Students Gain Experience in Automated Technologies for the DOD
June 7, 2017—In the past two weeks, Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT) has welcomed a vibrant group of college students for its 2017 Summer Internship Program. The interns will spend 10-12 weeks with the company. While here, they will gain valuable, hands-on experience in computer programming, software testing, and business operations. Interns working in an engineering capacity will be exposed to the cutting edge automated solutions IDT is building for the Department of Defense (DOD).
An Established Program
IDT’s Summer Internship Program was established in 2008 and is managed by the Human Resources team. The experience starts with a full day of orientation, during which interns are welcomed into their respective offices and briefed on IDT’s day-to-day operations. Each intern is assigned a manager and a mentor, both of whom will provide guidance and feedback throughout the summer.
According to Katherine Weller, IDT’s Director of Human Resources, “We have been fortunate to find another talented group of interns who will work closely with IDT employees this summer. I know the experiences they gain will be highly valuable in preparing them for their future careers.”
College Recruiting
Recruitment for this year’s summer intern class was highly competitive. The cycle started in the early fall, with potential candidates contacting IDT or meeting company representatives at collegiate job fairs. This was followed by resume submissions and interviews. The majority of the interns were selected by Thanksgiving.
The 2017 internship class hails from seven universities across the country, including: University of Virginia, College of William and Mary, James Madison University, University of Massachusetts, Rowan University, University of California and Gordon College. Most of the selected interns are studying computer science, engineering or math. IDT’s interns are placed at one of the company’s four corporate offices in: Arlington, VA; Fall River, MA; Mount Laurel, NJ or San Diego, CA.
Intern Activities
In addition to gaining new experiences through their work, interns are offered regular opportunities to socialize and network with IDT employees. They are invited to participate in events like IDT Monthly Lunches and Brown Bag Lunches. There are also several intern-specific events planned. For example, the Arlington group will attend a Nationals baseball game in DC.
IDT values the contribution of its college interns and looks forward to getting to know them better this summer!
Click here to learn more about IDT’s Summer Internship Program.