Jaleel Rogers, a senior majoring in computer science at Florida Polytechnic University, is spending his summer working as an IT application support intern at aerospace giant Lockheed Martin in Pinellas Park, Florida.
When Florida Polytechnic University student Jaleel Rogers was applying for summer internships, working at aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin was at the top of his list. The rising senior applied for several of the company’s available internships, hoping each time that he would be accepted.
The hoping came to an end when Rogers, a computer science major with a concentration in information assurance and cybersecurity, received the good news and began spending the summer as an IT application support intern at Lockheed Martin’s Pinellas Park, Florida, location.
“My previous experience was exactly what they were looking for,” Rogers said.
He had worked for Seminole County Public Schools as a PC technician and in network operations while attending high school Crooms Academy of Information Technology in Sanford, Florida.
“Some of the things I was doing in those jobs are similar to what I’m doing now,” Rogers said.
As an IT application support intern, his role involves a variety of tasks, from casual help desk support to more complex projects.
“We get a lot of tickets from employees at the job site. I help out by going to them and troubleshooting,” he said. “One of our main projects is ensuring all our Windows devices support Windows 11. I convert some computers to the right operating system and configure new computers with proprietary software for Lockheed.”
Rogers also is responsible for cleaning the Lockheed digital inventory, which involves updating and matching data in spreadsheets. He also assists his supervisor in charge of environmental health and safety by revising site maps for safety equipment and personal protective equipment closets.
Walking into the Lockheed Martin building every day is an experience Rogers feels extra pride in. He was determined to work at the company partly because of a meaningful personal connection.
“My grandfather worked for Lockheed when he was younger in Marietta, Georgia. He was on the work floor, putting the finishing touches on fighter jets,” Rogers said. “I wanted to see why he wanted to work for Lockheed. He was very proud when he retired.”
As he completes the internship, Rogers hopes to gain experience and understanding of working in a corporate environment, particularly in networking and IT. He’s also hopeful it will open the door to a long career.
“I know a big part of being successful in cybersecurity and IT is having experience. It can be as important as education and certifications,” Rogers said. “Lockheed has a program where they transition interns into full-time employees, so hopefully I can stay with them after I graduate.”
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Lydia Guzmán
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