2020 has presented clear, difficult challenges. Our foundations were swept from our feet and as a society we had to be quick to respond. For myself, I was especially anxious about what these changes meant for the summer leading into my senior year of college. When I heard AT&T was moving their internships from the office to work from home, I was both grateful and nervous about how the experience would play out. However, my reservations about what a virtual internship was going to look like were blown away by my experience this summer.
Onboarding Online
Not only did AT&T keep their interns on board in the midst of a pandemic, they did everything in their power to bring us into a strong, diverse community – despite being dispersed across the globe. Whether it was providing opportunities to join engagement circles and public speaking teams or sending gift baskets for an at home movie night, one of the largest corporations in the world managed to make me, and all of my peers, feel like an important part of the team.
What made AT&T stand out to me was not just their determination to include us in their culture, it was their desire to develop us as young adults by providing an entire online university where we could practice lessons and obtain many different skills. The wide variety of courses helped familiarize me with the Internet of Things (IOT) and gain a keener understanding of working with a professional team environment. I also picked up first-hand customer experience by working with large business clients, which was nothing short of remarkable.
Looking to the Future
My AT&T internship has been incredible. I am sure you will hear that about many companies, but AT&T maintains high values and a diverse culture that shines through every single employee. Though the virtual setting is not my typical forte, I have never felt more cared for or valued than I have with this company, nor have I ever grown so much in just a short period of time. AT&T has navigated one of the most difficult periods our world has ever seen with a grace that I hope I can carry into my professional career.
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