Henry Hertzler learns about safety and compliance with Dominion Energy

By David Pulgar
VCU College of Engineering

Henry Hertzler's family and friends knew he was destined to be an engineer, but he did not realize it until his passion for spacecraft and rocketry manifested in 2021. At Virginia Commonwealth University, Hertzler chose to major in mechanical and nuclear engineering in the College of Engineering because it presented him with many future career options.

"While the idea of working on spacecraft got me into engineering, toward the end of my senior year in high school and around when I started at VCU, my interest in nuclear engineering grew as well," Hertzler said. "I have always believed that nuclear energy is the future and this led me to my summer internship at Dominion Energy."

At Dominion Energy's Innsbrook office this past summer, Hertzler worked with the in-service inspection team. He learned details unique to the nuclear industry, such as the importance of safety and regulatory compliance. One of Hertzler's most memorable experiences from the internship was standing next to a turbine at the Surry Power Station after a walkdown of the containment building. Being in close proximity to a mechanism responsible for generating roughly 7% of Virginia's electricity put things into perspective for Hertzler, reminding him of engineering's importance as a profession.

"One thing I learned this summer, especially within the nuclear industry, is that things take time. Because of the safety focus, there are a lot of approvals and checking things over before you can call something done," Hertzler said. "My tasks had me reaching out to people within other departments or even at different locations, so figuring out how to communicate well and ask the right questions was critical to getting things done.

"As a student, there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge, so I always ask questions. The people I worked with have been in the nuclear industry for decades, and they were all happy to answer my questions. I also had great mentors within my team to help me with summer projects."

The VCU College of Engineering's Department of Career Services helped Henry tailor his resume, highlighting skills he already possessed to help secure the internship with Dominion Energy. All mechanical and nuclear engineering students are required to complete an internship. This contributes to the department's 97% success rate of students either finding a job or continuing to post-graduate education.

"For any first-year students who are looking for internships, you absolutely have a chance at getting one. I applied to lots of positions," Hertzler said. "And when you get that internship, the most important advice I can give is to come in with an open mind. When I started with Dominion Energy, I knew almost nothing about nuclear engineering or working in a professional environment. But I was curious and learned how best to apply my skills with the assignments I was given. This not only allowed me to help wherever my skills were needed, but it also helped me learn as much as possible along the way."