Nakyah Vaughan was sitting in a Virginia Tech freshman dorm room when a message from Handshake appeared in her inbox. She had been searching for summer computer science internships, but this email—an invitation from ABB to apply to the Sustainable Talent Program—stood out. Nakyah applied and was accepted, launching a journey that took her from Blacksburg, Va., to Portland, Ore.—and ultimately into a career at ABB.
Today, Nakyah is one of more than 200 early-career professionals participating in ABB’s internships and Discovery Program this summer—part of a growing pipeline of talent that often begins with a single email, a campus event or a chance conversation.
Discovering career paths
ABB’s Sustainable Talent Program, internships and Discovery Program play a critical role in attracting young professionals. In recent weeks, dozens of these program participants joined teams at multiple ABB sites, bringing fresh perspectives and a strong desire to contribute to their teams.
While interns gain experience over the summer, Discovery Program participants take part in three rotational assignments at two ABB locations over two years, helping them explore career paths and work with cross-functional teams.
For many participants, the experience begins with a single opportunity and leads journeys across the country.
Doug Bodhaine discovers his career path
Doug Bodhaine, now in his second year of the Discovery Program, applied for a summer internship during his junior year as a mechanical engineering major at the University of Michigan. He was selected for a summer internship with ABB’s Critical Power team in Cary, N.C. where he gained experience in sales operations and project management.
“I facilitated a factory witness test for Microsoft where they watched and tested our products,” Doug said. “It was a great experience because I saw firsthand how ABB teams interact with customers, especially how we explain complex electrical systems and ensure everything works together.”
Doug’s interest in the energy industry led him to ABB’s Discovery Program, where his first-year rotations included inside sales, channel operations and account management in Los Angeles. He developed a strong interest in the business side of electrification, so he joined the Electrification Strategy Team in Cary, N.C. and spent his second year focused on strategic research for the Global Ventures team. After completing the program in a few weeks, Doug will transition to a permanent role with the Large Projects Contractor Sales Team in Boston.
“The internship and Discovery Program helped me realize that I enjoy the technical sales process,” Doug said. “I’m excited to take the next step in my career and work with customers to provide the solutions they need.”
Meredith Padgett builds connections
For Meredith Padgett, an industrial and systems engineering major at NC State, a conversation after a campus event began her ABB career journey. The Early Talent Team provided internship suggestions based on her interests, leading her to an opportunity as an Electrification sales and marketing intern.
That experience grew into a leadership opportunity.
“I led a customer data project involving 17 interns across the U.S. to build a centralized database,” Meredith said. “It was exciting to develop presentations, coordinate across the team and lead the entire process. I then automated the workflow to improve efficiency and data accuracy with minimal manual effort.”
Meredith continued her internship part-time during her senior year before joining the Discovery Program after graduation. She completed her first rotation with the Sales Excellence team in January and is currently in her second rotation with the Electrification U.S. Pricing team. She will soon begin her final rotation in Atlanta where she will focus on channel sales and customer engagement.
“Building connections with colleagues on different teams during my internship made a big difference,” she said. “Those relationships became my support system when I began the Discovery Program.”
Nakyah Vaughan explores careers
After learning about ABB and participating in mentoring sessions through the Sustainable Talent Program, Nakyah secured an internship with the U.S. Digital Portfolio team where she used her data management skills to develop financial reports and built tools and dashboards to support commercial strategy.
She continued her internship part-time after returning to school and will begin her first Discovery Program assignment with the Commercial Strategy team in Cary.
Nakyah values the opportunities to explore different career paths before she settles into a permanent role.
“I have a lot of interests, so I appreciate the chance to explore before choosing my path,” she said. “These opportunities are giving me direction. I knew I loved computer science, but I did not know how to translate that into industry and where I can make the biggest impact.”
Early Talent programs build future pipeline
Stories like these demonstrate the success of ABB’s Early Talent programs. Participants have opportunities to learn, connect with colleagues and contribute to their teams.
“The goal is to give young professionals a chance to explore the many career opportunities at ABB,” said Jim Saulsbury, Early Talent Lead, North America. “They often don’t realize how they can apply what they learned. It’s very rewarding to explain our diverse roles and how their skills can translate across functions. It becomes a ‘light bulb’ moment that never gets old.”
Jim also encourages managers to invest in these programs as part of workforce planning. The Early Talent team can help customize roles, create new tracks and support the requisition process.
“We’re here to partner with teams to find the right talent and provide valuable experiences that will contribute to the team’s results and the individual’s success,” he said. “These programs are essential to building our workforce for tomorrow.”
An ABB Welcome
As you encounter these new team members in meetings or pass them in the hallway, take a moment to welcome them. Their curiosity, energy and fresh perspectives are already making an impact—and they’re ready to help us run what runs the world.
