Project Pull is an internship program led by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and other local City departments. They take pride in offering passionate students the opportunity to gain experience in their desired career fields by working alongside professionals in that field. This program helps interns step out of their comfort zones, start networking, and develop the skills needed to thrive in their future careers.

My Project Pull Internship Story

My name is Sergio Sanchez, and I was placed in the Communications department (External Affairs) at the SFPUC. During my time there, I learned many valuable skills while working with my mentors throughout the summer. Initially, I didn’t know what to expect, as this was my first year at Project Pull and my first-ever internship. I was fortunate to be placed in the Communications department, where I worked closely with my two mentors, Donovan Gomez and Elisa Rodriquez-Furey. They helped me acclimate to the department by introducing me to everyone on my first day. They recognized my potential and encouraged me to discover my passion. Throughout the summer, they supported me every step of the way, whether I was working on small assignments or major projects.

As the weeks progressed, I became more comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone and collaborating with other interns and colleagues. I always looked forward to coming into work each day and interacting with everyone in the Communications department. The positive energy that everyone brought made me feel comfortable and happy to be part of the team at the SFPUC. One of the most important skills I learned during the internship was collaboration, which is essential for the function of the entire department. Without communication and teamwork, it would be impossible to be able to operate effectively as a team.

Our City. Our Power. Project

Working closely with others in the Communications department allowed me to gain significant experience in my chosen career path. Collaborating with the Creative Digital Team, I worked on various projects that helped me sharpen my skills. One of the main projects I created was a video for Our City. Our Power. By the end of the project, I learned the process of producing a video, from pre-production to post-production. I received positive feedback from my fellow mentors and now my video is published on the SFPUC YouTube channel.

One of the most memorable moments of Project Pull for me was Enrichment Fridays. Every Friday all the interns and team leaders would come together to get to know each other better and work on our project for the Design Competition, which took place at the end of the summer. Meeting my peers and getting to know them better was one of the things I enjoyed most.

What's Next?

What next for me after Project Pull? I'm heading back to high school as a junior, so I still have a lot to learn. I plan to apply the skills I’ve gained from Project Pull to my upcoming school clubs and classes. I also hope to return to Project Pull in the future to gain even more valuable experience.

For future Project Pull interns, I have a few tips:

• The most important one is to always be on time and to listen and read all the instructions that are given to you. My boss always says, “Early is on time and on time is late."
• Another tip is to always be open to new experiences. Even though you might think you won’t like to do something, just do it. Project Pull is an internship that is meant to get you out of your comfort zone and get you ready for your potential career.

Thank you to Project Pull and the SFPUC for providing me the opportunity to intern this past summer!