Each summer, dozens of talented young people participate in Lincoln’s internship and new graduate development programs, which are designed to prepare them for careers in the financial services industry through experiential learning, leadership exposure and professional acumen.
This year’s program is Lincoln’s second fully-virtual internship cohort, and it represents the most diverse cadre of interns in the company’s history—a testament to Lincoln’s commitment to growing the number of women and people of color at all levels of the organization.
“Developing an increasingly diverse workforce is critical to our success and growth as an organization,” said Dennis R. Glass, president and CEO, Lincoln Financial Group. “From early-career through the executive ranks, we are committed to tapping into the skills and talents of all segments of the population so we can continue to learn, innovate, grow and succeed together.”
Skills for Success
A total of 109 individuals from 66 colleges and universities are participating in Lincoln’s 2021 virtual internship program. As in previous years, interns will gain valuable knowledge through stretch projects, workshops, networking challenges and a customized Executive Speaker series. This year’s program also aims to provide interns with a skills toolkit to leverage as they launch their careers.
“At Lincoln, we’re consistently striving to grow our pipeline of early-career talent, but the ultimate goal for our internship program is to provide students the skills they need to succeed in this new world of work,” said Jen Warne, executive vice president and chief people officer. “If they choose to join Team Lincoln, we’ll be thrilled to have them, but we want to ensure they are prepared to succeed wherever they start their careers.”
The program’s overarching theme is “Skills for Success,” a custom experience developed by Lincoln’s talent organization with input from prior interns. Interns have the opportunity to explore a new skill each week and, with each topic, they’re presented with specific tools to advance their personal and professional development.
To reinforce the value of networking, during their final week interns will schedule a virtual chat with a Lincoln employee who is currently in a role they would like to pursue after graduation. Building on the skills they’ve acquired throughout the program, interns will ask the individual about their professional journey, best practices and advice for transitions or change.
“Most internships provide the technical skills needed to perform a job. Skills for Success aims to take internship development to the next level – honing the skills that are going to be absolutely necessary for success in this new world of work,” says Victor Taiwo, assistant vice president of talent management. “By the end of the summer, we want our interns to not only understand how Lincoln has navigated challenging times, but to instill in them the confidence that they, too, are equipped to deal with change and seize opportunities in their personal and professional lives.”
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