Smart Cities BDP student Grant Shaffer interned with JLL Technologies where he was able to gain experience in real estate technology.
"This experience confirmed that I'd like to work at the forefront of technology and urban development."
Where did you intern?
I interned with JLL Technologies. They provide real estate services that help organizations transform the way they acquire, operate, manage, and experience space.
How did you find this internship?
I found this internship via LinkedIn and applied since it seemed to fit all of my interests.
What kind of work did you do as an intern?
As a Corporate Strategy Intern, I essentially acted as an internal consultant for the company. I was placed on a project to help one of our portfolio companies increase its revenue. In order to get acquainted with the project, I had to do a lot of background research on commercial real estate, building my knowledge of prop tech, operations management, computerized maintenance management (CMMS), and many other disciplines. I also conducting informational interviews to understand the project in greater detail.
What was the most rewarding aspect of your Connecting Experience?
The most rewarding part of my experience was seeing how my work would have a massive impact on the future of our client company’s growth outlook. Commercial real estate has shifted following the pandemic, which influenced a lot of the decisions we made on the project.
In what ways has this Connecting Experience shaped your plans for the future?
This experience confirmed that I’d like to work at the forefront of technology and urban development.
Discuss the relationship that you had with your faculty mentor, and how they helped you during this Connecting Experience.
I worked closely with Dr. Junfeng Jiao during my two Connecting Experiences, and he was very supportive throughout the semester.