People & Culture

Aug 7, 2014
Educating Our Young Minds and Future Workforce

intern panelArthrex is proud to support educative programs with schools and organizations in the community that provide our young minds and future workforce with positive experiences to learn and grow. As part of this commitment, we also offer an internship and co-op program during the summer to give students the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience and enhance their professional development. An internship is a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment, and a co-op is a type of internship program that enables college students to receive career training with pay as they work with professionals in their major fields of study.     

This summer, Arthrex hosted 50 interns and 5 co-ops within a wide variety of departments and teams. The students participated in a formal luncheon - complete with games and ice breakers - so they could mingle and get to know each other in a more relaxed, social setting. They also benefited from a well-received intern panel where Arthrex employees volunteer their time answering questions and imparting knowledge and advice. This year’s panel members included:  

William Blum, Executive Chef;  Pascal Cote-Julien, Financial Systems Analyst;  Cassandra Engeldinger, Digital Communications Specialist;  Chloe Erb, Medical Education Administrative Assistant;  Mike Francis, Manufacturing Tech Specialist;  Mary Gay, Legal Administrative Assistant;  Melissa Hirschberg, Clinical Research Associate;  Rosa Martinez, Southern Hemisphere Operations Manager;  Beau Rollins, Sterilization Engineer;  Hayley Wonka, Associate Employee Relations Specialist. 

intern panelAs Arthrex continues to grow and expand, the internship and co-op program is really a fantastic way to evaluate prospective employees for future positions.  Many departments such as engineering utilize internship programs with local schools throughout the year and have filled needed positions with candidates who demonstrate a strong cultural and professional fit with our organization.   

Kristin Bartlett, Digital Communications Associate, transitioned to full time employment this past May, following a year-long internship with the Communications Team . "Sometimes I still think of how lucky I am to have been an intern here at Arthrex," Kristin said. "This experience has provided me with the ability to learn new skills, meet wonderful mentors and friends, and build the foundation for my future. I’ll never forget the day Kerrin Levine called me with a job offer; my first real job offer. All of my hard work had paid off. Transitioning from an intern to a full-time employee was, by far, the best graduation gift anyone could have ever given me and I couldn’t have asked for a better company to work for."   

Hayley Wonka, Associate Employee Relations Specialist, also transitioned to full time employment this past May after a six month internship with Human Resources. Her story is unique in that she was studying biology at Ave Maria University. "Even though my background was in biology, HR truly struck my interest during this internship experience," Hayley said. "I gained valuable training from my supervisor and other team members within the company and received positive feedback about pursuing a career in HR. I believe that hard work and an open mind to try new things will lead to amazing opportunities, and I am truly thankful to be part of such a great company."   

We are proud of all employees who take the time to host interns and co-ops in their departments during the summer and throughout the year, and who also participate in job shadowing programs, volunteer as mentors or assist with hosting school groups at Arthrex. Together, we are Making People Better in our community and around the world.