Applications are now being accepted for the Montgomery CountyAutism Hiring Program’s summer 2023 cohort with an application deadline of May 15, 2023.  The session will run from June – August 2023.     

The Autism Hiring Program was created by the Howard County Autism Society in 2020 to advance workplace neurodiversity and acceptance, connecting businesses to an untapped workforce of skilled Autistic adults and targeting jobseekers not supported by existing systems. Now in its third year, the program serves candidates and employers in Maryland with placements in professions that include IT, CyberSecurity, Retail, Administrative, Engineering, Science, Mathematics, Entertainment, Recreation, Historic, Warehouse among others.

With support from WorkSource Montgomery’s Workforce Recovery Network 2.0 grant, the program has expanded this year to serve Autistic candidates living in Montgomery County, MD.   

The ideal candidate for this program is someone who comes to it with an open mind, is committed to their own success, and whose ultimate goal is to find and sustain meaningful employment. Other requirements:

• Must be a resident of Montgomery County, MD (there will be another session in fall 2023 for residents of other counties)
• Have an Autism diagnosis
• High school graduate / or GED (may have certifications, some college and/or college degree)
• Not currently receiving services from DDA, DORS, an agency, or employment specialist/counselor
• Able to attend weekly peer group and 1:1 sessions independently with our staff virtually and in person
• Responsive to requests from our staff to schedule meetings, coaching sessions, interviews, trainings

Support for the program has been provided by WorkSource Montgomery, Arbor Dog Foundation and many generous individual and corporate donors.  Organizational partners include Accessible Resources for Independence and WorkSource Montgomery.

There will be two additional sessions of the program in fall 2023:  one for residents of Montgomery County and another for residents of Howard County and the surrounding areas.  For application and information about additional sessions, visit https://howard-autism.org/autism-hiring-program/

Questions? Email linda.hoyt@howard-autism.org  

Name:  Tahereh Hematian

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: Maryland Department of Health

Position Title: Data Analyst

Major or Program: Data Science

Current Class Level: Graduate Student

Work Term: Spring 2022

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities. 

My day-to-day job is utilizing machine learning algorithms for two specific areas: time series analysis and natural language processing. Via these experiences I have gained intuitions as to which machine learning model is the most effective one for the problems assigned to me. Exposure to time series data helped me build a foundation of how to visual and analyze past data and predictions using Python. Also, my day-to-day job begins with a scrum meeting where we review past challenges and plan for the upcoming day. These meetings have provided me with a bird's-eye view of the project landscape, as I have had the opportunity to listen to other team members who work on different tasks.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application? 

Finding my internship is an interesting story, as I was able to get the position after my first interview in the US. I should note that Mrs. Diane Crump-Fogle played a significant role in introducing me to the position and guiding me through the application process.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience? 

UMBC Career Center

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?  

I enjoyed many aspects of my internship, including the opportunity to learn new things and work on projects that allowed for exploration and growth. The joy of my work was amplified by the pleasure of working with two exceptional mentors, Dr. Sharmin Hossain and Dr. Som Mukherjee. They were both understandable, supportive, and insightful, and provided me with the space to explore while encouraging me to build my confidence. Their belief in my potential and guidance in developing the necessary skills and knowledge for success was invaluable.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I have developed a pipeline that includes a machine learning time series model for predicting the number of daily crashes across the state of Maryland. My hope is that this model will assist other departments, such as the police department, in allocating their resources more efficiently.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience? 

Believe in yourselves and your abilities, and take action - take it soon.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

My mentors provided a peaceful environment in which I could work without stress. This helped me to reach my full potential and push myself to achieve even more. I must acknowledge that it would not have been possible without the assistance of the Career Center, who introduced me to this position.

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Name: Gaurav Baser

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: Amtrak

Position Title: Ecommerce Developer Intern

Major or Program: Computer Science

Current Class Level: Master's Student

Work Term: Fall 2022

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities. 

My day to day responsibility was to provide assistance in various software development projects for Amtrak.com using technologies and platforms such as Angular,Adobe Experience Manager,HTML CSS and debugged several developmental issues/defects.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application? 

Using LinkedIn, I discovered an open opening for this position and applied. After applying, I was called for an interview in 2-3 weeks.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience? 

LinkedIn or Other Social Media

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?  

The thing I enjoyed the most was the events that were organized by Amtrak to socialize with other interns that enhanced my soft skills.I learned a lot by working with lead software engineers got hands on technical knowledge.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I was working on crucial project cookie consent ,I dug out useful/critical insights for them

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience? 

Keep applying, rejections will come but don't give up , and take a chance—the best things take time to come be patient and never quit in your life. 

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

"At the end of the day,you put all the work in,and eventually it'll pay off.It could be in a year,it could be in 30 years.Eventually,your hard work will pay off"-Kevin Hart 

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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Monday

• Gain leadership skills.
• Help fellow students with resumes and cover letters.
• Improve your presentation skills.
• Represent the Career Center at special events.

Apply now!

To apply to the Career Peer position, log into your Handshake account and search jobs for “Career Peer Advisor Fall 2023.”

https://app.joinhandshake.com/jobs/7764372/share_preview

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We are also recruiting for a social media intern and a graphic design intern. See our current interns featured as Intern of the Week for more details.