Project Lead the Way gets in gear (Dec. 19, 2008)

Students take on internship, gain experience in field

‘Allows extra foot in the door’ for job opportunities

by Sarah Heineman, ’08-’09 Editor-in-Chief and Lora Beros, ’08-’09 Forum Editor

When Mike Geist, engineering teacher, took on the transition from media to engineering, one of his main goals was to incorporate more internship opportunities with students.

“I think the internships will help guide and nurture the students into what they want to do with engineering,” Mr. Geist said.

Samantha Victor, Akash Kapadi, Anuj Mehta, ’08-’09 juniors, and Chrissie Robillard, ’08-’09 senior, took on this opportunity by taking an internship with Northrop Gurumman, a company that designs and manufactures military aircraft, defense electronics, precision weapnes and commercial and military aero structures.

“They’re teaching us more about the company so we can join their compant later on, so I’m basically set for life,” Victor said.

The interns travel to Northrop Grumman one a month for the duratuon of their school year for two years.

“It’s pretty cool that the students are picked up by limo and taken to their intership,” Mr. Geist said.

At Northrop Grumman, the students are paired with two or three mentors and are given a project that is due at the end of the school year. The project consists of taking a Northrop Grumman product and describing the project from designers to engineers to the military.

Victor is currently working on describing the process of how engineers produce their current product and how the salesmen plan on selling it.

“My favorite aspect (of engineering) is business, because I’m better with people than the technical aspect,” Victor said.

According to Victor, the opportunity to meet top business executives there has proved beneficial toward her future career goals.

“I’m learning how to act with bosses and at interviews. (The internship) is teaching me how to act professionally. It’s like ‘oh, this is how a business actually works,’” Victor said.

On the other hand, Kapadia’s project entitles the development of a system to find a TV remote, similar to a household phone’s page headset feature.

“With my mentors, I just started the circuitry and wiring of the product,” Kapadia said.

For Victor, a particular benefit of her internship experience is the ability to see first hand the woman’s place in the engineering workplace. With two female mentors, Victor said she’s received “insight on what its like to be the only girl there, so (my mentor) gives me insight about how the world of engineering really is,” Victor said.

Victor and Mehta will present to the Northrop Grumman Executive Committee board. The intern is then given a paid opportunity to work there for the summer.

After the completion of the internship at the end of high school, Northrop Grumman provides a scholarship for the student’s college tuition if they chose a major dealing with engineering.

“The scholarships help the student be able to engage in their engineering career. It allows them to get an extra foot in the door,” Mr. Geist said.