John Tang – Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations
John Tang, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations, started off as a Student Engineer intern in October of 1990. Tang worked on everything from drafting to assisting the survey crew – and most importantly, he learned how to get along with others in a professional environment.
“Many of the people hiring interns used to be interns themselves; they understand that relationship and are committed to helping interns succeed. Also, the pay is very good and can help you offset the significant cost of college these days,” Tang suggests.
After his internship ended, he was compelled to continue working for San Jose Water, as the work provided him with the practical experience to compliment his education. In December of 1994, he graduated and was employed for six months before leaving the company and returning again on June 2004 – he has been with SJW ever since.
Rich in the wisdom he has gained throughout his years of working with SJW, Tang offers insight and advice to future interns who potentially want to convert to full-time, “First, commit to doing your job exceptionally well. Know what is expected of you and execute. As an intern, you can expect the most menial and undesirable tasks to be assigned, but try to look for learning opportunities in everything you do.” His favorite quote to go by is, “Your attitude more than your aptitude determines your altitude.”
Kevin Olivo – Distribution System Supervisor
Kevin Olivo embarked on his journey as an intern during the summer of 2014. As a son of a long tenured employee of PG&E, he has always been interested in a career in the utilities field. Throughout his employment as an intern, Olivo has learned to appreciate the water industry more. During his final month as a summer hire, he applied for a laborer position in the Distribution System Department.
“I knew the company was hiring laborers, and I really enjoyed my time in the Operations Department,” Olivo says. “In my short time as a summer hire, I could see that SJW provided its employees with opportunities for growth and advancement. The work was challenging and rewarding, and I thought it would be cool to be a part of a historical organization.”
Olivo was then hired full-time in November 17, 2014 and has been with SJW ever since. In August of 2017, he was promoted to Distribution System Supervisor.
“A good attitude goes a long way. Work hard, be professional, and be flexible. Even if you want to take your career in a different direction than what you do as an intern for SJW, you can still make a lot of connections and build your resume,” he suggests. “It’s a great company filled with great people!”
Colby Sneed – Director of Operations
Colby Sneed began has internship at San Jose Water in 2000 and converted to full-time on the Operations management team in 2004. Throughout his internship, he was able to learn business communication skills, working with the public and external agencies, and how to remain accountable and responsive. He believes that SJW is a great company to start an internship at because there is a good chance you will be exposed to a bulk of the organization and be provided the opportunity to perform meaningful work that can be applied to future endeavors.
“Some tips on how to succeed as an intern would be to develop positive, mutually beneficial relationship within and outside of the department that you are interning for,” Sneed advises. “Our organization is extremely lean and we rely on seamless integration across various departments to keep moving forward under the ever increasing demands of our customers, regulatory agencies, and investors.”
Now approaching his fourteenth year as a full-time employee at SJW, Sneed continues to strive to learn more and leave a lasting impact each day. Some of his favorite things about working at SJW are the people, collaborative culture, drive for innovation, and most importantly, being able to provide a product and service that is important to the community.
If you are interested in applying to become an intern at San Jose Water, visit this page for more information!