Intern to Leader: Building a Career and Community at Gilbane

Construction projects from high-rise office towers to state-of-the-art healthcare facilities transform our cities and towns. But it’s the people behind these projects that transform our communities. That’s why investing in people – starting with interns – is one of the most essential things the construction industry can do. Every year, Gilbane welcomes over 200 interns in its offices nationwide for internships that offer hands-on experience on real projects, cultivate a passion for learning and growth, and build a sense of community. Ultimately, this can lead to full-time career opportunities for the intern and a diverse talent pipeline that is a culture fit for the company. For Leonardo (Leo) Torres, his internship at Gilbane led to opportunities to advance his career and his passion for creating an inclusive company.

Dedicated Intern to Full-Time Leader

My journey began in Venezuela, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from the Universidad de Carabobo. Seeking new opportunities, I moved to Cleveland, Ohio. I began studying Lakeland Community College (LCC) where I met a civil engineer with Gilbane, who was working on a project at the school. Fortunately, this meeting led me to an internship with Gilbane, starting in 2016. These experiences encouraged me to continue my education, leading me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Cleveland State University while gaining valuable experience as an intern at Gilbane.

In 2019, I was hired full-time as a project engineer upon graduating from Cleveland State; my three years of internship immersed me in local construction projects, allowing me to apply what I was learning in the classroom to real jobs and outcomes. I worked on significant projects in the area, such as The Lumen at Playhouse Square – a gorgeous 34-story residential building in Cleveland’s iconic Playhouse Square.

Throughout my time at Gilbane, I have continued to advance my career. Today, I’m an operational excellence manager. This position allows me to contribute to Gilbane’s success by optimizing procedures and ensuring alignment with business goals.

Championing Diversity at Gilbane

Since joining Gilbane full-time in 2019, I’ve been fortunate to advance my career in many ways.  Leading teams and seeing projects come to life is incredibly rewarding. But for me, it goes beyond just the technical aspects. As an immigrant from Venezuela, I’m passionate about fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at Gilbane and living our company value of “Gilbane Cares.”

That’s why I took on the role of national chair for HOL@, our employee resource group focused on Hispanic culture and inclusion.  In this role, I’ve launched initiatives like basic Spanish lessons open to everyone at Gilbane, as well as a brand-new professional development and mentoring program specifically for Latino and Hispanic employees. But my commitment to building a diverse and supportive community extends beyond Gilbane’s walls.  During the fall and spring semesters, I also dedicate two days per week to teaching construction management and engineering classes at Lakeland Community College, where my Gilbane journey began.

Building a Brighter Tomorrow

Leo’s story exemplifies Gilbane’s commitment to its employees by creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that allows everyone to grow. By providing internship programs that cultivate talent and empower individuals like Leo to champion efforts like Hol@ and community engagement, Gilbane is not just building buildings but building a better world for all.

About Authors

Leonardo Torres

Leonardo Torres is an Operational Excellence Manager based in Gilbane’s Cleveland office. He is responsible for ensuring quality, risk mitigation, and training to ensure compliance with operations policies and procedures. He also develops and implements action plans, programs, and other initiatives designed to facilitate execution and management efforts that support Gilbane’s mission and vision for the highest quality project delivery. Additionally, Leonardo is a construction management/engineering adjunct professor at Lakeland Community College and serves as the National Chair for Gilbane’s Hispanic employee resource group, HOL@.

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