Austin, Texas – As summer approaches, aspiring interns at Tesla Inc. are facing disappointment as the company rescinds internship offers just weeks before their anticipated start dates. This unexpected decision has left students scrambling to secure alternative opportunities.
One student, Joshua Schreiber from Miami University, shared his experience on LinkedIn, revealing that his internship offer was revoked just three weeks before he was set to begin. Like many others, Schreiber had already made financial commitments for housing and transportation in preparation for the internship.
The situation has led to a sense of urgency among affected students, with some utilizing social media platforms like LinkedIn to appeal to other employers for internship opportunities. Diana Rosenberg, a current Tesla employee working in battery supply, even took to LinkedIn to seek potential replacements for the rescinded intern positions.
The decision to retract internship offers is attributed to the recent layoffs at Tesla, where CEO Elon Musk announced a global headcount reduction of over 10%. This move is part of Musk’s efforts to streamline operations and cut costs amid challenges in the electric vehicle market.
While revoking intern offers may not result in substantial cost savings for Tesla, it does impact the company’s hiring pipeline. Each year, Tesla provides internship opportunities to thousands of university and community college students globally, as highlighted in the company’s Impact Report.
The sudden turn of events has provided a valuable life lesson to the affected students, reinforcing the resilience needed in navigating professional setbacks. Despite the disappointment, individuals like Brook Gura from the University of Texas at Austin see it as an opportunity for personal growth and development in the face of adversity.
As the affected students adapt to the unexpected changes, the internship landscape at Tesla undergoes a significant transformation. The company’s actions not only impact individual interns but also reflect broader shifts in the organization’s strategy and priorities under Musk’s leadership.