Summer Wrap Up: What I Learned Throughout My Internship
Summer Wrap Up: What I Learned Throughout My Internship
For the past 12 weeks college and university students from schools across the United States were welcomed to the Panasonic team.
Whether they were working on engineering projects at the Gigafactory in Reno, NV or helping drive business objectives in our North American headquarters in Newark, NJ, the Summer Intern Class of 2022 has been busy!
As the program soon comes to a close, we’ve asked several of our summer interns to share about why they chose to join the Panasonic team, what they’ve learned along the way and some of their advice for others.
“I wanted to intern at Panasonic to grow my career in procurement at a reputable company. Being able to gain first-hand experience in my field of interest has been great! I’ve learned so much about different software and the complexity of what this process looks like in a real corporate environment! The people-first approach to leadership that I’ve seen at Panasonic really helps to create sense of community among all members of the team!” - Emma Grennan, Rutgers University, Procurement Intern, Panasonic Corporation of North America
“I was told about the internship by a classmate and knew that this experience would help me gain the experience I need to join the corporate world after graduation. When I first started with Panasonic, I was hoping to learn effective time management, gain experience in the technical field and form relationships within the company. Throughout my time here, I’ve accomplished all of these things and more! Getting to understand how actual engineers look at products and what it takes to approve a product or accessory is interesting. My advice for anyone looking for an internship is look at companies related to your field that you would enjoy working at if you were to be employed there after you finish with your degree program. You never know where this experience could take you!” - Matthan Jude, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Quality Assurance Intern, Panasonic Connect
“Throughout this internship program, I’ve gained invaluable experience in the battery industry and learned the ins and outs of manufacturing engineering. I’ve worked on developing a new process to save waste material and reuse it in production. I’ve also been able to spend time with other interns outside of work and explore Reno. We’ve taken several trips to Lake Tahoe, attended a Reno Aces game and made visits to California. I encourage anyone looking for an internship to keep an open mind and try something out of your comfort zone. It’s a great opportunity to try something new and exciting.” - Christina Heathcote, Cornell University, Process Development Engineering Intern, Panasonic Energy of North America
“I think that my team’s culture is very collaborative and open. One of the first things that my leader, Jesse, emphasized to me was the importance of communication. This has made our ability to work as one unit while still having individual projects very easy, and I think that this is a good reflection of Panasonic culture as a whole. The one thing that I’d say to someone looking for an internship is that while previous experience and knowledge can be very helpful, I’ve found myself learning a lot of skills that I need on the job as I go. Having a good attitude and eagerness to learn goes a long way.” - Enrico Manahan, University of Illinois, Production Enhancement Intern, Panasonic Energy of North America
“Being able to work at one of the industry’s leading organizations has been a great learning opportunity! I was immediately impressed with the HR team and all of those I met throughout the interview process. From Day 1 I was able to experience Panasonic’s culture firsthand – my team encouraged me to think outside of the box and apply what I’ve learned in school to this role. This summer I was able to work with my team on a monthly closing project, where I learned about just how powerful teamwork can be in a corporate setting!” - Yannan Zhao, Baruch College, Consolidation Intern, Panasonic Corporation of North America
“Interning in the environmental sector at PENA allowed me to utilize my curiosity and learn different things while also contributing my tech and analytical skills to different projects. The most memorable part of my experience thus far has been getting to know the people in my office and throughout the Gigafactory on different leadership levels. I enjoy that you can speak with people no matter how high up they are in leadership. I also love that PENA pushes a high-performance culture and strives for continuous improvement in all work areas not just production!” - Reyla Ponder, Georgia Institute of Technology, Environmental Intern, Panasonic Energy of North America
“I’ve been working with some of the brightest minds across the globe and it's been an honor! I can’t express how glad I was to know that I will be working with Panasonic not only for the summer but also throughout the fall season. I really feel that I am creating an impact with my work, which empowers me to give my best every day! I’ve a deep connection with the Japanese culture, and I truly enjoy my company's culture and work environment, which makes me feel appreciated and acknowledged for my thoughts and contributions not only in my department, but also by the other areas of the business” - Pranita Khamkar, Business Intelligence and Analytics Intern, Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Company of America
Learn more about our internship and career opportunities for students and recent graduates here.
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