I recently had the privilege of stepping into a judge’s seat for our Youth Power Generation (YPG) Intern Development Program project showcase at GE Vernova. With nine teams presenting, the experience offered a unique vantage point – not just to assess technology and process innovation, but to witness growth, ambition, and raw potential through the eyes of our emerging talent.

From the moment the first team presented, there was a discernable energy: fresh ideas, methodical problem-solving, and a shared desire to make a difference. Interns are sometimes described as “early career”, or as “learning the ropes”, but in this showcase they arrived with confidence: they had done the work, identified real problems within the business, scoped out credible solutions, and prepared to share their ideas before a panel of colleagues. It reminded me of how crucial programs like these are – for the interns themselves, for our organization’s future, and frankly, as a way to stay involved in continuous improvement processes.

Fresh Sets of Eyes
Programs like the YPG Intern Development Program aren’t just about executing semester-long projects; they’re about giving young professionals a real taste of ownership and impact. Our own internship cohorts have shown how early exposure to meaningful work builds careers, connections, and confidence.

As a judge, I approached these projects and presentations less about “did it work perfectly?” and focused more on “what did you learn?”, “how did you think?”, and “how will you carry this forward?”. In assessing the teams, I kept in mind three dimensions: problem definition, rigor of analysis, and practicality of the solution.

What I Looked For
With the above thought matrix in mind, I looked for a few main criteria:
- Clear problem framing. Did the team identify a challenge that mattered – not just to them but to our business? Did they lean into data and stakeholder insight rather than surface-level assumptions?
- Strength of analysis. Across all teams, the strongest performers dove into root causes, used frameworks (like Ishikawa or 5W2H), and demonstrated critical thinking. The goal here wasn’t perfection, but evidence of a disciplined approach.
- Solution feasibility and business value. Creative ideas are great, and I’ll never not entertain one – but they must land. I asked: can this be implemented? What would success look like? What barriers exist? Credible next steps are the difference between success and “oh, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it”.

Questions and Takeaways
I was assigned to review two groups. The challenges they tackled – such as standardizing engineering project analysis and integrating lessons learned across regions – was tangible and meaningful. They dug into data (thousands of document submissions to be exact), mapped out root causes, and proposed a checklist-driven solution. What impressed me was their connection back to our business goals: reducing iteration, improving partner alignment, and strengthening quality. My feedback? The solution could be strengthened with digital automation tools or tracking metrics for post-implementation review.

Another focus was on the contractor-onboarding progress – using a RACI matrix, a starter kit for contractors, and a dashboard for tracking – which demonstrated process thinking and system awareness. They used survey data and system analytics to uncover pain points and proposed a governance framework that had legs. What I encouraged them to refine was the before-and-after impact story: what lead-time reductions can we expect? How will contractor satisfaction or compliance move? How will we keep the stakeholder engagement alive once the matrix is defined?

The rest of the presentations were equally as engaging, with a variety of interesting takeaways and learnings – for both the audience and presenters alike.

Beyond the Scoring
Being a judge gave me a refreshed appreciation for the new vantage points interns provide. They ask why things are the way they are; they question assumptions we may have accepted; and fundamentally – don’t we all problem-solve and do this very thing every day? Their presentations felt like a mirror held up to our own processes – perhaps not always comfortable, but always valuable.

It also reinforced something I care deeply about: the force of curiosity. As someone who works in thought leadership and content marketing, I frequently emphasize the importance of cross-functional collaboration and stepping outside the box. Watching these teams present reminded me that talent doesn’t just show up fully formed, it’s cultivated, tested, and given ownership. Our investment in interns is not only about delivering a one-off project but about shaping future professionals who will carry our culture of innovation forward.

Questions to Carry Forward
As the showcase wrapped up, I mentally jotted down a few broader questions that the experience raised for me that I hope to carry into my own work and team:
- How can we better bridge intern-led projects with full-scale roll-outs so that great ideas and potential don’t stall after the presentation?
- Are we equipping interns with the right tools (data access, mentorship, stakeholder engagement) early enough to amplify their impact?
- How can we capture the lessons from these nine projects and integrate them into our business’s broader continuous improvement culture?

A Final Note
To all the interns: thank you. For your thoughtfulness, your curiosity, and your insight. And to my fellow judges and peers: let’s remember that the value in these projects isn’t measured solely in the scoreboard, but in the trajectory they set for talent, process innovation, and business transformation.

I feel recharged by fresh ideas, inspired by the next generation (wow I’m really dating myself here), but most importantly reminded that our future doesn’t arrive by default – it’s built by those who raise their hands and get them dirty.