#NetAppInternLife: What Makes NetApp Different Than Other Internships?

When I was first looking for an internship, I was afraid I’d get stuck running coffee or filing papers…but luckily, I found NetApp.

NetApp is ranked number five on the Vault 2019 Best Tech & Engineering Internship list with a high score of 9.177. NetApp is also in top 30 on Vault’s 2019 Top 50 Internships and it’s obvious why. An internship at NetApp means you get to make a real-world difference. You get to learn through doing your own work and carrying your own responsibilities.

Anna Weber, a marketing intern in NetApp’s Vienna, Va. office told me that she has “been able to do the smaller support roles while also collaborating on big-picture ideas and larger projects to do valuable work that will outlast my time here. It's empowering to feel that, as a 21-year-old, people value my input and even use it to make real decisions.”

This seems to be a theme with NetApp interns. We feel that our opinion matters, and this internship gives us the opportunity to grow. Weber has interned at two other companies and still says, “NetApp has by far been the most valuable and rewarding experience of all of them,”

I could not agree more!

The environment at NetApp is tremendously inclusive. Vault also voted this company as one of the Top 20 Most Diverse Internships of 2019. Jordan Bourgeois, a Field Marketing Intern at the Sunnyvale office, who has also previously been employed as a NetApp intern in Raleigh, NC, says that “NetApp makes sure that they are not only practicing diversity, but also inclusion. The inclusion piece is something I think a lot of companies are lacking.”

Through company events and celebrations, NetApp makes sure that everyone is equally celebrated. I was lucky enough to help with NetApp’s Pride 2019 event in Sunnyvale, and I loved every minute of it. The company went above and beyond to make sure everyone felt included and accepted here. By handing out cupcakes and sweets in the café at lunch, we opened the option for conversation and questions. There was also a Pride 2019 panel discussion that broadcast to other office locations so everyone could take part. Being able to sit in and watch the panel talk really made me fall in love with the environment here at NetApp after seeing everyone talk and cry together. There is a sense of community here that I have never felt at another company before.

Stephanie Jordan, a global marketing intern at the Sunnyvale office agrees.

“NetApp did an amazing job sharing with the world that we are an inclusive company who doesn't care what your sexual preference is or how you identify yourself. I believe that is something that should be applauded.”

NetApp really goes above and beyond to make sure employees feel accepted when they come to work, which I am sure helps the workflow. I believe an inclusive company that can show they support people of all colors, backgrounds, or sexualities will go further. Every single intern I have spoken to has mentioned the diverse culture here and has commented on the welcoming environment we were all greeted with. Natasha Wong, a Software Engineering Intern at the Raleigh office told me that her favorite part of NetApp is Inclusivity. “The welcoming environment makes me want to work hard while also enjoying the relationships and things that NetApp has to offer. I feel like I can talk to anyone without being afraid, and I love that about NetApp.”

Being an intern at NetApp means you are ready to face the world and all it throws at you. A NetApp internship assists in your professional growth as well as helps you network and prepares you for the workforce. This internship has made the best impact on my life, and the friendships and connections I have made so far are strong enough to last a lifetime. I am thankful for NetApp and what the company stands for, and I appreciate the environment that NetApp provides.

There is a reason why NetApp is voted one of the best internships—now you see why!