Nearly 80 interns get hands-on, real-world experiences this summer

A group photo of 80 Core Plus Aerospace interns. The interns are standing on a stage.
A group photo of the 2022 Core Plus Aerospace summer interns.

Interns from Spokane to Seattle had the opportunity to explore what a career in advanced manufacturing is like during the paid, six-week 2022 Core Plus Aerospace summer internship at Boeing sites in Everett and Renton.

Here are some facts about the 2022 Core Plus Aerospace summer internship:

  • 79 interns
  • 32 high schools and skills centers represented
  • 240 hours of manufacturing training and skill development per intern
  • 16 interns received an offer for a full-time position with Boeing following completion of the internship.

“Some of what I learned in my Core Plus Aerospace internship are professionalism, how to act in a real-world job environment and everything that goes into a real-world job application,” said Malachi Clark, a rising senior at Fort Vancouver High School in Vancouver Public Schools.

Payton Kenagy, a rising senior at Shadle Park High School in Spokane, said that during the internship he strengthened his skills in riveting and drilling, and he had fun making new friends.

Karla Pacheco Ortiz, a rising senior at Monroe High School, said her Core Plus Aerospace class set her up for success in the internship because of the hands-on activities like working with new tools. Karla is exploring attending college and studying engineering after she graduates from high school, and her career goal is to work at Boeing.

One of the interns who was offered a full-time position after completing the internship was Alexa Callanan, a 2022 graduate from Puyallup High School. Alexa agreed that the Core Plus Aerospace class she took in high school prepared her for her internship and helped her figure out what career she wanted to pursue after graduation.

“Taking Core Plus Aerospace definitely helps prepare you for what you want to do,” Alexa said. “It’s super fun, hands-on, and interactive. It helps you figure out what you like.”

Another 2022 Core Plus Aerospace summer intern who was offered a full-time position at Boeing was Tanzania Mowatt-Burleson, a graduate from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle. Tanzania took Core Plus Aerospace at the Seattle Skills Center and says that taking Core Plus Aerospace in high school helps students find a career.

“Core Plus Aerospace really gives you a sense of choice and identity of what you want to do in your actual life,” Tanzania said. “A lot more students should take Core Plus Aerospace.”

We’ll be sharing information about the 2023 Core Plus Aerospace summer internship in the coming months. Stay up to date on the announcement by following Core Plus Aerospace on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.