With its great natural beauty, the area known today as Clark County, Washington, always has attracted people and settlements. Framed by the scenic Cascade Range to the east and majestic Columbia River to the south and west, the area was both a gathering place for native tribes and the site of the first non-native settlement in the Pacific Northwest.

Named for Captain William Clark of Lewis and Clark expedition fame, Clark County's recent history can be characterized by growth, in terms of population, jobs and housing. One of the fastest growing regions in Washington State and in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan region, Clark County today is home to more than 480,000 people.

The Clark County Public Works Department serves the growing community by providing a number of different services. Two of them, the Transportation and Engineering programs, respectively administer and engineer the county's transportation system, to plan, design and construct capital improvements such as roads, bridges, culverts, bike paths, parks and walkways.

A CECOP internship at Clark County offers a wide range of experience in the construction of capital infrastructure projects. Interns will work with the construction engineer in the office becoming familiar with project plans and specifications, but they will spend much of their time in the field assisting inspectors at project work sites. In addition, they will usually spend several weeks surveying, helping with bridge inspections and visiting other current project work sites.