21 Aug Intern Innovation Challenge Showcases Big Ideas for the Future
Innovation took center stage this summer as interns from across Shimmick and Axia Electric participated in the company’s Intern Innovation Challenge, a capstone experience designed to encourage fresh thinking, inspire creativity, and generate ideas with real business impact.
As part of the challenge, interns developed and delivered 5-7 minute presentations to a panel of judges representing multiple departments across the organization. The competition invited participants to identify opportunities for improvement and propose practical, actionable solutions that could help strengthen the way Shimmick and Axia Electric operate.
Presentations were evaluated on creativity and innovation, depth of analysis, quality of recommendations, relevance to the business, potential impact, and overall communication and presentation skills.
The winning presentations showcased thoughtful approaches to improving efficiency, productivity, and digital processes across the organization.
First Place: Anuva Shekar
Northwest Division
University of California, Berkeley
Anuva earned top honors for proposing a Shimmick-owned timecard application designed to improve the daily timecard process and create more reliable digital records. The concept focused on streamlining data collection while enhancing consistency and accuracy across the organization.
Second Place: Charles Kiragga
Southwest Division
Arizona State University
Charles received second-place recognition for exploring how the philosophy of marginal gains could be applied to increase engineering productivity and project performance. His presentation demonstrated how small, incremental improvements can collectively drive meaningful results over time.
Third Place: Alexander DeLeon
Axia Electric
California State University, Fullerton
Alexander earned third place for developing the concept of an Axia Electric’s Digital Commissioning Platform. The proposed software solution would standardize documentation processes while simplifying document generation, management, and utilization.
The competition has been a longstanding part of Shimmick and Axia Electric’s internship program, though this year marked an exciting evolution. Previously centered around a safety video contest, the program was redesigned to challenge interns to think like innovators and problem-solvers while presenting ideas to company leaders.
While only three presentations received top honors, the competition highlighted the value of bringing new perspectives into the organization and reinforced Shimmick and Axia Electric’s commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and developing the next generation of industry leaders.
Congratulations to Anuva, Charles, and Alexander, and thank you to all of our interns for contributing their creativity, insight, and enthusiasm throughout the summer. Their ideas serve as a reminder that innovation can come from anywhere and that some of the best solutions often begin with a fresh perspective.