What does a summer internship at the Port of Tacoma and The Northwest Seaport Alliance look like? For this year’s interns, it meant tackling real projects, learning firsthand from experienced professionals, and gaining a deeper understanding of how the Port supports global trade, environmental stewardship, and economic development. Along the way, they also discovered the diverse careers that keep the maritime industry moving, from operations and engineering to real estate, maintenance and finance. Read their stories to learn what they worked on, what they enjoyed most, and where they hope their careers will take them after their internships. 

Kyle Austin 

Kyle Austin worked as the Operations intern for The Northwest Seaport Alliance shortly after earning degrees in transportation logistics and supply chain management and entrepreneurship from Lake Washington Institute of Technology. During his internship, he worked on practical projects with lasting value, including creating a map of the East Blair One terminal yard to help improve traffic flow and safety awareness, and developing a streamlined cargo-tracking process using Microsoft Forms and Excel. Kyle collaborated closely with Operations staff, gaining insight into the day-to-day complexities of port operations and the critical role ports play in supporting Washington’s economy. Kyle credits the internship with expanding his professional network, deepening his understanding of maritime logistics, and reinforcing his long-term goal of building a career in transportation operations, where he hopes to help improve the nation’s transportation system. 

“What made it exciting to come here was learning a whole new side to everything I learned in school. I’ve seen the end of the supply chain in my job at Safeway, but I’ve never been part of the process that gets things to the store. It’s an experience I can’t trade for anything.” 

Kennedy Elias 

Kennedy Elias, a recent Pacific Lutheran University graduate with degrees in biology and environmental studies, joined the Port’s Environmental team to gain practical experience and establish a foothold in the field. She worked on a variety of projects over the summer, including developing a relational database for a remediation project, conducting habitat and fish passage monitoring, supporting compliance efforts for Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard, and preparing environmental reports for restoration sites. She especially enjoyed the fieldwork, where she expanded her skills in plant and animal species identification and gained firsthand experience monitoring habitat conditions. The internship also helped her better understand environmental stewardship within the maritime industry and the Port’s continued investments in air quality and habitat restoration. 

“It was surprising coming in and realizing how much effort is put into sustainability. It’s good to see people making positive change in industries that weren’t sustainable before. That was really cool.” 

Oliver Faase 

Oliver Faase, a city and regional planning student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, spent the summer interning on the Port’s Environmental team. Drawn to the opportunity to combine environmental stewardship, planning, and GIS technology, Oliver worked on several significant projects, including mapping and analyzing contamination data from a historic landfill site near the Gog-le-hi-te wetland and helping update the Port’s habitat site webpage through GIS analysis and drone imagery. His work involved collecting, organizing, and visualizing environmental data from multiple agencies to help inform habitat restoration and redevelopment efforts. The experience strengthened his interest in environmental planning by showing how technical data, field observations, and public-sector decision-making come together to create meaningful environmental improvements.

"Getting to do this GIS role and be very data-focused, but then also getting to go out into the field, showed me that a job like this would be super cool. I can get into the data and really understand it but also get to see the impacts it’s making out in the field." 

Bibek Kaur 

Bibek Kaur, a civil engineering student at the University of Washington Seattle, interned this summer with the Port’s Engineering team, getting exposure to the many facets of port projects and infrastructure. Her primary responsibility was organizing and digitizing engineering drawings within the Port’s GIS and drawing search systems, helping make critical documents more accessible to engineering staff and project teams. Beyond Bibek’s desk work, she accompanied construction inspectors and project managers in the field, where she observed construction inspections, contractor meetings, and active infrastructure projects firsthand. The experience gave her greater appreciation for the scale and complexity of port operations while providing a comprehensive understanding of how civil construction projects move from planning and design to implementation. She particularly enjoyed moving between the office and the field, learning how planning decisions shape real-world projects. 

"In engineering, it can feel like you’re in a box just looking at drawings, recording, or categorizing all day. Going out and seeing all the cranes and strads, and the boats going in and out, gives you a new perspective on why your job matters." 

