Transforming careers: How internships shape young minds

Nordson EFD has completed two summer internships with Rhode Island high school students interested in manufacturing careers. The company partnered with Prepare RI, a strategic collaboration between the Rhode Island government, industry leaders, public education systems, and non-profits across the state. In its ninth year, the initiative is designed to prepare Rhode Island youth for in-demand jobs and the workforce needed by state employers to thrive in the current and future economies. Nordson EFD has sponsored internships and students for decades in its world-class manufacturing facility that produces high precision dispensing systems to assemble high-tech medical devices, electronics and more.

Two female students were compatibly matched with Nordson EFD to experience a real-world shop floor environment in their desired career. The process included a formal interview with resumes and in-person interviews with PrepareRI. During the internship, each student was mentored by a Nordson EFD professional who had prepared an on-boarding plan and 6-week project benchmarks tailored to student’s field of interest. Each intern received job assignments to support the day-to-day operations at the East Providence, RI factory. The students were also given job shadowing opportunities to work with career technicians and machine operators. Their tasks included writing quality documentation, compiling work instructions and procedures, and other assignments that provided engagement with peers and managers to gain more knowledge about different aspects of production and assembly.

“PrepareRI provides excellent preparation courses for first-time mentors in the program. The on-boarding program sets your expectations for potential outcomes and helps you to build a practical learning agenda for the individual intern,” states Dan Tolman, molding supervisor, Nordson EFD. “This has been a very positive experience for me personally, as I got a first-hand look at how a student evolves during the process – expanding their skills and interests, making personal connections with experts, all while gaining confidence in their capabilities. These valuable learning experiences were not available to me when I was a student. Internships can be game-changing for young people exploring technical career paths and considering costly educational investments.”

Nordson EFD partners with Fortune 500 companies and start-ups to solve the many challenges in assembly production with engineered dispensing technology. The company has provided unwavering support for local career pathway programs and has hired a steady pipeline of STEM-ready employees.