Paving the Way to Careers Through Garmin’s Internship Program
From a single intern in 1997 to more than 300 aspiring professionals today, the Garmin internship program has grown exponentially. Prospective Garmin interns can apply for positions in 50 departments across 40 disciplines at more than 15 Garmin locations in the U.S., with the goal of learning a variety of skills, working side by side with industry-leading professionals and experiencing Garmin’s culture firsthand.
Each Garmin intern is given a mentor and is assigned meaningful tasks by their supervisor, who they work with closely. Interns join active projects to offer their skills and knowledge, aiding project success. At the end of their internship, interns present their work at an Intern Expo attended by hundreds of Garmin associates.
“Interns should expect to be immersed in our culture and have challenging and rewarding work to contribute to during their time with us,” said University Recruitment Manager Jessica Zlab. “In addition to gaining valuable industry experience working alongside experts in the field, Garmin interns are provided professional development, networking and service opportunities.”
On July 9, Garmin President and CEO Cliff Pemble led interns in a Q&A session where he discussed his career growth, from being one of the first Garmin associates to his current role leading the company. Pemble answered various questions regarding his thoughts on the Garmin work environment, his experience transitioning from engineer to leadership, his advice for new interns and more.
Our culture encourages interns to succeed and learn from other skilled professionals. They instantly become part of their respective teams and can work directly with colleagues in different fields. Interns can also collaborate with other interns at social events, during volunteer opportunities, through clubs and more.
“I’ve really enjoyed the culture and community at Garmin. It’s consistently been a rewarding work experience, and the people I get to work with every day have made the difference for me,” said Miles Osborne, a software engineering intern from Atlanta. “It’s a good feeling to know that I am contributing to actual projects, getting a lot of practical experience, and that I am genuinely welcomed and valued here.”
In 2023, Garmin was selected for multiple top internship spots by Vault, ranking in the top 20 for Best Internships for Engineering, Best Internships for Software Engineering & Development, and Best Tech & Engineering Internships. Garmin was also selected by RippleMatch in its Campus Forward Awards as one of the top 50 early career programs in the country.
Many interns ultimately turn their internships into full-time careers at Garmin. As full-time associates, past Garmin interns often become respected leaders within their field.
“Interns provide fresh perspectives, great questions, and new insights and energy to our product development process,” said Co-Chief Operations Officer Brad Trenkle. “They become ambassadors for Garmin when they return to campuses across the U.S., and they get to experience firsthand the unique culture of innovation and service that makes Garmin differentiated from others in the tech industry.”
This post was written by Chloe Gough, a summer 2024 content marketing intern studying journalism at the University of Kansas.
