Over the past two years FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) students have landed coveted college internships here in Maryland as a direct result of competing at the Maryland Tech Invitational.  This year we are putting a more formal process in place.  We are hosting a pilot program to connect MTI rising college freshman with internship providers.   

What to Expect:

This is a networking opportunity for MTI students who are attending college in the fall of 2019.   You will meet with Maryland technology businesses who offer internships to college students.  You will learn about what they do, what type of internships they offer, and about their internship application process.  

You will speak with representatives about your accomplishments to date and your goals for the future.  Ideally you will include how FTC has allowed you to acquire the skills that are valued in today’s workforce.  For example:

• Team Work

• Problem Solving

• Grace Under Pressure

• Communication

• Enthusiasm for STEM

• Resiliency when Faced with Failure

During the course of the interview you are encouraged to give a tour of your Rover Ruckus robot, focusing on your specific contributions to your team and the lessons you’ve learned over the course of your FTC experience.   

Please note, internships will not be offered on the spot at the MTI 2019.   This is a networking opportunity for students who are interested in internships in the summer of 2020 and beyond.  You will need to go through a formal application process in order to secure a position. 

What are the Advantages?

You will make connections with internship providers.  They will get to know you, what drives you and about your future goals. In turn, you will learn about the work these organizations do and what they have to offer. When you apply for an internship you will now have someone within the company who has met you and is able to provide much more information to the hiring agent about how you can contribute to the company’s success.  

How Will this Work?

The first step is to email a current resume by June 1, 2019 to mdtechinvitational@gmail.com.  It will be forwarded on to the tech businesses participating in the program for review. The MTI will schedule interviews that will take place on the morning of Saturday, June 29 at our competition venue, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.  After the interview you are encouraged to remain in contact with the representatives.  Be sure to touch base and let them know how your first year of college is going.  It will be important to keep the connection current and pay attention to internship application deadlines.  

What Tech Businesses are Participating?

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Civil Space The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has built pioneering missions to the frontiers of space since its inception in the 1940s. APL is one of the few not-for-profit organizations in the United States with the experience, knowledge, and capability to design, build, and operate spacecraft, support mission operations, and return valuable scientific data to Earth from the farthest reaches of our solar system. To date,  APL has designed and built 69 spacecraft and more than 150 specialized instruments that have visited every planet in our solar system and collected information critical to expanding humankind's understanding of the universe.

APL’s Civil Space is sponsoring the TechAction STEM Exposition on the Friday afternoon before the MTI tournament gets underway. Come learn first hand about two APL NASA missions that aim to gather strategic scientific data that we can use to protect our planet, Parker Solar Probe and DART.

The current focus for this pilot program is on students studying software engineering/computer science with an interest in application development, web development, databases, embedded and real-time programming and algorithm development.  A passion for learning is a must.  

Please note - United States Citizenship is required to intern with APL.

Stanley Black & Decker - (SBD) is one of the world's largest, fastest-growing, and most dynamic companies. The Global Tools & Storage Division manufactures and markets power tools, hand tools and power tool accessories under the brands of DEWALT, Black & Decker, Stanley, CRAFTSMAN, Porter-Cable, and many more. We are the doors that protect you at airports. We are the lock and deadbolt on your front door. We are the hydraulic breakers that rescue trapped earthquake survivors. We are the people on the phone in an emergency. No matter where you live, what car you drive, what stores you shop at, or what building you work in, you can bet that we had a hand in making it work. 

The MTI 2019’s keynote speaker, Bill Gallagher, has been with SBD for over 15 years.  He is currently the Director of Engineering for the DeWalt Drilling Division.

What is it like to work at SBD?  Check out this VIDEO 

SBD has a wide variety of opportunities for internships, see Early Careers

WorTech Corporation - Our mission is to provide highly qualified system and software/computer engineering professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to design, model, develop, analyze and deploy modern complex systems. We focus our energies on working to deliver products and services that bring mission success.  

WorTech is also an MTI Bronze sponsor and the sponsor of the MTI’s Innovative Sensor Fusion Award.  

WorTech is primarily interested in students studying software engineering/computer science.  Previously required software languages for interns included: Java, Jira, Eclipse.  Desired languages were: Mongo, REST, Spring, XML, HTML, HTTP, Git   

Please note - United States Citizenship is required to intern with WorTech.  

Questions?  Please direct them to mdtechinvitational@gmail.com