Our employees are our greatest strength at Vertical Bridge, and while we invest in the growth and development of our current employees, we also strive to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in telecommunications. Part of this is done through our annual internship program, which gives college students the opportunity to experience the industry firsthand, and work with the executives and teams at Vertical Bridge, handling core functions in departments such as development, leasing and operations, and more. Many of our internship program participants come back multiple summers throughout their college careers, and some come back as full-time employees after graduating.
Now that our summer 2022 internship program is over, I wanted to share insights and reflections from our latest group of interns on what they took away from the experience, and how it affected their potential career aspirations.
Discovering New Talents and Skills
Matthew Church returned to Vertical Bridge to intern for his fourth year because he wanted to see a side of the business he hadn't experienced before, saying, "I gained new experiences and insights with every internship." Matthew noted that during this latest internship he learned more about financial modeling and is now more comfortable using Excel as a financial forecasting tool.
Muhammad Ahmed is a natural problem solver who does calculus equations for fun! He interned with the Vertical Bridge IT department. "The best part about working in the IT department is being able to answer questions through understanding the data to enhance decision making," he said, adding that he appreciated having a team with which he could discuss the supportive data for the matters at hand.Marketing intern Hannah Bizick built out her content skillset by writing and editing many different types of documents. "This is my first time interning with Vertical Bridge, and it has been a real treat getting to work alongside Allison Warner and Blair Crawford in the marketing department," she said. "They have been so informative and always make me feel like no question is wrong to ask, which I love because I like to ask a lot of questions." Hannah added how grateful she was for the experience and the chance to forge close connections with the Vertical Bridge team.Shaping Professional FuturesFinance intern Ashlynn Laurido said her internship helped her to understand the various aspects of modeling and analyzing that would be useful for her future career in finance. She said she appreciated that Vertical Bridge allowed her to see firsthand how all the departments were interconnected and supported each other. "This internship is also allowing me to build and expand my network while exposing me to a variety of different careers that I had never thought of in the past."Ashlyn returned to Vertical Bridge for a second internship because of the company's open and welcoming working environment. "The people that work here are very friendly and are always eager to help me out with any questions I have," she said. "Another reason I returned to Vertical Bridge is because I can work on projects that matter, which allow me to feel like part of the team."A first-generation accounting major from Florida Atlantic University, Elie Merisier is working towards becoming an auditor and appreciated the day-to-day variety of his internship. "My favorite part about working at Vertical Bridge is that there is an opportunity to learn something new every day," he said. "Having this internship helps me learn fundamental skills, gives me the opportunity to network, and exposure to various accounting concepts that will aid me in my future career."First-generation college student Gabriella Moragues interned with the leasing and marketing teams, realizing that she ultimately aspires to be a real estate attorney. Thanks to her Vertical Bridge marketing internship, she found she had a flair for layout, design, and writing. This led to her decision to work toward a marketing minor."I learned that marketing is very important not only for a company, but in being able to market yourself," she said. "The internship definitely helped me grow towards my professional goals."Looking to 2023 and BeyondVertical Bridge carefully considers each application to participate in our summer program, and offers internship opportunities within various departments like development, leasing and operations, finance, IT, and marketing, to name a few. Whether our interns choose to work at Vertical Bridge or somewhere else, it is our goal to give each one the tools they need to pursue their career aspirations and realize their dreams.Vertical Bridge is driven by a future-focused entrepreneurial spirit, investing in the growth and development of our people, our clients, and our communities. Our employees are our greatest asset and make us a successful company and an exciting place to work. For more information about our internships and job openings, or to submit your resume, visit:
