When Odoo launched an internship in Buffalo this year, Nick Kosinski, managing director of the local office, wanted 10 software engineer interns.
Back then, he thought it was a lofty but achievable goal, as local employers talked about how difficult it is to find engineers. But when he found the right approach for planning the internship, something clicked.
“Once I saw it was having traction, I remember telling Elizabeth (Vennari), let’s hire 20. Two weeks later, let’s hire 30,” Kosinski said.
Vennari is his team leader for recruitment and strategic initiatives.
The company used an internal employee to help international students gain visas short-term to do the internship and potentially long-term work and live in the U.S. The paid internship also organizes and partially finances housing for the duration of the program.
Kosinski’s goals for the internship extend beyond Odoo. He wants programs like this to attract and retain tech talent in Buffalo, which means more workers buying housing and spending money in the local economy.
“That’s really how you start to build these tech communities,” he said.
Belgium-based Odoo, a business management software tool company, came to Buffalo in 2020 and currently has around 150 workers here.
For 2022's inaugural internship program, Odoo got about 2,600 applications and accepted about 28, about half from Buffalo, in its internship program. The business offered jobs to 14 of them, nine of which accepted. About 60% of the interns were international students.
For next year, the company wants at least 50 software engineer interns. Odoo started accepting applications late last month and got nearly 1,000 applications within the first few weeks, according to Vennari.
The internship will take place June 5 through Aug. 18 of next year. Intern housing is still to be determined, but Odoo’s goal is for it to be free or at an affordable rate for students, Vennari added.
Based on the application amount last year and in anticipation of more interest this year, Odoo has updated software to expedite the internship application process, which last year included a skills test that had to be graded manually. Now, grading is automatic.
The company is hoping to hire about half of the interns next year. Odoo also expects to hire an additional 100 workers next year across various positions.
The business expects to post content, most likely videos, promoting the internship using insights from past participants. Odoo uses social media and going to and hosting events to advertise its internship and job openings.
“You have to meet the talent where they are. … We’re thinking outside the box,” Kosinski said. “You have to have that mindset to get stuff done."
