Wabash (NYSE:WNC) is the visionary leader of engineered solutions for the transportation, logistics and distribution industries that is Changing How the World Reaches You®.
Headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana, the company enables customers to thrive by providing insight into tomorrow and delivering pragmatic solutions today to move everything from first to final mile. Wabash designs, manufactures, and services a diverse range of products, including: dry freight and refrigerated trailers, flatbed trailers, tank trailers, dry and refrigerated truck bodies, structural composite panels and products, trailer aerodynamic solutions, and specialty food-grade processing equipment.
Check out these Summer 2024 Internships that are great for students studying management and finance:
5 Reasons to Join the Wabash Internship Program
Wabash interns posing in front of headquarters
- 50% of our interns either return the following summer or accept a full-time role when graduating.
- You get to work on a meaningful project! Our interns are given a project and they’re responsible for solving a real business problem.
- Exposure to our Executive Leadership team throughout the summer during information sessions, social events, and presenting their completed projects at the end of the summer to our Executive Leadership team.
- Weekly “Lunch and Learns” where leaders from different functions share information about their role, department, career, and offer advice.
- Social Events and Volunteering: This summer we’re attending a minor league baseball game, volunteering at the local Veteran’s Home and Food Finders, and a send off dinner
It’s More Than Just a Summer Job: internships at Wabash provide hands-on, real world experiences
Three Wabash interns who are interviewed below
Three Wabash employees reflect on their internships with the company
Wabash, the innovative leader of engineered solutions in the transportation, logistics and distribution industries, has a robust internship program for college students.
In this feature, three former Wabash interns who are now full-time employees at Wabash, speak about their experiences.
Question: What was the most beneficial thing you got out of your internship?
Sonny Pham: I was able to use my knowledge from school and put it to use in a practical way in my internship. Another beneficial thing was the ability to communicate to multiple levels of stakeholders — not only my manager. With projects you span out to different departments, and sometimes you have to communicate in an abstract way and more technical way to different levels of audiences.
Codey Begley: I knew how production flow worked and I was able to see the other side of production, not just assembly.
Nick Walstra: A huge thing was working directly with a manager in a professional way. That was the first, big professional learning for me. Not looking at something as a school project, but how it affects other people’s work.
Q: What did you learn in your internship that you incorporate now in your full-time role?
Codey Begley: Time management. This past fall and winter, I was working, going to school and coaching, so I had to manage my time well.
Nick Walstra: Professional communication. It helped me realize what is expected and how to communicate with peers and others within different levels, how timely you should be, etc.
Sonny Pham: I’m aware of the systems and tools, so I got that level of exposure in my internship. I’m familiar with how our product is used. Specifically in product engineering, we’re making a product so that it can serve our customer better. My internship prepared me for my current role in how I can serve my customer and make a product better. The relationship I got to build through my internship. I already had a good relationship with my team but in other teams I’m able to collaborate better, ask for help, and that makes it easier to reach out.
Q: What’s your biggest piece of advice to a current student completing an internship?
Nick Walstra: Talk to as many people as you can! I liked working with the other interns, going through the experience together, hanging out with them, having lunch, building a relationship. At Wabash, we had Lunch and Learns where leaders from the business spoke to the interns and were able to give advice. I would advise getting in front of as many people.
Sonny Pham: It’s helpful to keep an open mind and be ready to come into a problem fresh. Come in with a new perspective and take on new tasks, and sometimes it can be overwhelming but can also be rewarding. Be excited, be curious and be ready to learn.
Codey Begley: Be open minded. I didn’t apply for my internship area, but no matter what, you can learn something from it. You learn how to work with supply chain and different areas of the business.
Q: Why should you choose an internship with Wabash?
Codey Begley: The Lunch and Learns you get to see all sides of the company and all of the leaders were open to us emailing them, talk with them and shadow, find out what we wanted to do after school. Leaders were really approachable and willing to support where they can and give advice.
Nick Walstra: My relationship with my managers has been really encouraging. I’ve had one-on-one time with them multiple times throughout the week, which makes things less intimidating. They’ve been great plugging me in with other people who can help me. Wabash has been dedicated to continuous education for me, and they’re sponsoring a data analytics course for me. My manager valued me enough to think of me for that.
Sonny Pham: Now that I’m a full-time employee, I get to see the work that goes on behind the scenes and how excited we are for an intern to join our team. Wabash gives you access to everything you want to do: meaningful work for your summer project, a top-notch R&D facility, manufacturing plants where you have a front-row seat of how our products are made, and a team of really smart engineers. You’ll be surrounded by people that want to make things better.
Wabash human resources team at the Intern Open House
As an intern with Wabash, you’ll experience more than just a summer job. Our internship consists of hands-on learning, completing a “real world” project that affects our bottom line and presenting your ideas to our business leaders, collaborating with other interns, Lunch and Learn sessions where you gain exposure to all facets of our business, and volunteer opportunities.
We’ll start recruiting on campus for our Summer 2024 interns in September 2023, as well as all of our intern openings will be posted through our careers page. Come see how we’re changing how the world reaches you.
