As a people-first company that values education and professional growth, Pilot’s ten-week summer internship program gives interns an exclusive look inside the corporate world. With over thirty departments represented across the program this year, every intern is presented with opportunities to hone their future career through networking opportunities, on-the-job experience, company projects, professional development sessions, and team-building exercises.
Organized and created by Emily Bell, a member of the Talent Development team, the program is designed to give interns as much experience and exposure as possible in the ten weeks provided. The program includes exclusive insight into one’s field of interest and incorporates several workshops on topics like business etiquette and resume building, which are valuable tools for any career or job seeker. It also includes discovery days where team members get to explore more about Pilot outside of their department, and team building activities that encourage further collaboration and communication.
Our interns come from all over the country, representing 14 different colleges and universities spanning from California to South Carolina, to be a part of Pilot’s internship program. Of the program’s 42 interns, 37 are employed here at the Knoxville SSC, while the remaining are based at Pilot’s energy and trading satellite office in Houston, TX.
Every intern at Pilot this summer wants to further their career and discover what they really enjoy (or dislike!) doing in their day-to-day lives. With the ability to work on meaningful projects and make a difference within the company over the course of the program, interns can learn more about their field while also creating positive, long-lasting relationships with other team members and making intentional decisions about their future. With interns coming from a variety of different majors, places, and schools, check out what a few of them had to say about why they chose Pilot and what they are looking forward to in the next couple of weeks.
Sydney Nguyen
Major: Cognitive Sciences; Department: Human Resources, Transportation
“I knew that I wanted to intern at a company that stood for great things.”
Despite leaving her home state of Tennessee to attend the University of Southern California, Sydney knew that she had to come back when she was offered a position in Pilot’s internship program. Even with other options on the table, Sydney attested that “it felt like Pilot was the right choice for me.” She is excited to learn more about the Human Resources department and to have the opportunity to work on projects that will impact the trajectory of the company. After her first week, Sydney appreciates the culture at Pilot and how communicative team members are when she needs help. She is looking forward to the projects she’ll be working on the rest of the summer.
Jackson Kizer
Major: Finance & Supply Chain Management; Department: Financial Planning & Analysis
“The extremely warm welcome by the HR team during orientation added more excitement and anticipation for the program.”
As a native to Knoxville and a student at the University of Tennessee, Jackson has always been familiar with Pilot and their community influence. Majoring in finance, he knew that he wanted to gain real-world experience from a corporation that would be beneficial to his future. Regarding the rest of the summer, Jackson is looking forward to completing the projects he’s working on in the finance department and participating in more offsite events with other interns.
Veda Seay
Major: Business Analytics & Mathematics; Department: Connect
“I had no idea there were so many options until I started diving into my department and learning about my team members.”
Through the job fair held at the University of Tennessee (UTK), Veda discovered Pilot’s intern program and is looking forward to exploring just one of the many career paths she can take after college. Prior to starting in her department at Pilot, she was unaware of how many options she has in analytics. Majoring in Business Analytics & Mathematics, Veda described her undergraduate studies as having been “almost entirely focused on applied math and analytics.” Now, she will be able to see more into the business strategy side through her position on the Connect team. Between the valuable real-world experience and seeing more opportunities with her major, Veda is very excited for the rest of the summer.
Diego Longoria
Major: Finance; Department: Commercial Credit
“This first week in the office has really shifted my view of Pilot and how much I look forward to coming to work every day.”
As a finance major at the University of Texas in Dallas and an interest in the credit industry, Diego is looking forward to the teamwork, challenges, and excitement of Pilot’s intern program. He’s currently at our Houston office, where there is a lot to learn about the energy sector of the company and plenty of opportunities for growth within the corporation. Through word of mouth prior to his acceptance, Diego was already aware of Pilot’s stance as a people-oriented company and is eager to experience the collaborative atmosphere Pilot has to offer for himself. After the first week, Diego is looking forward to the rest of the internship and what it holds for him and his future.
We look forward to sharing more stories from our interns this summer as well as highlighting their achievements and experiences at Pilot! Follow us on our social channels if you’re interested hearing more about future internship programs or employment opportunities. Good luck to all our wonderful interns this summer!
