![During a trip to Fort Worth, summer intern Mariam Okunubi had a chance to see what it's like behind the controls of a ballast undercutter.](https://www.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/img_up_instrk_okunubi_intrn_l-315x168.jpg)
Hard Hats and Spreadsheets–UP Internship Provided Real World Experience
I hadn’t considered a railroad career until meeting with Sandra Christen, Union Pacific senior manager-operations support, at my college’s career fair. I was captivated by the idea of getting to explore different places and getting a hands-on summer experience that included learning firsthand how America’s leading railroad company moves goods to people.