Building the Bridge Between Classroom and Jobsite: UW–Milwaukee Architecture Externs Shadow VJS’s Architecture Team
- vjsconstructionser
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
There’s no substitute for seeing how ideas on paper turn into spaces people actually use. As a general contractor with an in-house architecture team, we believe some of the most meaningful learning happens when students are invited into the real world of design and construction—jobsite boots, coordination meetings, details and all.
That’s why we were proud to serve as a host firm during the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Architecture & Urban Planning’s 2026 winterim externship program. The program partners students with professional firms for short-term, immersive experiences that provide direct exposure to practice and help bridge the gap between education and employment.
Externships are intentionally “bite-sized”—typically one or two weeks during winterim or spring break—but the impact can be lasting. For students, it’s a chance to observe how projects move from concept through construction. For firms like us, it’s an opportunity to invest in the next generation of the workforce by opening our doors, sharing our process, and showing what collaboration really looks like.
This winterim, we welcomed UW–Milwaukee architecture students Michael Trommater and Jennie Grace to shadow our architecture department. Led by Studio Director Jim French, Senior Project Architect Misty Hintz, and Architectural Designer Jen Heidenreich, Michael and Jennie spent the week immersed in day-to-day architectural practice—participating in site visits, attending meetings, reviewing drawings, and seeing projects at various stages of development.
As the week wrapped up, we asked them to reflect on their externship experience at VJS.
Extern Q&A
Voices from UW–Milwaukee
Michael Trommater Architecture Student, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
What was the best thing about the externship?
Honestly, going on site visits. It was really fun to see different kinds of projects and see them at different stages—from smaller jobs to large renovations. Being able to compare all of that in real time was huge.
What surprised you about the externship?
Owner, architect, and contractor meetings were completely different than I expected. The way everyone collaborates, how the conversations are navigated, and the level of rapport that’s required—it’s way more nuanced than what you see in school.
What was the not-so-best thing?
Door schedules. Definitely door schedules. I didn’t realize how important they are—knowing exactly where every door is supposed to be and how it functions in a space.
Overall takeaway:
This experience really filled in gaps that school doesn’t teach you. I enjoyed working with the VJS architecture team. In school, collaboration usually has very defined parameters. Here, I got to see collaboration that’s much more fluid and realistic.
Jennie Crandall Architecture Student, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
What was the best thing about the externship?
Being able to visit sites and see the process from everyone’s perspective—from the architect to subcontractors to the safety team. Seeing how all those roles interact was really valuable.
What surprised you about the externship?
I came in with assumptions based on my experience at a smaller architecture firm, where architects usually only work on one or two projects at a time. I was surprised by how many projects each architect here is managing simultaneously.
What was the not-so-best thing?
Probably asking about every single door, keys, and coordinating with security. It’s not very design-focused, but I understand now why it matters so much.
Overall takeaway: Having this new perspective will definitely influence how I approach my studies. Seeing construction, seeing a building on the page, and then having the ability to see it built right away brings everything together. It’s a perspective I didn’t have before, and it will be really helpful going forward.
Investing in the Future of the Industry
At VJS, we see externships as more than a short-term experience—they’re an investment in the future of our industry. By partnering with academic programs like UW–Milwaukee’s School of Architecture & Urban Planning, we’re helping students gain clarity, confidence, and real-world context early in their careers.
Providing hands-on exposure, encouraging questions, and inviting students into the collaborative process is one way we’re committed to building the next generation of the workforce. We’re grateful for the opportunity to host talented students like Michael and Jennie and look forward to continuing to support experiences that connect education to practice—one externship at a time.