills needed to make those dreams real. Events like these are more than just field trips; they’re opportunities to spark new interests, build networks, and help Summer Searchers chart their paths. We want our students to have robust exposure to a variety of careers. When they express a passion for a path, we then help them figure out the next step – be that technical school, an internship, a degree program, or something else.

Shawmut is a long-time champion of Summer Search, having welcomed interns, hired alumni, and provided invaluable mentorship to students discovering their professional next steps. Their culture of employee ownership and commitment to continuous learning makes them a natural partner and we’re so grateful.

We’re grateful for Shawmut’s partnership across multiple sites and proud of every Summer Searcher who showed up ready to learn, ask questions, and imagine themselves building their future!

Interested in hosting a career day or becoming a corporate partner with Summer Search?
Let’s build something great together. Reach out to Kristie Loftus (kloftus@summersearch.org) and learn how your organization can support the next generation of leaders.