BNSF Railway

Transportation Intern

June - August 2021 • Houston, TX

What I liked

The experience gave a holistic view of the various departments and opportunities that BNSF has to offer. Since I was on the operations side, I got to see how the operations departments work in the field. I was also given the opportunity to see the corporate departments briefly. There is constant support and a structured schedule to follow. Each day brought a new department, role, concept to learn. The people were also very supportive in making sure you were able to deviate from the schedule if there was something that interested you. It was incredibly hands-on in the operations departments - you are able to learn about the everyday tasks and get used to the working schedule.

What I wish was different

The dress code can look different for every location and you do not know your specific location culture until you arrive. You are also moved around a lot in your location. For example, while I was in Houston, I was moved to a new railyard each week/few days and the railyards span across the Houston complex. I also traveled to Galveston, Votaw, and Dayton Texas which can mean greater commute time. Mileage is not always compensated. Housing is also on a stipend basis and the stipend does not typically fully cover housing expenses.

Advice

If you go into operations, get to know the crew members. Explore the location you are placed at. Always have water, sunscreen, and bug spray (you will be outdoors a lot). Bring a snack each day that you can carry in your pocket. If you have long hair, bring a hair tie. First impressions count. Be intentional with everyone you meet because they all contribute to your performance evaluation. Be safe. Have fun!

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Cybersecurity Intern

June - August 2021 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

very excellent people

What I wish was different

more opportunities to network with other students

Advice

take initiative and find ways to further your knowledge while on the job. Learning can be just as important as getting your work done.

1 One person found this helpful

Technology Services Intern

June - August 2021 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

I got to experience with security tools and methods. Learned how enterprise security works in fortune 500 companies. My colleagues were great and helped me understand the procedures.

What I wish was different

I wish there were more networking events.

Advice

In-class knowledge is different than real-life experience, however, enjoy both as long as you learn something new.

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Mechanical Intern

May - August 2019 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

I loved my project and the people I worked with. They really put a lot of trust in their interns and treat them very well.

What I wish was different

I really have no complaints. The people, projects, and pay were all great.

Advice

Write down something you learned or did each day in a job or in school--it will help you remember the things you've accomplished when you get to the end of a week.

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Accounting/Finance Intern

May - August 2018 • Topeka, KS

What I liked

I really liked the Topeka office. There was a real focus on my experience and learning in addition to adding value to the company.

What I wish was different

Advice

1 One person found this helpful

Telecom Intern

June - September 2019 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

Great place to work, environment is very lax and the projects are interesting.

What I wish was different

Wish i could have spent more time there!

Advice

Make sure you ask a ton of questions, people there have been working for 10-20-30 years and have a ton of experience

1 One person found this helpful

Technology Services Intern

May - August 2019 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

It was a nice location, everyone was really friendly and I loved my team. The people that work on the railroad are some of the nicest people and a lot of them work there for a really long time. The area is really cheap to live in (if you can find short-term housing) and there are lots of things to do within the DFW area.

What I wish was different

More structured projects. A bunch of other interns had a more long-term project but my particular manager didn't really have anything ready for me. On one hand, it was awesome because he was very willing to customize my experience to whatever I had an interest in, and then on the other, it was a little overwhelming because I didn't feel like I knew the company enough to know what project I should start.

Advice

Look for housing early and with someone else -- it's a lot cheaper. They were looking into corporate housing so it might be better for the incoming wave of interns.

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Payroll Support Intern

May - August 2019 • Topeka, KS

What I liked

I got to fly down to the offices in Fort Worth, Texas several times and do workshops with the other interns, which was a great experience.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have been more ambitious and pushed to do more instead of waiting for tasks to be given to me. I could have accomplished a lot more.

Advice

Pushing to do more is a great way to gain experience and show people that you are made of a different material.

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Mechanical Intern I

June - August 2019 • Minneapolis, MN

What I liked

I enjoyed the large responsibility that was given, the freedom to explore different job titles and departments, and projects that were meaningful and added to the company's overall performance. They allowed me to travel and see different locations and gave me an option in where I was placed over the summer. It was a wonderful experience.

