Career Corner: Employer Spotlight on Aim Transportation Solutions

Alexander Smith - YSU Intern at Aim

Aim Development Team Taps STEM Program for Local Talent

Aim Transportation Solutions has always been on the leading edge of new technologies revolutionizing the transportation industry, whether as early adopters or innovators. Thankfully, in order to keep pace, Aim doesn’t need to turn to Silicon Valley for talent. We simply need to look in our own backyard.

Aim, headquartered in the Youngstown, OH, area, has partnered with Youngstown State University’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) since Spring 2019. This is Ohio’s first and only college dedicated to these four principles which shape nearly every aspect of the world around us—including trucking.

YSU’s STEM internship program has been an invaluable resource in supporting Aim’s customized commercial transportation software development. Through it, Aim has gained access to a growing pool of bright, young minds while providing them with vital real-world experience.

To stay ahead of the ever-evolving transportation industry curve, Aim employs a staff of highly specialized web and mobile developers, database administrators, project managers, security specialists, and quality assurance teams. These specialties all work together to develop cutting-edge web and mobile software for our industry that benefit Aim and our valued customers. Having such a diverse, dedicated team also means we don’t have to manage technology at scale. This allows us to cater to the individual needs of our large and varied customer base. This ability is one of the fundamental qualities that gives Aim a distinct advantage over competitors who may be using “off-the-shelf” solutions. It also allows Aim to give employees greater access to company resources using modern and familiar interfaces.

“Technology has completely transformed the way we think about, manage and execute moving goods and services across the country,” said Dan Kellgren, Aim’s Director of Software Development. “In fact, the emphasis is becoming more and more on the technology side of the industry, which makes having a resource like YSU’s STEM program a unique advantage to Aim’s long-term success.”

YSU student and Aim intern, Alexander Smith, exemplifies how advantageous Aim’s partnership with YSU is. Alexander has been interning with Aim’s team of talented programmers since March of 2020. Over the last year and a half, he has maximized his internship by fully applying the quality education provided by the YSU STEM program to benefit Aim and its customers. Combined with his overall dedication and diligence, he has risen to become a highly valued team member and has already received an offer for a full-time position at Aim when he graduates in the Spring.

Alexander isn’t the first YSU intern to contribute to Aim’s development team. Over the last few years, Aim has worked with YSU to bring on Quality Assurance interns, as well as other software developer interns. Joining the team in January will be another STEM intern, who also has an opportunity to learn and grow in Aim’s dynamic software environment.

Aim has benefited from YSU’s STEM program in other ways. We have hired qualified graduating seniors (for both full- and part-time positions) directly out of the program’s biannual job fairs. Jon Brown, who holds a bachelor’s degree in both computer science and economics, is a shining example. He started as a part-time employee while he finished his second degree and is now a vital full-time team member working toward his next career goal of becoming a database admin leader.

The YSU STEM program has excellent leadership who actively engage with local businesses. Aim is privileged to have the opportunity to take advantage of this invaluable resource and plans to do so well into the future.

For more than 50 years, Aim has been adding jobs with great pay and benefits to the Mahoning Valley, and for those five-plus decades, we have relied on local talent to fill those positions. For anyone looking for a rewarding, long-lasting career, Aim, family owned and operated, is continuously growing and adding new positions in the Youngstown area as well as throughout the nation.