The Power of Summer Internships: Seeding the Next Generation of Innovators for Sustainability

In a world increasingly driven by the need for innovative and sustainable solutions, our team has leveraged summer internships to empower the next generation of changemakers. Our program is not a status quo routine —it is a transformative experience for both the interns and our teams hosting them.?

A start-up team focused on our customers sustainability journey?

Established in February 2022, the Engineering Sustainability & Engineering Alliance Office is a central team with one mission: Accelerate the development of more sustainable products and platforms across Cisco’s portfolio and the broader ecosystems to drive growth.?

Our small but mighty team works with customers around the globe who are preparing for a power-hungry AI future, lowering energy consumption and cost, addressing the demand for smart buildings and digitization of every physical space, and adhering to the numerous mandates for reporting and compliance requirements for GHG emissions. With a focus on product management, product marketing and GTM enablement, we deliver the foundational work to further differentiate Cisco’s portfolio of products and solutions.??

Project work designed for high impact?

For students and recent graduates, summer internships offer a front-row seat to the real-world application of their studies. They provide opportunities to collaborate on projects that cut across various areas of engineering focus from hardware and software to thermal and mechanical. We provide tangible projects with milestones that impact the core of our business.??

This year, we were thrilled to have over 450 applicants in just over two weeks apply to join our team next summer. Trying to pick just two was not an easy task! Our criteria included students who would be rising seniors actively enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in Computer Science, Environmental Engineering or related program from a Tier 1 or Tier 2 school.?

We sincerely want to thank everyone for their interest and passion for sustainability. I am filled with hope knowing so many bright minds will be helping to find solutions to help our customers on their sustainability journeys.?

Inspiring the next generation to innovate sustainably ?

I am putting out a ‘Call to Action’ for all my friends and colleagues in the industry looking for OUTSTANDING talent to help bring curiosity, creativity, and a drive to question the status quo—qualities essential for breakthroughs in sustainable technology.??

The value of these internships extends beyond technical skills. They instill a sense of stewardship and urgency in addressing the environmental challenges of our time. Interns leave these programs not just as skilled professionals but as passionate advocates for sustainable practices, ready to champion change in their future careers.?

Together, we can all work to invest in summer internships in sustainable engineering. By doing so, we plant seeds of innovation and hope to inspire and prepare the leaders of tomorrow.?