What I wish was different

The job requires many hours of commitment. I worked about 50 hours a week, 5 days a week, 10 hour days.

Advice

Go in open minded. Place yourself in the others shoes. I believe in order to be successful anywhere, but especially BNSF Railway, you must be empathetic and understanding where others are coming from. Learn as much as you can and ask questions to grow!

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Data Engineering Intern

May - August 2019 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

I deeply admired all of the other Technology Services Interns. Incredibly high-caliber people--both in intelligence and kindness. Expanding on that, all of the people I interacted with at BNSF were incredible. The people at BNSF were the best part of my experience.

What I wish was different

I wish that the team I worked on would've had clearer goals and direction. It seems I interned at a difficult and transitional time for the team I was assigned to, which made me feel that my work would become antiquated in a matter of months or even weeks after completing my internship.

Advice

I think BNSF is a great company, but like any company, much depends on the team you work on. I thought my teammates were great people, but I didn't really enjoy the work I did. At BNSF you are simply hired on generically as a "Technology Services Intern" and then assigned to whichever teams have need of interns--they try to assign you to a team that matches your interests and skillset, but I don't feel that was the case for me personally. That said, it helped me recognize a career path I do *not* want to pursue, which is helpful in its own way.

1 One person found this helpful

Conductor

February 2018 • Galesburg, IL

What I liked

Great employer and somewhat flexible schedule!

What I wish was different

A friendlier work environment

Advice

Great job, pay, and great benefits. I still work here - but in my mid 20s something I have learned is that money is not everything. I make great money here, but it the upper management and a decent amount of co workers are very unpleasant which makes a not-so-good work environment. While the money is great, it is still important to enjoy where you work and who you work with as you will spend a good chunk of your time at work! Still Happy with my experience, but I would like others to know to not only look at the pay when choosing an employer.

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Engineering Intern

May - August 2019 • Kansas City, KS

What I liked

I got to observe a lot of projects within my field in the industry I'm interested in as well as I had the opportunity to travel.

What I wish was different

I wish it had been based out of Chicago.

Advice

Keep an open mind to learning and observing different things, and ask as many questions as you possibly can

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Mechanical intern

May - August 2019 • Topeka, KS

What I liked

Great experience and great people.

What I wish was different

Not a lot of work to do, wish I could have done more.

Advice

Railroading is a lifestyle. If it’s a fit for you, make it a career and do well. Care for those around you because you’ll never know whose help you may need.

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Transportation intern

May - August 2019 • Cicero, IL

What I liked

Well funded and structured intern program

What I wish was different

Better relocation services

Advice

100% apply and make the move, it’s a great company

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Technology Services Intern

May - August 2018 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

It was great experience and I learned a lot of new skills

What I wish was different

I wish I had the opportunity to explore departments other than the one I was assigned to

Advice

Always ask questions if you don't know how to solve a problem. It's a learning experience!

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Mechanical Engineering Inter

May - August 2018 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

I love the company’s goals and employee mobility. The majority of people working there are great and care very much about their job. The company values its employees and are willing to work with us if we are willing to work with them. They also showed that they valued is interns a lot and put a lot of trust in us.

What I wish was different

I wish I had gotten to know people more and asked more questions.

Advice

Make sure to not be afraid in new environments. That initial fear will disappear and you can gain so much more from taking risks than playing it safe. This internship helped me to experience something I’ve never done before: move to a new city all by myself. I wish I took advantage of that situation more.

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Manager Field Safety Support

March 1990 • Albuquerque, NM

What I liked

The opportunity to self-manage myself and choose the direction the responsibilities took.

What I wish was different

More help. I currently cover 28 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Too much to do with so many states.

Advice

The ability to shape state programs, guiding them in the direction they need to go to be sustainable is challenging. One would need to research trends, demographics and use new technology to reach target audiences. It is critical in the rail safety arena because it is something no one thinks they need.

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