Each year, CIRAS connects Iowa companies with bright, motivated students ready to tackle real-world challenges. For interns, it is a chance to apply classroom learning to make a tangible impact. For CIRAS and its clients, it is an opportunity to strengthen Iowa’s workforce pipeline while advancing projects that help companies grow and succeed.
This year’s interns supported a wide range of efforts, from evaluating translation technology in food manufacturing to building predictive models, improving government contracting tools, and developing communication resources to support customer education. Through each experience, students gained insight into workforce opportunities in Iowa and how CIRAS supports industry as it works to thrive.
Making Better Matches for Business
As a procurement and government contracting intern, Nathan Smith spent his summer helping Iowa companies navigate the complex world of federal contracting. He focused on developing a new CIRAS APEX bid-matching system that applies semantic scoring. Instead of simply matching keywords, the system analyzes meaning behind words to deliver more accurate results for clients.
Nathan also applied his skills directly with Ag Leader Technology, an Ames-based manufacturer exploring federal sales opportunities. With guidance from CIRAS and APEX mentors, he supported the company’s early steps toward government contracting readiness. His work included assisting with federal registrations, researching potential agencies and prime contractor markets, and developing a capability statement and outreach plan.
The team at Ag Leader said the collaboration provided new tools and confidence to pursue government opportunities more strategically. The project also saved time and resources by helping the company avoid the need for an outside consultant.
“Most companies won’t win every bid they submit,” Nathan said. “The goal is to keep improving the process, so the right opportunities find the right businesses at the right time.”
Using Data to Improve Efficiency
At Helena Industries, Julia Gomez spent her summer as a continuous improvement intern, applying her classroom experience in data analysis to a manufacturing environment. She developed a statistical model to predict tank cleanout times that occur between product families to maintain safety and product quality.
“I wasn’t initially sure what to expect, since I’d never worked in industry,” Julia said. “But I’ve been able to apply what I’ve learned in school to real-world work. My efforts will allow Helena to create more accurate schedules, avoid overtime, and deliver products to clients closer to promised timelines.”
Supported by CIRAS, Julia’s project involved conducting time studies, reformatting data, and performing statistical analyses to build the predictive model. Working closely with production staff and CIRAS mentors, she delivered a detailed report outlining key variables and recommendations to improve scheduling efficiency.
Helena leadership credited the project with identifying clear opportunities to streamline transitions between product families and better forecast production timelines. “We were very pleased with the new perspective,” said Ann Buck of Helena Industries. “Having an industrial engineering student approach the problem brought valuable insights to our operations.” The company plans to continue the collaboration during the academic year to further refine and validate the model.
Bridging Language Barriers with Technology
As a research intern, Gabriel Sevde partnered with a large Iowa-based food manufacturing company to evaluate translation technology aimed at improving communication among a diverse workforce. The project focused on identifying scalable tools that could support clearer understanding on the plant floor, strengthen collaboration, and improve training across teams.
“I’ve never had an experience like I’ve had with CIRAS,” Gabriel said. “They really care about their interns. They give me every tool I need to succeed while giving me every opportunity to showcase my capabilities, and I’ve learned a lot from them.”
During his internship, Gabriel worked with company leaders to assess communication challenges within a multilingual workforce representing 11 different languages. Guided by CIRAS mentors, he researched and compared translation platforms including Pocketalk, BoostLingo, and Interprefy. He delivered a summary report outlining key findings, implementation considerations, and recommendations tailored to the company’s operational environment.
Company leaders noted that improved communication and more effective training tools could help retain employees and reduce avoidable turnover. Based on internal estimates, the initiative has the potential to retain more than 10 positions annually and avoid an estimated $15,000 to $25,000 in turnover-related costs. Gabriel’s work also informed broader discussions around language access and workforce support.
Building Skills and Strengthening Iowa Industry
Together, these internship projects demonstrate how CIRAS creates meaningful value for both students and Iowa companies. Interns gain hands-on experience and confidence, while businesses benefit from new insights and the support of a trusted Iowa State University partner.
Other interns, such as automation intern Benjamin Herbst, also contributed by visiting manufacturers across Iowa to discuss emerging technologies and process improvement opportunities.
Each of these experiences supports CIRAS’s commitment to developing future leaders while driving economic growth. By connecting students, faculty, and industry, CIRAS continues to ensure that Iowa businesses and the people behind them have the expertise, connections, and confidence to move forward.
“Our internship program is a great example of how CIRAS connects learning and impact,” said Mayra Ramirez, workforce engagement specialist. “Students get real-world experience, and companies get solutions that make a difference.”
To learn more about CIRAS internship opportunities, contact Mayra Ramirez, workforce engagement specialist.