In 2003, we formalized our internship program, and each year we typically receive about 50 applications from around the world.  Our goal is to find summer construction jobs for the leading applicants, and at the end of the summer, to award one or two internships for continuing work or for work the following summer, based on the student's individual situation.  Students awarded the full internship will also spend time in our Michigan office and have the opportunity to accompany Tom Doak on one of his trips.

     Students interested in applying for the first phase of construction work should make an effort to visit one of our projects under construction or to visit our office in Traverse City to see how we work and to make a face-to-face impression.  We do formal interviews in January and February of each year and make placements in March based on our projected construction activities.

    

     This letter went out last last year to the '09 applicants and gives an idea where we are currently with the program:

 

     We are currently reviewing inquiries about next year's internship program. We received fifty applications this year and we are on track for a similar number in 2010. This level of interest is in direct contrast to the job market: 2009 has been a very slow year for our firm and for everyone in the industry, and at this point it is hard to see whether 2010 will be much better. 

      We do expect to break ground on a course in the People's Republic of China early next year, but I do not see that as an opportunity for an intern unless he or she is fluent in Mandarin, or has extensive experience operating construction equipment; otherwise, importing labor to China makes zero sense. We are also doing planning work for a couple of jobs in the USA, but the most likely scenario is that those will break ground fairly late in the year, and serve as a suitable job opportunity for an intern in early 2011. It's possible one or both of them could happen sooner, but we certainly can't guarantee anything right now. 

      We remain committed to providing opportunities for interns wherever and whenever we can, but with half of the people in our profession currently laid off, you should all be realistic in looking at the limited opportunities that are out there. 

      If you are committed to pursuing golf architecture as a career, then the best thing you can do is to try and meet with us in Traverse City or out on a project site, and hope it leads to something when an opportunity does become available. Since I'm away from home nearly half the time, scheduling a visit when I am in town can be tricky, but Don Placek will do his best to keep you abreast of my schedule and will meet with everyone whether I'm in town or not. 

      The job market today is actually similar to what it was when I was a freshman in college in 1979, and writing letters to architects asking for advice. I will just tell you what Geoffrey Cornish told me then ... it's a tough business, but there is always room for someone with real talent if they are persistent enough, and working for the love of the game. 

Best wishes, 

Tom Doak

Gil Hanse	--	Cornell University, 1987
Mike Devries	--	Lake Forest College, 1989
James Duncan	--	Technical University of Denmark, 1995
Brian Slawnik	--	Michigan State University, 1997
Kyle Franz	--	Albany(OR) Community College, 2000
Nick Daunhauer	--	Ohio State University, 2000
Chris Hunt	--	Edinburgh University, 2002
Philippe Binette	--	University of Montreal, 2003
George Waters	--	University of Guelph, 2003
Chad Grave	--	Utah State University, 2003
Sara Mess	--	Michigan State University, 2004
Zac Borg	--	Kansas State University, 2004-05
Patrick Montgomery	--	University of Guelph, 2005
Ignacio Mejia	--	Oklahoma State University, 2005
Danny Smith	--	US Army, 2006
Adam Sherer	--	University of Rhode Island, 2006
Ryan Crago	--	University of British Columbia, 2007-08
Michael Damico	--	University of Colorado, on deck for our next project
Chase Webb	--	University of Florida, on deck for our next project