BREAKING BARRIERS SHS graduate earns first paid internship at local construction company

Felicia Frazar, The Seguin Gazette

Seguin High School graduate Lisa Alaniz is designing the blueprints of her future and that of other students interested in construction trades.

Alaniz is blazing a trail with the Koehler Company as the local business’s first paid intern.

“We did not have a formal internship program,” said Robert “Bobby” Farmer, of the Koehler Company. “For us to be able to offer an intern program to people who are interested in further nurturing that, it doesn’t get better than this. We are loving this. It is well worth our time and enjoy it, especially when we have bright people.”

Alaniz’s interest in construction trades began at an early age. Her interest was piqued as she and her father would walk around homes and he expressed his interested in learning how to construct them.

It wasn’t until her junior year of high school that Alaniz found the construction trades classes and began learning about the profession from Seguin High School instructor Kenneth Soefje.

As her high school year was coming to a close, Alaniz was working on her real estate license, but the coronavirus pandemic put a hold on her completing the work.

Knowing that she wanted to enter the workforce before heading off to Texas State Technical College in Waco this fall, Alaniz asked Soefje to help connect her to Farmer about an opportunity to hit the ground running.

“We (Bobby and I) started going back and forth and then now I’m here,” she said. “Now that I’m working here, I think it is really cool.”

Farmer, who is helping guide Alaniz, said she’s helping to lay the groundwork for the company to have paid internships.

“She’s coloring the program much rosier than it will ever be because she is an exceptional student,” he said. “The speed at which she is grasping some of this stuff is absolutely stunning. If there was anyone that was made for this business, it is her.”

While interning at the business, Alaniz is able to see two sides of the construction industry, said Ryan Ayotte, of the Koehler Company.

“We have a subcontractor side of things that we can do to train from that aspect of things and then we have the general contracting side of things that we can train from that aspect,” he said. “She can spend five weeks working for the mill and five weeks working for the construction and interning both sides of that and getting a feel for how this industry really works.”

Watching as the plans are drawn up and then brought to life is bringing it all full circle for the intern.

“Now I have a better understanding of what I’m doing and learning, rather than just looking at paper and not really knowing what’s going on,” she said. “Now I understand what’s on the paper and how it is being built. I feel like I’ve come a long way so far.”

Alaniz hopes to one day own her own company building homes, but Steve Koehler of the Koehler Company joked she’s gonna have to wait.

“But, until she’s 60 years old, she’s working for us,” he said. “We’re real excited to have Lisa here and we’re hoping to find more out there.”

Getting the opportunity will help give Alaniz a step or two up when she goes to TSTC.

“I just want to have a better understanding before I got to college and I’m already on top of everything instead of struggling and falling behind,” she said. “This is a great opportunity for me to get a better understanding and hands on.”

Koehler said he is thrilled to have the opportunity to offer a program such as this and help generate interest in the construction trades.

Which is also a goal of Soefje’s. He’s seen the decline in skilled trade workers and wants to make a change.

“My background, coming from construction, I’ve seen it; trades people are a dying breed,” he said. “The original old timers, as you will, are getting ready to retire and there’s not that many young folks getting into the trade that understand the details of those job descriptions. Someone’s got to be able to design this stuff, someone has got to be able to build it and put it together. And through the Koehler Company, that is my goal to build that fire and build that drive right here in the community.”

Local businesses, like Koehler’s, help build that interest, Soefje said.

“We’ve worked real hard and very closely with Mr. Koehler and the rest of the Koehler Company on building that up because they understand the need,” he said. “Mr. Koehler has been willing with open arms to help that. Like it is my community, it is their community as well and we want to make it the best we can for our youth and every body that is here.”

When telling her friends and other people about her plans, Alaniz said they’re interested, but scared to take the step forward.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a girl or you’re a guy, this is seen as a guy’s industry, but it’s really for both,” she said. That is what I want to pursue out of this. It’s not just guys, girls can do it too. There are a few companies that are run by females and I think that is awesome.”

Soefje is thankful for the partnership with Koehler Company, as well as other area businesses that offer opportunities and opens doors for his students.

Alaniz said all the students have to do is knock.

“I just want to tell more people that there is opportunity out there, you just have to look for it,” she said. “It’s not just going to come knocking at your door, you have to work for what you want.”

Felicia Frazar is the managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail her at felicia.frazar@seguingazette.com 

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