Future-proofing innovation: remaining a top destination for early career talent

In late July, I joined hundreds of U.S.-based Medtronic interns for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session in recognition of National Intern Day. I enjoy the opportunity to connect with the young, talented interns that walk our halls and hear about their experiences while I share more on my own background and career path. These sessions always leave me with a burst of energy.?

I believe internships are so valuable to shaping a strong future workforce. They provide young people with the opportunity to learn about new fields, focus their thinking, and gain experience in an office, manufacturing facility, or lab setting outside of what they see day-to-day in academia. Getting engrained in impactful, real-world projects with global organizations like Medtronic afford crucial opportunities for students to apply their skills and education, and can help illuminate an exciting path to a meaningful career.?

And internships don’t just benefit the interns. Medtronic teams around the world gain insightful perspectives and a jolt of infectious energy as they are challenged to think differently when we welcome students into the fold. I’ll hear from colleagues about a question that they were asked that left them stumped; left to ruminate on a topic and come back to their team seeking input and new ideas. Thoughtful questions I heard this year ranged from nitty-gritty details on supply chain KPIs, to big-picture questions on balancing expectations among multiple stakeholder groups, and how I’ve learned to manage the day-to-day as CEO.?

As I reflect on the importance of internships to students and companies alike, I’m proud of how our early career programs have expanded over the years. Medtronic has broadened our offerings beyond our biomedical engineering focus?to include data scientists, IT specialists, manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and many other disciplines to ensure we’re future proofing the company with top talent.?

We’re recruiting from a growing roster of leading academic institutions across the country, and we’re thoughtfully expanding partnerships to reach students who historically may have been shut out of competitive internship programs. Partnerships with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) to hire students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and SHPE student groups help us ensure we’re keeping inclusion, diversity & equity at the fore. Diversity of life experiences, educational training, socioeconomic backgrounds, and perspectives help drive our competitiveness, fuel creativity, improve decision-making, and ultimately propel innovation.?

It’s a joy to connect with our interns, and I’m personally committed to ensuring Medtronic continues to offer compelling, rewarding early career opportunities for students everywhere.?