Cate Yankley

Pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in International Business at Saginaw Valley State University, senior Cate Yankley served as a Technical Communications Intern at Consumers Energy in the summer of 2015. Her hobbies include traveling, photography and meeting new people. She is also an active volunteer of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity.

Before interning at Consumers Energy, I had no idea what career track I wanted to follow. I knew I needed a summer internship for two main reasons: to build my resume and to earn enough money to study abroad.  Little did I know, my summer internship would give me the opportunity to learn more about myself and those around me.

Here are five reasons you should intern at Consumers Energy:

  1. To engage in endless networking opportunities. As an intern, I had the chance to collaborate with professionals throughout the company. Job shadowing opportunities gave me insight as to what my true passions were and what my plans will be after graduation.
  2. To get outside your comfort zone. In addition to shadowing other departments, I was challenged to get outside my comfort zone by attending social events, getting involved with on-site/community organizations and touring power plants across the state.
  3. To gain self-confidence. I quickly learned how to be confident in front of experienced professionals. Not only is this an important skill to have in any career, I felt empowered to do my job working alongside like-minded people who were committed to my professional development.
  4. To find a mentor. My mentor, Karen, provided me with the best career advice: never be afraid of pursuing your true passions and always feel like you can share your ideas with others. I know her guidance will extend beyond the summer to follow me throughout my journey as a new professional.
  5. To foster lifelong friendships. As cliché as it sounds, the interns I worked with have become some of my lifelong friends. We supported one another through projects and busy work weeks knowing that we were all working toward the same goal.  They were some of the most talented, kind-hearted and hilarious people I have ever met.

If these five reasons don’t entice you to intern at Consumers Energy, I’m not sure what will. Learn more about interning at Consumers Energy at ConsumersEnergy.com/internships.