The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Information Technology Intern Program – Creating Tomorrow’s IT Leaders
Blues Perspectives
| 4 min read
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is proud to host a variety of intern programs each year, including the Blue Cross IT intern program. From current interns to former members of the program who are now a part of BCBSM teams, the Blue Cross IT intern program continues to leave a lasting mark on young careers. The expertise and hands-on experience Blue Cross IT interns gain from their time at BCBSM is invaluable and prepares them for a future career in technology and information support. Working with BCBSM allows Blue Cross IT interns to tackle real-world issues alongside career IT professionals. Not only does the intern program benefit the next generation of tech professionals, but their work goes toward making strides in the world of health care support as well.
“(The Blue Cross IT intern program) offers a lot of opportunities that allow me to utilize the tools and knowledge I gained from school, develop new skills and translate all I have learned into value for the organization. Also, I learned that BCBSM promotes a culture of inclusion, which offers a healthy work environment anyone would want to be part of.” – Sara Haddad, current Blue Cross IT intern Former intern Stevon Mitchell who is currently a System Analyst I, also discovered the Blue Cross IT intern program gave him ample opportunity to have discussions and learn more about other departments within the organization.
Built on community.
One of the takeaways that several former interns noted was how accommodating the entire BCBSM family was during their time in the program.
“Interning at Blue Cross was a great path for me because I started as an intern while I was still pursuing my degree, and it prepared me for the transition from intern to employee. I was able to learn and grow so much during my internship at BCBSM and ultimately was able to show off my skills, which eventually led to me being hired full time. I have nothing but good things to say about the intern program.” – Jana Al-Jarrah, Systems Analyst Associate, IT Practices – Tools and Reporting Regardless of which department the IT interns found themselves interacting with, they all commented on how friendly and helpful the other team members have been, even describing positive interactions that happened outside their department. Over the years, the Blue Cross IT intern program has shone a positive light on how our company culture has evolved into one that we're proud to show the outside world.
A bridge to a potential BCBSM career.
Alison Cyrkiel, an alum of the Blue Cross IT intern program, recently celebrated her 20th anniversary with BCBSM. She remembers how deciding to participate in the program ultimately changed her life: “I was attending Central Michigan University when I was offered a summer internship. I was told when I started, they did not have any full-time positions to offer at the conclusion, but I decided to take a chance. It just so happened a few days after I started at BCBSM, one of my coworkers decided to retire. I was able to train with her and was offered a full-time position in August.”
A summer well spent.
Whether our interns continue with their formal IT training or enter the workforce, the lessons and insight gained from their participation in the Blue Cross IT intern program last far beyon d their time with us. “In 10 years, I can see myself working in an IT department in a number of corporations, or perhaps Blue Cross again. I could see myself working on things such as hardware management and support, software management or network management.” – Quentin Lott, current Blue Cross IT intern Gaining an understanding of how IT departments are connected to every other department in an organization has prepared our interns for how their roles will look once they've made their way into the professional tech world. Now well into its third decade, the Blue Cross IT intern program is yet another way the team at BCBSM continues to give back to the community. Not only does the program pave the way for individual growth for each intern, but that experience benefits Blue Cross members through consistent updates and support. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
