LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) kicks off the 30th year of its nationally recognized High School Involvement Partnership (HIP) today when 84 students begin internships with the company that will provide on-the-job-training that helps them transition to the working world.
Students are participating in HIP this year from 11 local public high schools. These students, all seniors, will work at Northrop Grumman facilities for two hours a day, five days a week for 17 weeks to get a sense of what it takes to succeed in a business environment. They will work side-by-side with company employees who volunteer to be their instructors.
Northrop Grumman expanded the program this year to include six public high schools in the Antelope Valley, where 17 students are now serving company internships. Nearly 6,000 students have "graduated" from HIP since it began in 1971. Some have returned following graduation to work in a special HIP summer hire program, and many have gone on to become full-time Northrop Grumman employees.
Students in the HIP program receive training in their choice of more than 30 disciplines such as engineering, manufacturing, composites, accounting, tooling, medical care, firefighting and office administration.
"HIP is one of the strategic ways we partner with schools to build stronger communities and help encourage young people to achieve their educational goals," said Sandra Evers-Manly, Northrop Grumman's corporate director-Workforce Diversity, EEO Programs and Contributions. Ms. Evers-Manly participated in another one of the company's internship programs.
Students have several incentives to participate in HIP. By successfully completing the program, they can earn 10 credits toward getting their diploma. They also will receive a $500 scholarship from the company if they attend college.
High schools participating in this year's HIP are:
-- Centinela Valley Unified School District (USD) - Hawthorne,
Lloyde and Leuzinger high schools;
-- Compton USD - Centennial and Cesar Chavez high schools;
-- El Segundo USD - El Segundo High School;
-- Inglewood USD - Inglewood and Morningside high schools, and
-- Los Angeles USD - Banning, Carson and Huntington Park high
schools.
Northrop Grumman has won nationwide recognition for its efforts with HIP. The company received a President's Service Award, the highest presidential honor for volunteerism, in 1996. The theme of the 2001 HIP program is "Today We Follow - Tomorrow We Lead."
Northrop Grumman Corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles, is a world-class, high technology company providing innovative solutions in systems integration, defense electronics and information technology for its U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers, as a prime contractor, principal subcontractor, team member or preferred supplier. The company had revenues of $7.6 billion in 2000 and has a workforce of approximately 39,000 employees.