Andrés' Summer at Onx

By: Andrés Esparza, Onx Homes Precurement Intern

Andrés’ Background and Education

My name is Andrés Esparza, and I graduated from the University of Utah with a double major in Business Administration and Operations and Supply Chain. I was born in Southern California but moved to Utah at a young age. I bounced around city-to-city in Arizona and Utah, finally ending up in Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah.

Internship Experience in Miami

This summer I moved to Miami and interned with Onx Homes. Onx Homes is a startup based in Florida, with operations in Texas and India. They are classified as a home builder, but they are so much more. They are a vertically integrated organization and control everything from sourcing materials and structural design to construction and sales.

Onx’s Innovative building techniques

Their designs utilize their proprietary ‘X+Construction’. This means their homes are built with precast foundations, staircases, and wall panels, while also utilizing their ‘Bathroom Pod+’ technology to build a home as one system all within 30 days. In their building process, they use concrete as the primary material, meaning homes are built to withstand extreme weather conditions, and the lifespan of the structures are extended. They can keep housing costs relatively low and provide eco-friendly housing, without jeopardizing quality thanks to their unique, vertically-integrated structure.

Professional Growth and Development

Overcoming Initial Challenges

I didn’t expect to move to Florida from the West, but Onx Homes was a dream company to intern within the industry. They are driving innovation the housing market hasn’t seen before, and they bring a lot of experience with them.

When I first arrived, I was intimidated. Everyone around me was always busy and the construction aspect of it was brand new to me. Luckily, I had the best team I could ask for. My coworkers made time for me and helped me learn the terminology and skills necessary to succeed. Plus, my manager made sure to both guide me through the process and trust me to be self-sufficient in driving the company forward in a multitude of ways.

Andrés’ Role as a Procurement Intern

Diverse Responsibilities

I was a “Procurement Intern,” but I wore multiple hats. I was a buyer – I sourced materials and met with rental equipment vendors. I was a consultant – I researched new CRM and communication platforms. I worked on marketing to make presentations and templates for the procurement team. I was out in the field visiting different project sites weekly to update my team on progress on a variety of matters.

Building Connections and Skills

Given the startup environment, I worked alongside and met frequently with C-suite members. I made meaningful connections and built important skills during my tenure there. I learned so much from Onx and am more confident moving forward in my professional career because of this internship.