Lineage’s Internship Program: Real-World Experience in an Industry That Matters

Each year, Lineage searches for the best and brightest students in North America to participate in our summer internship program. The program is designed to provide students with real-world, hands-on experience in the field of logistics and supply chain management. We sat down with former intern and now full-time Product Manager, Amanda Cook, to talk about her experience.

What drew you to Lineage’s Internship Program?

It was 2018 when I enrolled in the Lineage Intern Program. I was going to school at Michigan State University, first studying mechanical engineering then switching to economics, and I was working as a teaching assistant for the university. What I really wanted to do was Project Management, but I couldn’t find an internship program that offered real-world experience in that field. Then I heard about Lineage’s program.

What really hooked me was the fact that there is a program geared directly towards Project Management, which offers serious experience in managing actual projects within the company. I knew I needed to give it a shot.

What were you looking to get out of the program?

My expectations for the internship were to show me what a career in project management really looked like. I didn’t want the “fluffy” version, where all you see is the good things when projects go perfectly, or the dumbed-down version, where all I did was sit quietly in meetings and take notes. I wanted to see what it was really like for a project manager, on both good days and bad days, to prepare me for the realities of that work. I wanted an answer to the question: “Is Project Management for me?”. That’s exactly what I got.

What types of “on the job” experiences did you have?

There were a lot of valuable on the job experiences that I got throughout my internship. I was able to sit in on a lot of meetings to see what the different teams were working on, but then I also had my own big focus project along with a handful of smaller projects to work on. My focus project was on the Sunnyvale automated expansion, which was the coolest thing to me because it showed me how Lineage is revolutionizing the industry. I remember being so proud and excited that even as an intern, I was working on one of the coolest projects happening at Lineage–I’m still proud of it.

How did your direct mentors affect you during the program?

My two managing leaders, Tiara and Tracy, had a ton of experience in project management and provided me with a lot of valuable guidance throughout the program. Tiara most specifically focused on construction projects, Sunnyvale at the time, and Tracy supported the energy projects. I learned a lot from each of them as they each had their own style for managing projects.

I still remember a specific time when Tiara coached me through how to give an update to the Executive Leadership Team when a project goes “red” and how to come up with the action items needed to happen to put a project back on track. It was cool to see how leadership viewed projects in the “red” as an opportunity for all of us to come together and work on a solution to bring it back to “green”. That mentality is something I still think about and appreciate today.

Did you have exposure to senior, and even executive leaders?

I had a ton of exposure to executive leaders during my internship. We had weekly meetings with each of the ELT leaders to learn about their responsibilities and get career advice. A moment that always sticks out to me is when Jeff Rivera (Chief Operating Officer) sat down with our entire intern class and asked us what one thing we would change about Lineage. He was genuinely interested and he cared about each of our responses. Some of the ideas we came up with, like focusing on DE&I and more volunteer opportunities, were actually implemented at a later day.

The fact that leadership at Lineage actually listened to us and cared is something that still sticks with me.

What skills did you learn/develop throughout the program to help prepare you for your future?

There were a lot of skills that I got to learn and hone throughout the program. It really helped teach me better time management along with basic project management skills, like creating a project plan, how to facilitate a meeting, take notes and how to follow up on action items. I was confident in my abilities as a project manager by the end of the program.

Was there anything about Lineage’s workplace culture that stood out to you?

The thing that stood out the most to me was how much everyone truly lived the values of Lineage. I had worked for companies that plastered their values all over the walls but never truly cared about them. But at Lineage, even as an intern, I always felt respected, valued and seen. I was treated the same as any full-time team member. I was always encouraged to share my thoughts because my fresh perspective could bring value to the team.

What’s happened since your completing your internship?

After completing my internship, I was hired on as a full-time Associate Project Manager here at Lineage. Since then, I was promoted to Project Manager and then to Product Manager in our Information Technology department. I’ve also been able to support Lineage’s early career professionals by helping facilitate Lineage’s Internship program and working as the Chair of our Early Career Employee Resource Group.

Find Out Where Lineage’s Internship Program Can Take You

Lineage's Internship Program is a fantastic opportunity for students looking to gain real-world experience in logistics and supply chain management. Amanda Cook, Product Manager at Lineage, shares her unique perspective on the program and what she learned from her direct mentors and exposure to senior and executive leaders. From hands-on work on meaningful projects to developing crucial skills in time management and project management, the Lineage Internship Program sets its interns up for success in their future careers. With a supportive and values-driven workplace culture, Lineage truly provides a one-of-a-kind internship experience.

If you or someone you know is looking for a valuable experience and an internship program like no other, check out Lineage’s 2023 Internship Program. We have program opportunities in Project Management, Data Science, Engineering/Sustainability, Human Resources, Finance, Transportation/Logistics, and Information Technology. Apply today!