At the start of every July, Bell asks incoming interns for two things: bring your curiosity and creativity. In turn, interns leave with lasting memories, professional connections, and experiences that propel them forward in the industry.

This summer, over 180 interns joined the ranks at the Bell headquarters in Fort Worth, Bell Amarillo Assembly Center, and Bell Piney Flats Service Center. The ten-week program lets interns learn directly from professionals in the field, all while working on meaningful projects that positively impact the business across the enterprise.

“With students from over 40 different universities having joined us at three different locations, we have been extremely excited to host our U.S. summer interns this year”, said Jane Lim, manager of university recruitment, Bell. “Bell is proud to continue connecting college students to meaningful projects and development opportunities in their field of study, year over year.”

Many students often return to Bell for a second internship, or opt to participate in Textron’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) – a two-year program offering year-long experiences at different Textron business segments.

In honor of National Intern Day 2023, hear from some interns on how their summer at Bell is going so far.

Meet Jana Walker, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Engineering Intern at Bell Headquarters

Q: What sparked your interest about interning at Bell?

A: I have worked in the rotary wing community for five years as the Intelligence Chief at a H-1 squadron in the United States Marine Corps. While it started as a job, helicopters and flight became a passion of mine over time. While deployed and in garrison, I saw aircraft designed by aerospace engineers impact real world operations. As I transitioned out of the military in 2021, I wanted to focus my efforts on learning how to improve rotary and fixed wing aircraft. This led me to pursue an Aerospace Engineering degree and I applied for Bell’s 2022 summer internship. In June of last year, I got the incredible opportunity to work as an intern at Bell and got rehired to work part time during the school year. This has been a great experience and has solidified that this is the industry and career path I want to take.

Q: What has been your favorite part about being a Bell intern thus far?

A: My favorite part about the internship has been getting know the people in the Survivability group and getting to see the process behind aircraft survivability analysis.

Meet Edward “Frankie” Adams II, Supply Chain Intern at Bell Piney Flats Service Center

Q: What sparked your interest about interning at Bell?

A: I have always been interested in the Aerospace industry, so the opportunity to intern at one of the top companies in the industry was too good of a chance to miss. Additionally, the Textron’s LDP is very intriguing, and I read that a high percentage of the LDPs were former Textron interns, which led me to take even more consideration into working this summer at Bell!

Q: What has been your favorite part about being a Bell intern thus far?

A: The people have been very welcoming, opened to questions, and legitimately interested in my growth and opinion on Bell; they are heavily invested in seeing Bell succeed and it’s evident how involved they want to be in bringing in the next generation. Of course, getting to see highly sophisticated machines like helicopters every day is awesome; I have seen aircraft for various organizations spanning many countries and continents on the commercial side, and it is exciting to get to investigate these machines and watch as they do the multiple tests on site. Bell’s internship has given me the ability to grow as a supply chain professional and see how everyday situations are solved both on the local and global levels. Additionally, my summer projects have allowed for me to delve into problems that have only been a footnote or paragraph in my schoolbooks; they have provided a perspective that I may never would have experienced in school!

Meet Juan Diaz, Human Resources Intern at Bell Amarillo Assembly Center

Q: What sparked your interest about interning at Bell?

A: I became interested in Bell after researching the organization’s mission and the culture. I learned that Bell was the first to break the sound barrier and they continue to excel in the industry and that can be seen with the recent contract with the V-280. I have always been interested in the aerospace industry and have always wanted to contribute to the innovation the industry provides.

Q: What has been your favorite part about being a Bell intern thus far?

A: My favorite part of the internship was getting to know the people and the culture. The people I’ve met have been friendly and inclusive so that is something that I love about Bell’s culture. I have overall really enjoyed my internship experience and the people I have met. The team I work with wants me to learn and gain knowledge from this experience, so I am appreciative of the time that they put in to help me learn.

Click here to learn more about starting your internship journey at Bell.