A visit to General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT)
December 31, 1969I was provided with the opportunity to visit and tour some fantastic organizations that would be of interest to our students. I visited General Dynamics Information Technology in late June (GDIT), and I will be able to visit Northrop Grumman, the FBI, and the American Red Cross in the middle of July.
I see these as fact finding missions, so here is my report about what I learned:
General Dynamics Information Technology
I visited the Towson branch, which sits in the middle of downtown Towson. A newly renovated facility, you could see the influence of the open concept work area, allowing for the culture of collaboration within the workforce. According to our tour guide, the culture of each location may vary depending upon the types of contracts that each branch supports. Some offices may be more formal, while others more relaxed.
GDIT is best known for its work with the defense industry, but is has a strong foothold within the medical community as well. The organization creates software, infrastructure, and technology to support privatized and federal health care initiatives. For more information about the organization, please see: http://www.gdit.com/About-Us/
The company is seeking candidates within project management, business management, help desk technicians, code development, software design, and quality assurance testers, network technicians, big data analytics, and cyber security, along with other opportunities.
GDIT hosts summer internships as well as internships during the academic year, and roughly 22 internship positions in Maryland. The commute is just under an hour down the parkway, so it may be a viable option for students with transportation, even during the academic year.
Tips for success in applying:
I, and the other Career Center professionals who attended this event, were given the chance to discuss and ask questions with recruiters, department directors, and employees who were either currently or recent interns. These individuals provided the following advice:
- The minimum requirements for all internships are: a high school diploma, full-time enrollment, and 3.0 GPA
- Interpersonal communication is important. You will likely be more successful if you connect directly with a recruiter in addition to applying online
- *We will be inviting them to campus for our annual career fair, and we hope they will be able to attend.*
- On their website you can find recruiting events (http://www.gdit.com/Careers/Recruiting-Events/) and virtual recruiting events (http://www.gdit.com/Careers/Virtual-Job-Fairs/)
- It is strongly encouraged to connect with the recruiters through LinkedIn once you meet, to maintain contact.
- Make sure to create specific and targeted resumes and cover letters that highlight your skills to the position for which you are applying.
- For assistance, please make an appointment with my office and see the information on the following page: http://www.gdit.com/Careers/students-and-new-grads/resume-tips/
- Not all positions require security clearance
- Internship recruitment for each summer is in February, and although they are seeking primarily sophomores-seniors, first year students are encouraged to apply. Sometimes it can take a while to find a position that is a good fit, so apply early.
- Full-time positons available for all levels of degree completers, from associates to advanced degrees
Information for Students and New Grads: http://www.gdit.com/Careers/students-and-new-grads/
Here are a few opportunities that would be of interest to our internship and entry-level seeking students, requiring less than 0-2 years of experience:
- Intern, College - Technical in Towson, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234835
- Associate Developer, Web in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234791
- Associate Programmer in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234790
- Associate Technician, Telecom in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234610.1
- Associate Engineer in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234379
- Assoc Administrator, Network in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234300
- Assoc Administrator, Business in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234298
- Associate Analyst, Operations in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 234297Associate Engineer, Software in Bethesda, Maryland: Job ID Number: 233250
- Associate Analyst, Logistics in California, Maryland: Job ID Number: 232989
- (Cyber) Tier I VAT Analyst in Washington, District of Columbia Job ID Number: 230141
Thank you to the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers for allowing providing the opportunities.
Keep an eye out for my next blog, where I will tell you about my visits to the FBI, Northrop Grumman, and the American Red Cross.