Apply for Abode's first-ever Early-Career Engagement Awards. Learn More
HPE is among the top 20 programs in the country to be recognized for excellence in Early-Career Engagement. Their application demonstrated excellence in crafting intentional keep-warm strategies, building community, preventing reneges, fostering mentorship, and successfully converting interns to full-time roles. Below, you’ll find the highlights of their award-winning application including the proudest achievements of their early-career engagement strategies.
Abode is proud to recognize HPE for their strong approach to early-career engagement.
Read what this organization had to say about their winning strategies.
“One aspect of our pre‑start engagement strategy we’re especially proud of is how intentionally we build connection and confidence before Day 1. Through structured pre‑boarding touchpoints, such as office hours, Slack communities, and clear onboarding resources; we help incoming interns feel informed, welcomed, and connected to their peers and teams early on. This “keep‑warm” approach reduces uncertainty, encourages early relationship building, and consistently results in interns starting their experience feeling excited, prepared, and supported rather than overwhelmed.”
“One thing our team is especially proud of is how we build community before interns even start. By inviting interns into site based Slack channels and hosting pre‑boarding office hours, we create early opportunities for connection, peer support, and open dialogue. Interns can meet future colleagues, ask questions, find roommates, and begin forming relationships ahead of Day 1. This early sense of belonging helps interns feel more comfortable, confident, and connected when they arrive; setting the foundation for a strong, engaged cohort from the very beginning.”
This organization had one of the lowest renege rates among their peers who applied.
In their application, they cited regular communication with new hires between acceptance and start date, connecting new hires with peers before the start date, and providing relocation or logistical support early as the top 3 reasons for their low rate.
“One thing our team is especially proud of is how intentional our mentorship and buddy program is from the very start. Every intern is paired with a dedicated mentor or buddy who serves as a trusted point of contact; helping them navigate their role, team norms, and the broader organization. These relationships begin early and are reinforced through regular 1:1s, Day 1 connections, and ongoing check-ins. Many of our mentors are former interns themselves, creating a powerful cycle of support that helps new interns feel welcomed, confident, and set up for success.”
This organization had one of the top internship to full-time conversion rates among their peers.
“One aspect of our internship program intentionally designed to encourage interns to return full‑time is our structured conversion focused experience. Interns are given meaningful, business‑aligned projects, regular feedback from their manager and mentor, and clear visibility into the conversion process early on. Through dedicated check‑ins, performance conversations, and leadership exposure, interns understand how their work connects to long‑term career opportunities at HPE. This transparency and intentional development help interns envision a future with the company; strengthening our pipeline from internship to full‑time employment.”
