From Classroom to Career: How One Internship Sparked a Future in Engineering

What if a high school class project could launch a career? For Ethan Stang, that’s exactly what happened.

Ethan’s journey with Ayres began in high school, when an engineering class assignment led him to connect with Disa Wahlstrand, our vice president of Engineering Services. That early mentorship planted a seed that would grow into a meaningful professional relationship – and ultimately, a career.

Now, after two summers interning with Ayres, Ethan is preparing to join the firm full-time following his December graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where he’s earning a degree in civil engineering with a structural emphasis.

Ethan, who grew up in Eau Claire and graduated from Memorial High School, credits the variety of work and the personalized nature of his internship experience for drawing him back after his first summer.

“I really wanted to complete my next internship on the design side,” Ethan said. “When I mentioned this to Jeff Abramson, the manager of transportation services in Eau Claire, he immediately understood and helped me work with Dan Sydow in the structural group. I’ve learned so much over the past few summers – things school just doesn’t have the time to teach.”

That kind of responsiveness and support is a hallmark of Ayres’ internship program, which aims to provide hands-on experience tailored to each student’s interests and career goals. Ethan’s story is one of many that highlight the program’s impact: Of the 25 interns who joined us this year, 13 are continuing to support various projects throughout the school year, and many groups are using our intern pipeline to fill their full-time and intern needs for next summer.

“The community at Ayres is extremely kind and motivating,” Ethan said. “I’m excited to continue working with the structural engineering team and contribute to both design and construction inspection. Ayres offers such a wide range of projects and learning opportunities – it’s the perfect place to grow into a well-rounded engineer.”

Ethan’s experience is a testament to the power of early mentorship and the value of immersive, supportive internships. At Ayres, we’re proud to help shape the next generation of engineers – one meaningful experience at a time.