DNV GL cultivates tomorrows leaders

The start of the fall academic semester brings about the end of DNV GL summer internships across the globe, including in Houston where university undergrads spent their summer working alongside the engineering and management teams of DNV GL Maritime Region Americas.

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The internship program, run from the company’s American headquarters, provides the next generation of leaders with real-world work experience and insights into DNV GL’s core leadership principals.

About the Program

Customer focus and foresight are two of the principals that shape the program. “We focus on what is happening in the market, how it impacts our customers, and how we set ourselves up for the future to meet the needs of our customers and other stakeholders,” says Antony DSouza, Vice President and Area Manager Area Pacific & Gulf of Mexico at DNV GL Maritime. The intern program highlights that, for DNV GL the key to success rests in the company's ability to focus on what is happening in the present and partnering with industry to innovate the pathway into the future. DSouza commented that “Innovation comes from working closely with our clients and industry. Our landscape changes when innovative concepts become a reality. DNV GL’s internship program is unique in that it provides students the opportunity to experience classification while helping to shape the industry they will join once receiving their degree.”

Invaluable Experience

Like many other internship programs, at DNV GL, interns are encouraged to leverage their existing knowledge and skills while using the internship to expand their reach. “I may have been unfamiliar with the concepts of certification and classification when I first walked through the door, but before long I understood the standards and was helping to verify calculations for design packages” said Caitlin Carroll, a Mechanical Engineering student at Texas A&M University who completed an internship with DNV GL’s Drilling Group. 

When immersed in an atmosphere that broadens horizons, many interns experience first-time milestones. “It can be nerve wracking to step out of your comfort zone. It could have been overwhelming to visit the shop floor for the first time, but I was encouraged to take advantage of those opportunities and make the program my own under the guidance of the industry veterans mentoring us. DNV GL has a broad network and depth of knowledge, making this the ideal environment to ask questions and gain new skills. I am thankful for the opportunity to apply my passion for engineering to what DNV GL stands for and now have more appreciation of the role safety plays in the industry,” added Carroll.

Planting Seeds for the Future

DNV GL takes investment in the next generation of young professionals seriously, and in the Americas it is for a good reason. “DNV GL has a very diverse workforce, and with U.S. colleges and universities producing top talent in S.T.E.M. (referring to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields, we don’t have to look far to find qualified candidates,” states Jennifer Foster, Regional Human Resource Manager at DNV GL Maritime. She continued, “The U.S. Maritime Administration says by 2022 the U.S. will need 70,000 new people for the nations maritime fleet. It’s clear that we are facing a challenge and need to engage more with the next generation.”

Attracting a sustainable workforce is critical to overcoming that shortfall. DNV GL recognizes that people make the difference. “We partner with academic institutions, including the U.S. maritime colleges, to bring important topics like digitalization and the significance of Big Data into the classroom,” Foster added, “The maritime and offshore industries need to attract promising individuals to the field. We must engage early with young professionals and create the foundation on which we build a more promising future."

For more information about DNV GL internship programs and available openings visit, https://www.dnvgl.com/careers/opportunities/students.html