This year’s Pilot internship program is coming to an end! Not only were our Knoxville and Houston interns able to immerse themselves within various areas of the business, but they also were able to participate in professional development sessions, team-building activities and industry education chats through the 10-week program. Read below to see what our 45 interns were up to all summer!
Mountain Challenge
The summer started with an intern favorite – the Mountain Challenge! This activity is centered around team building and problem-solving with peers, as the group had to overcome obstacles that required great communication skills.
Team Member Appreciation Week
At Pilot, people are at the center of everything we do. Team Member Appreciation Week provides a moment to stop and recognize all the wonderful Pilot team members – from our drivers to store team members and corporate support teams. Here is what some interns shared about this week:
“Team member appreciation week was a great experience. My team and I had so much fun dressing up for the spirit days, especially Decades Day! The food trucks offered excellent choices and the pulled pork sandwich was my personal favorite.” – Carly Wrobleski, social media intern
“I appreciate my team and all the support they have shown me throughout my time at Pilot. This week was incredibly special as an intern. The appreciation I felt and received was overwhelming. Some of my favorite memories include Top Golf and Food Truck Thursday!” – Olivia McKain, communications intern
“Team member appreciation week was one for the books! I loved wearing fun outfits throughout the week and attending the big food truck event on campus. Spirits were high, and everyone was having a great week. We all felt very appreciated.” – Anna Rippy, marketing operations intern
Leader Chats
Every Friday, our summer interns heard from company leaders to learn more about the business, receive career advice and have Q&A sessions in a casual setting. This was a great way to help connect our interns with various leaders to show all the different types of development opportunities at Pilot.
Volunteer Sites
Pilot is dedicated to giving back and helping continue to build strong relationships with the communities we serve. So, it was important for our interns to have volunteer opportunities as part of the program! A few highlights below:
– At Helping Mamas, interns assisted in packaging diapers, sorting children’s clothes and organizing feminine products.
– Interns who volunteered at Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) were tasked with arranging clothes by size and color for those in need.
– Knoxville Area Urban League utilized our interns to help them organize the books in their children’s library and write thank-you cards to people and businesses who donated items.
– At the Boys & Girls Club, interns interacted with children by coloring and playing games together.
– Interns helping at FISH Pantries sorted food donations for guests so they could easily pick the items they needed.
A huge thank you to all our summer interns for their hard work and dedication this summer! From learning the business and participating in company events to collaborating on group projects, these interns made a lasting positive impact at Pilot and set a strong precedent for the rest of their careers.
If you’re interested in joining the Pilot family, explore open positions on our career site.