Basin Electric celebrates National Intern Day

We all start somewhere. For these professionals, that ‘somewhere’ is Basin Electric.

To celebrate National Intern Day on July 25, we reached out to our interns, both past and present, to reflect on their experiences interning with Basin Electric.

What did you learn from your internship that you still use today?

We asked current full-time employees who started their careers as interns at Basin Electric about the main takeaways from their internship.

Hunter Eslinger, Pipeline Engineer at Dakota Gas

“One thing I learned during my internship was the importance of verifying conditions in the field before completing any design engineering work. It was also my first experience dealing with project management, which gave me the foundation I use daily for various projects.”

Mitch Estabrook, Supervisor Maintenance Planner/ Scheduler/Warehouse at Leland Olds Station

“I completed my co-op at our oldest power plant in the Basin fleet: Leland Olds Station. I joined one year out of high school with no idea what to expect. All I knew was that Basin Electric was a cornerstone company in the power industry and our community.

As an instrumentation and controls intern, I quickly realized the importance of taking this responsibility seriously and absorbing all the knowledge from everyone in the instrumentation & controls department. It was eye-opening to see concepts from my college curriculum applied in real-world situations. I recall thinking, ‘I can’t remember the last time I used something from high school in a practical, everyday situation!’ This experience inspired me to take my final year of college more seriously, knowing that what I learned would be valuable for my future.

Although my roles have changed over the years at Basin, I still see strong bonds among employees and am grateful to be part of them. I remain thankful for the lessons I learned during my internship and realize I might not have chosen a career in the coal/power industry if it weren’t for my experiences at Basin.”

Jennifer Holen, Charitable Giving Administrator at Headquarters

“It’s hard to pick just one aspect because I feel that I learned so much from my internship that I still use today. Teamwork is probably the one that stands out the most to me. My internship took place in the communications department, where everyone came together to make big events happen. Everyone had their piece of the puzzle to take care of to accomplish the big picture, but everyone was willing to help wherever it was needed. It was neat to watch an idea go from a brainstorming session in a conference room to a room full of people enjoying the event. As an intern, this team collaboration had a major impact on my career. It’s so cool to watch a team learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and be able to complement each member’s qualities in order to work together.”

Todd Hiatt, Supervisor Scrubber at Antelope Valley Station

“I was part of the ‘Grow Your Own Internship’ program. Through this, I spent 2 weeks at Leland Olds Station during the summer of 2011 and returned for another two weeks during the spring of 2012. Immediately following, I began a three-month summer internship at Dakota Gas.

I continue to use what I learned from my internships daily. I learned to be unafraid to ask questions, to hit the books, and to reach out to the people who have been around for some time. There is no such thing as knowing too much information regarding how anything operates. I have spent 8 years in the scrubber at AVS and I am still learning something new daily.”

Dale Johnson, Senior Vice President and Plant Manager at Dakota Gas

“My internships took place over 40 years ago. I started working on a power plant construction project during my senior year in high school and continued for the next two summers. I was fortunate to have good mentors that provided me with the information I needed to do my job while allowing me the freedom to get the work done. I learned that the harder I worked, the more opportunity I was given to try new things.”

Eli Klein, Superintendent Operator at Dry Fork Station

“Something I learned during my internship at Laramie River Station that I have used the most and still use today is taking piping and instrumentation diagrams out into the field and walking systems down. It really helps to be able to envision systems and understand the process.”

Joy Schnabel, Multimedia Specialist at Headquarters

“During my internship at Headquarters, I learned many details about graphic design program features, printing processes, and communications procedures that I had never been exposed to before. I felt far ahead of my classes when I went back to school after interning and continued to have new experiences that I wouldn’t find anywhere else. As someone who loves to learn, I am grateful for all of the knowledge I have found at Basin that serves me every day.

I was also able to learn how a communications department realistically functions. I was shown how creative people with various jobs all come together to effectively convey information, coordinate events, and support the brand of the cooperative. Moving into my career at Basin, I felt confident in already knowing how the job worked and excited about what my personal knowledge and ideas could do for the department.”

What do you find most valuable about your internship?

Current interns were asked to identify valuable aspects of their internship experience.

Faith Koch, Human Resources Intern at Headquarters

“I have been with Basin for a year as an intern. I started at Dakota Gas in logistics, then got extended and moved to operations to help with administrative work. Then, I moved to Headquarters to start another internship in Human Resources.

I value that at Dakota Gas I was able to see so many different things happening and be an essential piece in various projects. This allowed me to gain an understanding of how Dakota Gas operates as well as realize the work it takes to get projects moving on the administrative side and out in the plant.

At headquarters, I value being able to see human resources in a new light. Being a part of projects from all different departments in human resources has been eye-opening for me to see which area I enjoy working in the most.”

Niko Mandravelis, Engineering Intern at Dakota Gas

“The most valuable part of my internship has been seeing what it is like to have a job in my field.”

Kieran Eberle, Engineering Intern at Headquarters

“What I find most valuable about my internship is the exposure to the field. Coming here and gaining insight into how an engineering department operates, and the methodologies they use to problem solve has been extremely beneficial. Exposure to the power industry, understanding the lingo, and learning the inner workings of the industry have been very interesting and engaging aspects of my internship. My community of engineers are incredibly welcoming and helpful.”

Cade Olson, Mechanical Engineering Intern at Dry Fork Station

“I acquired many technical skills from this internship experience, such as redlining drawings, calculating efficiencies for various machines, and gaining a solid knowledge base on the mechanical systems throughout the plant.

This internship gave me the freedom to apply the theoretical knowledge I received in my coursework to real-world problems in the field. I had a great opportunity to meet many industry professionals at Basin Electric, both in and out of my field, and build connections with them. Basin Electric has helped me build the networking framework necessary for me to develop as an engineer.”

Alison Kirsch, Communications Intern at Headquarters

“What I find most valuable about my internship at Basin Electric are the relationships I have made. The professionals I have worked with truly helped pave the way for my personal and professional development. The connections I have made during my time here will follow me for the rest of my career. It has been a pleasure to experience the unique culture at Basin Electric – one that fosters togetherness and constant improvement.”

Kennedi Lien, Chemistry Laboratory Intern at Dakota Gas

“I would have to say that the most valuable part of my internship is the insight into how I can use my degree after graduating college. In the chemistry lab, I have had the opportunity to run tests and use instruments that I would most likely never see at my university. In school, we learn so much information but rarely get to put it to use. When I return to classes, I’ll be able to use my experience from my internship and apply it to my studies and research projects. I have also been able to see how many different job opportunities there are in the chemistry field, and being here has made me think more about what I would like to do after graduation.”

John Colton, Engineering Intern at Menoken TSM

“The most valuable aspect of my internship has been the learning opportunities. A large part of why I am studying engineering is because engineers engage in life-long learning as technology changes and new solutions are developed. I have learned so much at Basin by asking questions and trying new tasks that I would not have had the opportunity to attempt before coming here. None of this would have been possible without the great team I work with at Menoken TSM. They are really the most valuable part of my internship.”

We thank all of our interns, past and present, who offer their hard work and dedication to the cooperative. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and appreciate their contributions to the Basin Electric team.