Alaska Airlines Celebrates National Intern Day 2025 with Industry-Transforming Internship Programs

National Intern Day 2025 marks an important milestone for emerging professionals at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, highlighting the profound impact interns have across the aviation industry. This day serves not only as a celebration of their contributions but also as an acknowledgment of their journey towards becoming adept aviation professionals. The 12-week paid summer internship program at Alaska Airlines offers in-depth, hands-on experience across 15 divisions, providing interns a unique vantage into the intricacies of aviation careers.

Interns partake in various activities that deepen their understanding of the field, from jump seating and safety planning to operational roles. Gary, an intern, finds the jump seat experience enriching, granting him a perspective on the practical aspects of aviation safety culture at Alaska Airlines. The jump seat, located in the cockpit for airline staff, offers pilot interns a firsthand view into flight operations, preparing them for future professional challenges.

Finn, an intern in operational support, underscores the program’s role in broadening career perspectives within the aviation sector. His experience at Alaska Airlines propels him to explore differing avenues beyond his initial interests, thereby reinforcing a commitment to safety through processing airport operations and customer service reports.

At Horizon Air, data and innovation intersect in Lucia’s internship role within Financial Planning and Analysis. Her work delves into financial data, revealing stories and shaping the company’s operational approaches. Lucia transforms financial patterns into strategic ideas for cost control and resource allocation, participating actively in Horizon’s continuous pursuit of excellence.

Internship experiences like these represent transformative opportunities that enrich both personal and professional growth. As an intern myself at Alaska Airlines, my daily endeavors vary from engaging in strategic communications to collaborating with frontline employees. This dynamic role cultivates storytelling and reinforces the brand’s image through shared values and cultural commitment. Leadership within the company challenges me to hone my communication skills, rendering this internship invaluable.

In conjunction with National Intern Day 2025, Yello, renowned for early talent acquisition solutions, celebrates the ninth annual Top 100 Internship Programs, honoring organizations that excel in nurturing and engaging interns. The evaluation, driven by public votes and expert analysis, underscores the fierce competition among companies striving for intern program excellence. The top program this year is led by Kimley-Horn, exemplifying a culture fostering mentorship, growth, and future investment. Their program’s structure integrates interns into client work, emphasizing development and connection.

Various awards highlight unique strengths within intern programs. The American Heart Association receives recognition for public service through impactful health initiatives. Their interns gain meaningful experience and certification, transitioning into full-time roles frequently post-internship.

Fulcrum Global Technologies earns the Intern Growth Award, nurturing autonomy and accountability through a startup incubator model. General Dynamics receives the Innovation Award for creative internship programming, immersing interns in defense and cybersecurity tasks with a high conversion to full-time employment post-internship.

Valmark Financial Group is applauded for its "Small but Mighty" year-round program integrating interns deeply into core operations, leading to high conversion rates into permanent roles, often advancing into leadership positions.

Yello’s continued global engagement with campus recruitment processes emphasizes the critical role internships play in shaping tomorrow’s professionals. By facilitating industry-leading recruitment solutions, the company drives the development of a skilled and experienced workforce prepared to meet future challenges. Through its celebration and support of exemplary intern programs, Yello highlights the essential contribution internships make towards cultivating future business leaders.