Ryan Lang 

Ryan Lang recently graduated from Steilacoom High School and completed the Automotive Technology program at the Pierce County Skills Center before joining the Port as its first Equipment Maintenance intern. Ryan discovered the internship while searching for apprenticeship opportunities and was excited by the chance to work at a major U.S. port. Throughout the summer, he worked on many pieces of equipment including cranes, straddle carriers, electrical vehicles, lawn mowers, and even helped install a large vessel propeller outside the Maritime Center. Building on his automotive background, Ryan did diagnostic work, inspections, and serviced the Port’s fleet and equipment while learning about large-scale industrial equipment. He appreciated receiving meaningful career guidance from experienced mechanics who helped him understand potential pathways into the industry and reinforced his goal of eventually returning to the Port as a full-time mechanic.  

"The biggest skill I’ve gained here is how to grow my career. The guys in the shop have been through the whole circuit of being mechanics. They tell me what they would have done differently to have an easier career and not struggle through the mud. That’s really helped me see how I can work my way up because my end goal is to work here." 

Jaden Masterson 

Jaden Masterson, a business administration student at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, spent the summer interning on the Port’s Real Estate team, where he gained hands-on experience in commercial real estate within a unique public-sector environment. His work included coordinating inventory for the Port’s move to the Maritime Center, supporting tenant and lease management communications, drafting Commission memos, and tracking insurance and security deposit requirements. He appreciated the opportunity to contribute meaningful work while learning how major organizational decisions are made and how different departments collaborate. The internship reinforced the importance of finding a workplace with a strong team culture, collaborative environment, and opportunities for professional growth. Jaden said learning to make confident decisions despite ambiguity was one of his most valuable takeaways this summer. 

"One of the biggest lessons I learned here was how to solve a problem when there really isn't a clear answer. You need to collect enough data and reasoning to confidently make a decision and be able to justify it to people above you." 

Ally Sorenson 

Washington State University marketing major Ally Sorenson joined the Port's Community Relations team seeking hands-on marketing experience and discovered a passion for community engagement and event marketing. Throughout her internship, she designed marketing materials for Port-sponsored events, staffed outreach booths at various events and farmers markets, and promoted opportunities in the maritime industry at career fairs. She appreciated that the work she did was immediately put into use and helped with the Port’s broader community outreach efforts. The experience helped her build professional communication and public engagement skills and inspired her to pursue a more public-facing marketing career. 

"I want to do event marketing. I want to be outside. I want to be with people. I love how dynamic this job is. You're not just sitting at a desk, you're doing all the things all the time, and I really enjoy that." 

William Wang 

William Wang, a University of Washington Seattle engineering major, spent the summer as the Port’s first Facilities Maintenance team intern. Initially, he only expected to observe the team’s operations, but quickly found himself immersed in a wide variety of hands-on maintenance work. He worked alongside electricians, plumbers, carpenters, building and grounds crews, and crane operators, getting exposure to everything from transformers and electrical systems to fire alarms and rail operations. What surprised him most was the level of trust and responsibility he was given, as team members taught him how to operate excavators, locomotives and cranes, use repair tools, and help staff perform real work around Port facilities. William developed a deeper appreciation for the practical side of engineering and the importance of hands-on experience alongside classroom learning.

"My parents are teachers, and they taught me the theories, but the people here taught me how to use the tools and what the real working situation is like." 

Guilan Wu 

Guilan Wu, a recent University of Washington Seattle graduate with a degree in business administration, joined the Port as an accounting intern to gain experience in public-sector accounting and learn how government financial operations differ from those in the private sector. Throughout her internship, Guilan worked on a variety of accounting projects, including capital improvement program reconciliations, journal entries, and a detailed accounts payable reconciliation project that required investigating variances and ensuring transactions were recorded accurately across multiple systems. Through her work, she strengthened her attention to detail, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills while becoming proficient in Dynamics 365 and gaining exposure to government accounting standards and practices.  

"My manager told me that you have to think outside the box because you not only use the data, you need to investigate the causes behind the variances. It's important to figure out all the details and use all the information you can find." 

The Port’s internship program gives enrolled college students opportunities outside of the classroom, with specific offerings varying from year to year based on the needs of Port departments.   

All internships are paid and are typically posted in early spring for the following summer.