USAA Plano program gives students hands-on look at STEM careers
About 100 Plano students coded, tested machine learning and worked with 3D tools at USAA, where leaders said the summer program helps build tomorrow’s tech talent.
About 100 middle and high school students spent Friday, June 26, at USAA’s Plano office for the company’s annual KIDternship program, getting a hands-on look at coding, machine learning and 3D technology. The students, in grades six through 12, rotated through activities that also covered creative problem solving and digital footprints while visiting the 7300 Parkwood Blvd. campus where many of their parents work.
USAA is a Fortune 93 insurance and banking company serving U.S. military members, veterans and their families. The company employs 2,500 people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has been shifting more of its member service from brick-and-mortar branches to digital tools, a move that helps reach customers wherever they are stationed, including overseas deployments.
Jenny Smith, a USAA software engineer lead, said the program is meant to combine fun with exposure to career paths. Trisha Rahman, USAA’s director of innovation, said the biggest takeaway is teaching students to use new tools responsibly as artificial intelligence becomes more common in school and professional life. “I think the biggest key or take away is that they're learning to be responsible users of AI,” Rahman said.
Plano’s 2025 population is estimated at 299,262, ranking it ninth in Texas. The Plano Chamber of Commerce says strong workforce development is central to the city’s business ecosystem.
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