AWP Safety Internship Program Shapes Future Workforce
AWP Safety’s 7,800+ team members are the foundation of its success as North America’s leading traffic control and safety company. The company invests in developing the next generation of safety experts and leaders in many ways. Ongoing training for American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) certification helps Protectors grow their traffic control expertise. AWP Safety’s Women in Leadership empowers women with high potential to develop into executive leaders in the historically male-dominated traffic control industry. And now, with its new AWP Safety Internship Program, the company provides college students with real-world experiences that will help shape them into future safety professionals.
Diverse Work Experience for a Diverse Generation
Each generation brings its own priorities and values into the workforce. Gen Zers, who make up history’s most diverse generation, seek employers that demonstrate equity and inclusion. AWP Safety fits that description as a 2023 honoree as one of Newsweek’s “Greatest Workplaces for Diversity.”
“Many of us are looking for a workplace that celebrates the wide spectrum of identities that make up our generation, but it’s also important that we have access to the knowledge and experience of those who came before us,” says Lauren Radalia, a recent AWP Safety marketing communications intern and student at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.
“AWP has a multi-generational workforce that welcomes young people’s perspectives and is willing to take time to coach us through real-world assignments where we can make an impact.”
For instance, Jazz Jackson, a business and human resources management major at the University of Mount Union, recently interned in human resources. He assisted with recruiting efforts for AWP Safety locations in New York and Savannah, Ga.
Tommy Life, who is pursuing a degree in management information and statistics at The Ohio State University, developed new coding scripts and created dashboards to communicate data that company leaders use to make strategic business decisions.
Safety’s Real-World Impact
AWP Safety provides the safest environment possible for people who build the infrastructure that powers and connects our world. The company’s safety expertise literally saves lives in utility, broadband and road construction worksites. That’s attractive to the generation most likely to prioritize a company’s reputation and mission in their job search.
“Employees at any company want to feel like what they do, and what their employer does, matters,” says Marcey McDonald, AWP Safety’s senior director of talent acquisition. “Everything our team does ensures that anyone passing through a worksite – from workers to drivers to pedestrians – makes it home safely each day. We make sure our interns know how their work and learning experiences contribute to that goal. They’ve told us that it motivates them to do more and helps them learn more quickly.”
On the Forefront of Technology
Gen Zers are famously the generation that has grown up with technology, which fosters their interest in working with companies that are future-focused, technical innovators. AWP Safety interns get a first-hand look at how technology used in both corporate and field environments can enhance the safety of utility, broadband and road infrastructure projects.
“AWP Safety is currently moving toward a customer experience where companies can connect with traffic control services as easily as I can call an Uber,” says Radalia. “No one else in the industry is doing that right now, and it’s exciting to be part of that kind of transformation.”
In fact, AWP Safety is known for being at the forefront of traffic control technology, and often works directly with customers to conduct traffic safety research and test new solutions before they are widely implemented. Examples include working with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to survey traffic and road conditions in Odessa, Texas, and testing new queue warning systems for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
The company also utilizes cloud-based operations software that monitors and improves both safety and sustainability. With the use of cameras in work trucks, potentially dangerous behavior can be corrected, and safe practices can be reinforced and rewarded.
AWP Safety also utilizes technology to improve its environmental sustainability. Software analyzes the idle time and fuel consumption of company trucks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact.
Preparing for the Future…Anywhere
The AWP Safety Internship Program is about more than getting additional help during the summer. It’s an opportunity to shape future leaders that could end up in any industry. In addition to working on capstone projects, interns have access to leadership and receive mentorship and coaching. They present business recommendations based on their experiences to decision makers. Some are hired post-internship. “We want our interns to get real-world experience that will help them in their careers, whether they come work for us or another company,” notes McDonald. “This generation has perspectives and contributions that we value and that we know can help move us forward as individuals and as a company.”
Interested in working at AWP Safety?
AWP Safety invests in the career development of our team members, regardless of role and level of education. Learn more about the AWP Safety Internship Program, or visit our Careers page to search for current job openings.
