I began as an IT intern at Lockheed Martin. The internship program was great; I was surrounded by intelligent, like-minded individuals with a strong drive and a passion to create. We were given the opportunity to think outside of the box and search for methods to streamline the business. More importantly, however, was the feeling of culture during the internship. We were often brought together to discuss the company, socialize, or even brainstorm.
After a few months with the company as an intern, I was offered a full-time position in IT. At that time, many of the other interns had returned to school, and the realities of the company became apparent. As a millennial entering the company, the first thing you'll notice is the huge age discrepancy in the workforce. You're likely to be the youngest person on your team, and most other individuals will be over 40. This isn't specific to a certain area of the company; a huge percentage of the workforce will be eligible to retire within the next 5 years (but they probably won't. Many people stay well past the retirement age). The age discrepancy makes it difficult for millennials to assimilate into the company, because (lets face it) we move at a faster pace.
Lockheed Martin lacks company culture. There's no sense of community, and the sponsored events are few and far between. You're never going to feel excited to go to work, because the company doesn't really try to motivate you. We are almost never given the opportunity to be creative, because "there's no budget for that." This may or may not be the nature of the defense industry in general, but as a millennial it's extremely miserable. I believe part of this is due to the fact that there is a large age discrepancy in the workforce, but no initiative has been taken by upper management to correct it.
Individuals that are used to a free flowing and face paced environment will not be at home here. A minute task can take a week or more due to the business process requirements and the security constraints. You're forced to jump through so many hoops to get your job done, and many of the existing programs and processes are so dated that they're nearly impossible to navigate. The company is reluctant to explore new avenues to streamline these programs and processes (although upper management claims to foster innovation), and it's likely that you'll never be working with cutting edge technologies.
For lower level employees, job advancement is not dictated by your track record or knowledge, but rather by interpersonal skills only. Most of the younger managers at the company obtained their jobs after completing the leadership program, which focuses on networking within the company and spending a few months working on different projects. It's the definition of a popularity contest, and many graduates of the program have little to show in terms of job performance.
I was excited & thankful when I first started working full-time at Lockheed Martin, but time has made me realize that the company just isn't fit for millennials. Individuals (especially those in IT) that want an interesting & exciting career won't find it here. The company is lagging in the past, and the lack of young people working here proves it.
