August 23, 2019 • EPE Related News
How student interns are working with El Paso Electric to create a bright future
How student interns are working with El Paso Electric to create a bright future
While some students spend their summer resting and relaxing, that’s far from the case at El Paso Electric. There, high school and college students from around the region and across the country are immersed in the company’s business as well as in the community, and the future has never looked brighter.
What started in 2012 as a program for six students in high schools near EPE’s downtown El Paso headquarters, has turned into a thriving internship program for both high school and college students that’s as beneficial to the students as it is to EPE and the entire region. Internships run between 9-10 weeks for high school students and about 12 weeks for college students. They also have a college internship program that runs all year while students attend college locally.
What EPE interns do
Each summer, those students who earn an internship are placed in a department of the company that aligns with their areas of interest or studies, such as Engineering or Finance. Students are then given a project, which is theirs to run with, and becomes an important developmental aspect of their internship.
During their internships, students get holistic, on-the-job experience and advance their leadership and personal development skills as they learn how to interact with executives, work with different types of personalities and hone their presentation skills. They also receive the same trainings that full-time employees receive.
“We didn't want our interns to just walk away and say, ‘All I did was file all summer,’” says Aimee Saldivar, who works in human resources for EPE. “We want them to have a real dose of what it’s like to work in a large company.”
The internships are highly coveted, and selection is competitive. Saldivar said some years they receive 500-600 applications for about 20 spots. To be considered, students must meet minimum GPA requirements and write an essay, while finalists must go through a panel interview. Those students selected now come from high schools throughout EPE’s service area and colleges across the country, including Marquette University, University of Texas Austin, Texas A&M and others.
Beyond business
Not only do interns get experience working on the business side of things, but they also get experience in giving back to their community. Each year, the interns work with a local nonprofit organization on a project of their design through EPE’s Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative.
Nonprofits apply for consideration, then students work together to design a project proposal to help the chosen nonprofit, present it to them and then complete it. For example, this year, they built a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) lab for the child development center of the Armed Forces YMCA that serves military families stationed at Fort Bliss, including the installation of a 3D printer, telescopes, microscopes, and robotics kits. Previous years’ projects have included building tiny libraries throughout the community and refurbishing outdoor spaces for a local women’s shelter.
Saldivar says these projects not only help students build valuable skills, they also give them a great perspective when it comes to giving back to their communities. While they’re doing so, they also make lifetime friends from varied backgrounds.
“It’s amazing to see their transformation,” she says. “I see them come in like little lambs and go out like lions ready to take on the rest of their schooling or enter the workforce ... though most aren’t ready to leave their internships.”
Sofia Cabrera, a student from the University of Texas Austin said her internship with El Paso Electric this past summer was the most thought-provoking, educational, and inspiring professional experience she’s had. She worked the Energy Efficiency department learning how to help customers save energy and money and couldn’t be more enthusiastic about her experience.
“I was able to apply my skillset as a radio-television-film major to various marketing projects meant to inform EPE customers about the variety of energy-saving programs available to them,” Cabrera said. “I cannot think of a better way to spend my summer than with El Paso Electric positively impacting this community, learning from amazing El Pasoans, and enhancing my professional skills.”
Powering the future
As great as these internships are for the students, the students’ contributions to EPE and the community are invaluable as well. Saldivar says the interns do amazing work, offer a unique perspective and, in some cases, have even changed the way the company does business. She says ultimately, they’re also hoping that someday these interns come back to work for EPE as full-time employees.
“There’s a certain amount of brain drain when it comes to young people leaving the El Paso area in search of new opportunities,” Saldivar says. “We hope that since we’re one of the largest employers here we can provide those opportunities for them and bring that talent back.”
So, the next time you go to pay your EPE bill, think about the students behind the scenes, and know that they are helping to power the future of the company and the community. More information on internship opportunities for students can be found on the EPE website.
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