Enabling the Future - Extreme Networks's Intern Program

There has never been a better time to be at Extreme! We’re growing, and we attribute part of this success to our efforts in creating a culture that fosters personal growth and opportunities to advance.

One of the pillars of our growth was launching the Extreme Intern Program this past summer, where we had 28 interns participate across the globe. The intent was to create a valuable learning experience for our next generation of talent while enriching Extreme with new ideas and fresh perspectives from budding professionals.

We focused our intern program on creating exposure to particular fields, gaining hands-on experience, and building connections. Our interns worked on meaningful assignments, sat side-by-side with industry professionals, and participated in the company culture, meetings, and other impactful exchanges that provided them with better insights and experiences as they prepare to enter the full-time working world. This year’s interns were incredibly talented, bright, and eager to learn more about our business, industry, and their particular fields of interest.

Here’s what some of our interns had to say about their time at Extreme:

"My internship provided me with hands-on learning opportunities and helped me develop skills in all areas of my course studies. I’ve had lots of opportunities to present the knowledge I’ve gained, giving me the confidence to own my ideas and share them with any audience at a moment’s notice." - Benj Nopper, Consultant Relations Intern, Baylor University

"My favorite part of interning at Extreme has been getting to connect with so many amazing people! Thanks to all of my coworkers, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons that will help me throughout the rest of my career." - Cammy Perry, Content Marketing Intern, Endicott College

"I love how fast-paced and immersive my intern experience has been. This type of real-world experience is exactly what I hoped for, as I’ve been able to grow my technical skills and knowledge of marketing and the business world. I am happy to say I enjoyed every minute." - Bella DeIulis, Social Media Intern, Umass Amherst

"As part of my internship, I worked on the IQ Engine team and assisted with product updates. I’m so grateful for the experience I had. Everyone at Extreme was supportive and helpful – my mentors ensured I had the tools to take on challenging tasks and succeed." - Mustafa Siddiqui, Systems Engineering Intern, University of Rochester

"Thanks to my internship, I’ve advanced my hard technical skills. The experience has taught me the incredible value technology brings to any role. Prompting me to pursue a minor in Information Technology on top of my business major and develop a personal passion for coding." - Cory Jones, Marketing Operations Intern, University of New Hampshire

"Because of Extreme, I received first-hand experience working with a company that treats employees as more than humans with technical skill sets. I saw that work ethic and company culture play a huge role in getting things done in the larger picture.” - Aratrika Sanyal, Intelligence and Insights Intern, University of Texas at Dallas

You may be asking, ‘How do you manage an intern program in the current “remote” environment?’ Well, we took steps to ensure our interns were engaged and connected to our company and our culture. As you can imagine, communication was key.

1. On their first day, interns were assigned a ‘buddy,’ to help them learn about Extreme and their department. This provided a sense of community, disarmed any anxiety, and allowed them to share experiences with an experienced employee.
2. Hiring managers helped provide a path forward by having regular meetings with interns to discuss projects, answer questions, and share career advice.
3. Our HR team facilitated regular check-ins and connected with interns frequently to see how things were going and to ensure they had the support they needed.
4. Each week we hosted an Executive Chat Series where a member of our Executive Team would meet with our interns to share their career experiences and wisdom.
5. At the end of the summer, our interns conducted a “showcase” to highlight their work with Extreme. Each intern took the time to reflect on their experiences and present the projects they worked on the entire summer to executives and their peers.

Now that we have our foundation, we look forward to implementing new features and growing the program – which will help us support our overall early in career growth strategy. I’m grateful for our leaders and employees who recognize the value of early career experience and are committed to the success of our future!

Talent nurturing plays a crucial role in innovation and breakthrough thinking. Here at Extreme, we are proud of the success of our Intern Pilot Program, and we are just warming up! Be on the lookout for upcoming internship opportunities as we continue our efforts in creating a world-class program.

Visit our careers page to explore roles in which you can advance and help Extreme drive effortless networking experiences for enterprises worldwide.