Analog Devices, Inc. Hosts First High School Internship Program
“When students enter an internship program, they may have a preconceived notion of what a career is, but by coming in to see and live it, they get to actually learn what we really do,” said Leah Magaldi, Senior Manager and Principal Engineer for Product Development at Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). “You would get a lot of people doing different jobs if they just had the opportunity to try it through an internship program and see what it’s like at different companies, work cultures, and more.”
Ayman Blanco, a rising senior, was among ADI’s first cohort of high school interns.
Every summer, the City of Boston and the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC) join forces to place thousands of Boston Public School (BPS) students at nearly 200 local businesses. Together, these employers – from Fortune 500 companies to neighborhood small businesses – are helping us train and prepare the workforce of tomorrow.
This year, ADI, a semiconductor manufacturing company headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, partnered with the PIC to host 20 students from the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science as part of the company’s first high school internship program. The PIC Tech Apprentice interns worked across ADI’s various business groups on engineering and tech projects ranging from validating circuits to researching the audio components in AR headsets.
To address the interns’ 15-mile commute from Boston to Wilmington, ADI provided a daily shuttle to transport their interns to and from South Station in the heart of the city.
ADI shuttled all their interns to and from their campus in Wilmington, MA.
Ayman Blanco, a rising senior, was among ADI’s first cohort of high school interns. An active gamer, Ayman has a keen interest in computers and coding, so when ADI came to one of his classes to present their internship program, he reached out to his PIC Career Specialist, Tammy Hingston, and inquired about how to apply. His internship in ADI’s Communications business unit more than met his expectations: he had the chance to work on several hands-on engineering projects that allowed him to develop a better understanding of the manufacturing and programming of circuits.
“After graduating, I plan to pursue a degree in software development, so it was exciting to learn about and work on the different applications for coding and its use when working with circuit boards,” explained the seventeen-year-old. “I also like that the program curriculum they developed allowed us to learn about what the other departments were working on.”
After graduating, Ayman plans to pursue a degree in software development.
In addition to their day-to-day work, all 20 interns got together each afternoon for a one-hour brown bag session covering various topics – from product manufacturing to college application tips.
Leah Magaldi, Ayman’s supervisor, said that when she was presented with the chance to host high school interns, she leaped at the opportunity.
“They’ve brought great energy and excitement about the program, and I’ve seen how the people in our team have rallied around them, teaching them, and taking the time to work with them. It’s given us a great morale and energy boost,” Leah explained.
For ADI, the program not only provided an opportunity to give back to their community, but it was also a chance to showcase their work as a career option.
“Though our partnership with the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, we realized this was a great opportunity to support K-12 STEM learning in a real-world engineering setting, with the goal of further developing their passion for engineering and technology disciplines,” said Colleen Brown, HR Director for the Automotive and Energy, Communications, and Aerospace Group, Analog Devices.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity with ADI and to work with the team here! It gave me a feel of what it’s like to work in a professional setting, be part of a team without being intimidated by company jargon, and know the value and skills I can bring to a company,” said Ayman.
Ayman and Leah Magaldi, his supervisor and Senior Manager and Principal Engineer for Product Development, ADI.
Tech companies interested in hosting high school Tech Apprentice interns can contact Bruce Stephen, PIC Employer Engagement Manager, Information Technology, at bruce.stephen@bostonpic.org for more information.
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