Building Careers: How Indesign’s Internship Program Shapes Future Engineers

For nearly two decades, Indesign has prioritized the development of young engineers by seeking top-notch interns to join our team each year. The intern program is an integral part of Indesign and is how several of our full-time staff began their Indesign journeys.

Internships Turned Into Full-Time Careers

Indesign interns are typically onboarded through the summer, but their short stay does not detract from the impact of their assignments. Kevin Hunckler, one of Indesign’s Electrical Engineers, had this to say about his internship, “I appreciated the multiple opportunities to participate in real work for clients. The mentorship from fellow coworkers and ability to take on project responsibilities was what made me want to come back for a full-time position.” Trevor Moorman, one of Indesign’s Firmware Engineers, said he valued, “the chance to use the knowledge and skills I had learned from college to make a meaningful impact on the project I was assigned.” Ricky Rung, another one of Indesign’s Firmware Engineers, agreed that he valued being able to “meaningfully contribute to real projects.”

Our Selection Process

Since much is expected of our interns, the selection process is robust. Recruitment begins each fall and qualified candidates are invited to Indesign to meet with several engineers and leaders. Through this thorough process, we are seeking not only those technically capable, but we are also seeking those who exemplify our core values: teamwork, integrity, respect, and excellence. These values drive our culture, and this is another recurring theme in intern feedback.

“I really valued the community and environment that everyone at Indesign created. They made me feel like I was a part of the team from day one. Everyone here not only cared about the work I was doing but also how I was doing outside of work. They valued my opinions and wanted my input even though I was only going to be there for such a short period of time. I also appreciated the kind of work I was given. I felt like I was truly contributing during my internship, and I wasn’t just doing busy work to pass the time. They encouraged me and helped me build my confidence in becoming an engineer,” says Arya Ziegler, one of Indesign’s Electrical Engineers.

Shelby Schipper, one of Indesign’s Test Engineers, highlighted our team atmosphere, “My ideas and questions were valued just as much as any full-time employee, making me feel like I was fully included in team discussions and project work.” With Shelby and the rest of our test team this summer is our 2024 intern, Ben Miller. Ben is doing a fantastic job and we’re thrilled to have him with us.

Cory Snyder and Piotr Galas’ internships were impacted by COVID restrictions, and they were not able to be in-person with as much of the team. Both are still with Indesign as firmware engineers, and despite a unique intern experience, Cory felt, “like I was doing real work with a great team surrounding me.” Piotr appreciated the flexibility and value Indesign has for their employees.

Top-Notch Internship Program

The longevity of our interns’ Indesign careers also speaks to the quality of our program, and this year Ethan Gaunnac, one of Indesign’s Senior Electrical Designers, celebrated ten years with the company. He valued, “How quickly I was welcomed into the family! I had no idea how fortunate I was at the time.”

As a precursor to full-time careers after college, we desire our interns to get a full-rounded view of not only meaningful work but also a healthy work/life balance, a healthy team culture, and a company who cares for their well-being. Michael Sorensen started as an Indesign intern and today is the Chief Technology Officer. It was this well-rounded experience that has kept him at Indesign. “Everyone was so welcoming, sociable, and engaging. The work during the internship was challenging and unique but it was the relationships that motivated me to want to work at Indesign; and continues to this day.”

About Indesign

Indesign is a multi-discipline engineering design firm specializing in full turnkey electronic product development. Our ISO-certified processes ensure efficient, high-quality outcomes, delivering on-time and within budget. Our expert engineers leverage proven design methodologies to accelerate product development from concept to market. Specializing in electrical, RF/wireless, embedded software, and mechanical design, we offer comprehensive solutions tailored to meet your needs. Trust our team to deliver precision and performance on every project. Ready to get started on your next project? Contact our team by calling (317) 377-5450 today.