[L to R: Lemberg President Kyle Witte, Marketing Director Eichelle Thompson, Current Intern Elijah Grow, 2025 Intern Mason Eckhardt]
When you think about careers in electrical construction, electricians, project managers and engineers may come to mind. But it takes people with a wide range of skills and backgrounds to keep an electrical construction company successful.
Eli, who is entering his senior year at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater this fall, joined Lemberg as a digital marketing intern this summer. Throughout the last few months, he’s gained hands-on experience with everything from internal communications and social media to employee events and jobsite photography.
Below, Eli shares what brought him to Lemberg Electric, what surprised him about the electrical construction industry and what he’s learned from taking his skills beyond the university classroom.
I’m going into my senior year at Whitewater, where I study business analytics with an emphasis in digital marketing. The digital marketing side is really what I hope to pursue after graduation.
I’ve realized I’m probably a little more creatively wired than analytical, so marketing gives me an opportunity to use both sides. I like being able to look at the data and analytics behind something while still having opportunities to be creative.
It actually happened pretty organically. My friend Mason works at Lemberg as an assistant project manager, and I asked him if the company might need someone in marketing. He brought it up internally, and eventually, I connected with the marketing director and interviewed for the internship.
It wasn’t through a career fair or formal internship program. It was really just an opportunity that came up, and I wanted to make it happen.
Not very much!
Before working here, when I thought about electricians, I pictured someone installing breaker boxes. I didn't really understand everything an electrical contractor actually does.
Once I started learning more about Lemberg and visiting job sites, I realized how much more goes into it. We’re working on large facilities, fire alarm systems, lighting, signage, and so many other things. I also didn’t realize how many different people and departments are involved in completing a project.
There are so many careers within the electrical construction industry that I didn’t even know existed. The most surprising thing was the project estimation. There are people whose job is to figure out the costs, materials and labor that go into a project. I just assumed that all fell on a project manager, but there’s an entire career or job dedicated just to that detail of a project, which is a pretty important detail.
There are also so many different roles to think about as well. We have project managers, estimators, a data team, accounting, safety, marketing and other office positions supporting what happens in the field. Before this internship, I definitely didn't realize how many different skills and career paths it takes to make a construction company successful on a daily basis.
It can vary quite a bit, which is one of the things I like about it. I’ve helped with graphic design, social media, internal communications and employee events like our Field Appreciation Day.
Other days, I might head out to a jobsite to take photos and learn more about the projects we’re working on. I’ve gotten to experience a lot of different sides of marketing, so there really isn’t one typical day.
Getting out to the jobsites has definitely been my favorite part. I’ve been able to bring the camera along, take photos, and see firsthand the work that we’re actually marketing.
I’ve visited some of our recent education and signage projects, and it’s given me a much better understanding of how much goes into a project. There are project managers, designers, field crews and other teams all working together, and everyone has a specific role in getting the job done, and it’s really cool to see that in action.
Communication, definitely.
I knew communication was important before I started, but I don't think I realized just how important it is in a professional environment. Good communication makes such a difference in how quickly you can get something done and how smoothly people can work together.
You can learn a lot of the hard, technical skills in school. But learning how to communicate with coworkers, ask for what you need and work with different personalities is something you really have to experience.
Friendly and almost family-like. I've been doing some research into Lemberg's history while helping with content surrounding the company's 100-year anniversary, so I've gotten to see how generations of people have been part of the Lemberg story. I've felt that same sense of connection while working here. Whether I'm in the office or visiting a jobsite, people have been friendly and willing to help me learn.
We’ve been talking about the possibility of extending my internship into the fall semester, which I’d really like to do. It would give me the opportunity to keep building on everything I’ve learned over the last few months while I finish my senior year.
After graduation, I’d love to find a position in marketing, especially digital marketing or social media. This internship has given me a lot more insight into the parts of marketing I enjoy and where I might want to take my career, and I’m excited to see what comes next for me.
Enlightening, communication, and teamwork.
I've learned a lot, not only about marketing but also about working with people, being part of a team, and an entire industry I really didn't know much about before I started.
At Lemberg Electric, careers aren't limited to one path.
From apprentices beginning their careers in the electrical trade to project managers building careers in construction, there are opportunities for people with different backgrounds, interests and skill sets to find their place in the industry.
Lemberg is proud to invest in the next generation of the workforce by creating opportunities for young people to learn, gain hands-on experience and explore where their skills can take them.
Internships give students like Eli the opportunity to experience those careers firsthand while building communication, teamwork and other professional skills that aren’t always taught in the classroom.