Week 1: Day 1

Start of Something New

Today was the first official day at work for the DSLIP 2015 interns.
We were welcomed at the DCC office by Mr. Abdallah Yabroudi, Mr. Bassam Haddad, and Dr. Samuel Clemence and were assigned our own desks. First, the students were split into two teams for site visits and presentations by our two TA's- Ramy and Karolina. And just like that, the fierce competition between the two teams officially started! Next, the students formed the A, B, and S sports teams and each received two shirts. Then, each student received a binder with a comprehensive lecture schedule, entertainment schedule, and lecture material. We were also graciously given a personal safety bag filled with needed safety items for site visits.

Once everyone got settled in, Mr. Bassam Haddad took all the students on a tour around the DCC department offices. We looked around and heard from the head of each department about the essential functions of the respective departments and their significance. This experience provided us with a first-time overview of how a civil engineering firm operates in the real world.

After lunch, we attended 2 lectures presented by Mr. Pat Doyle, DCC project manager. The first one was about Applicable Safety Codes and Standards through which Mr. Doyle discussed OSHA and other applicable safety regulations in Dubai. Furthermore, we had an overview of DCC safety standards and the methods of enforcement. Afterwards we had a Q&A session where Mr. Doyle answered all our inquiries. Through this experience, we had an informative first lesson on how important safety is in any work environment.

At night Ramy took all of the students to Dubai Mall and we saw the dancing fountain show in front of the tallest structure in the world, Burj Khalifa. Afterwards, we enjoyed a  wholesome American style dinner at the Texas Roadhouse.