For Emmanuella Obidike (E44), a software engineer, an internship opportunity at Newport News Shipbuilding grew into something more than just a summer of learning.
Obidike has always been interested in software engineering and jumped at an internship opportunity when NNS visited her school, Hampton University, during a career fair.
“I was really drawn to NNS because they were welcoming and explained what the company did. I was intrigued and it went from there,” she said.
Through two internships and a co-op, Obidike gained real-world experience, grew her technical skills and learned how engineering and technology contribute to NNS’ mission.
Obidike was able to work on individual projects as an intern, while also contributing to her team. One of the projects she worked on is still being implemented now. “It was exciting to see but also shows how important and influential internship opportunities can be,” she said.
She credits her co-op experience for wanting to return to NNS full time. “During my co-op I knew I wanted to work at NNS,” she said. “I was able to work on more assignments and I was given more responsibilities. It was challenging but I was also more comfortable.”
Obidike encourages students to apply for internships at NNS. “I am a big advocate of NNS, and I am always encouraging students to apply,” she said. “It’s not as limited as you may think. There are so many opportunities to learn and grow here.”
Newport News Shipbuilding is accepting applications for 2027 summer internships through November. To learn more and apply, use the links below or visit HII.com/careers.
