The Value of Hiring Interns

When I decided to major in Engineering at Syracuse University, I found the courses challenging, the professors helpful in guiding me, and my peers supportive as I navigated academic life. However, it was my internship programs that truly helped prepare me for a career in the real world.

When structured properly, internship programs can provide a valuable experience for all parties – the sponsoring companies, the students and their respective schools. Universities and colleges are able to use the various internship opportunities as recruiting tools for their programs. For their part, interns bring a sense of vivacity, curiosity and eagerness. They are motivated to learn, and determined to engage and excel. Their energy exuberates a desire to be molded and led. Students bring fresh perspectives backed by the latest academic theories and teachings. Companies can greatly benefit from this perpetual jolt to the system. In return, interns get more than just a resume builder. They are provided with the opportunity to apply the theories they learn in class to real commercial applications. They get to wrestle with and solve real problems facing corporations under tight deadlines. They also learn how to operate in a professional setting with seasoned, talented and career-minded people.

“The most valuable purpose is exposure. Interns get to see the real work that real people do, and to see how disparate pieces come together to make an organization function. Internships are about self-discipline, showing up on time, dressing and comporting oneself properly – conforming to the norms of the organization, not merely to the fashion of the classroom. They are about learning how to listen and observe, to be responsive and responsible.” –Steven Cohen, entrepreneur and author.

In an article published in 2015 at Engineerjobs.com, findings showed that "no matter how much you’ve learned from books, lectures, and school projects, the reality of engineering is very different. It’s rarely as clean, tidy, or straightforward as solving the theoretical problems you dealt with in college. You have to confront the physical side of manufacturing or construction, perhaps working on site, and having to be familiar with safety procedures, quality standards, and teamwork."

At Humanetics we’ve been offering a paid, multi-department internship program for over a decade. Our internships run year-round. New interns typically start during the summer with many extending into the fall and spring semesters, as their coursework and university allow. Our summer 2017 program currently consists of more than 20 interns working at our many facilities around the world. Our interns are hired to work in all of our major functional areas including Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, CAD, Machining, Sales and Marketing, Corporate Development, HR, IT, and Finance. We have even created positions to accommodate those talented and passionate students whose interests and educational experiences might not fit perfectly with one of our existing groups. Ultimately, our goal is to attract top talent and provide them with a unique and exciting learning opportunity.

We have been very successful in recruiting through our close partnerships with local universities, trade schools and community colleges, as well as leveraging resources such as social media outlets and internal referrals. Our passion for improving vehicle safety and saving lives has proven to be one of our most powerful recruiting tools. Students are also excited about the opportunity to work directly with an iconic product such as the crash test dummy. We get them hands-on experience with the latest technologies including fiber optics, advanced sensors and computer simulation models as well as with the development of sophisticated new dummy systems such as our Elderly and Obese models.

To cap off their time with us, we ask our interns to prepare a formal overview of their experience and present their thoughts to our senior executive team. This not only provides the students with valuable public speaking experience, it also gives them the opportunity to provide feedback regarding the program and their individual experiences. While roughly a third of our interns end up joining us in a full-time role following graduation, it is our goal that all interns would find their time spent with us to been enlightening, meaningful and enjoyable. Our future lies in our youth, and with proper training and leadership, we can create a promising tomorrow.