SIEMENS Honors Commitment to Summer Interns, Adapts to COVID-19

*Photo taken Summer of 2019

SIEMENS is moving forward with their 2020 Summer Intern Program. The 64 interns are working in 24 Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) branch offices from Alaska to Florida, as well as at SIEMENS Headquarters in Buffalo Grove, Illinois and their Enlighted business. 

The areas of focus for the interns include Mechanical Engineering, Construction and Project Management, and Marketing and Sales.  

The program is designed to give the interns a quality hands-on experience. Through exposure to all facets of the business, interns gain an understanding of everything Smart Infrastructure does. The internship experience may also help them decide what type of career they would like to pursue if they are hired upon graduation. 

Adapting to COVID-19 Restrictions

COVID-19 restrictions forced Siemens to push back the start of its internship program, which began last week. In addition, some interns began their experience remotely due to state restrictions. To make that remote time productive, Siemens shipped company laptops to the interns’ residences along with other items necessary for them to use company systems. 

Program Manager Kristin Junia said, “Ultimately it was important for us to stand by our commitment to the interns we made offers to prior to the pandemic, so we’re working to make the summer successful in every way possible.”

In an effort to make the interns feel a part of something bigger than their local branch or team, SIEMENS has developed a program of virtual lunch and learns and town hall style meetings where they can hear from and ask questions of company executives.  

Students have been assigned web-based training through the company’s corporate training platforms, and are working with their field managers on projects and tasks until they are able to come in to the office. 

Kylie Nedelka, an MCAA Student Chapter member from the University of Missouri-Columbia, is one of the returning interns. You can read her story HERE.