In a competitive tech landscape, access to top talent is critical for companies striving to innovate and grow. Since 2021, Censia, a leader in AI-powered talent intelligence, has partnered with Forge’s Launch Internship Program to source highly skilled software engineering interns. These interns have become an integral part of Censia’s Innovations Team, working directly on real-world projects and contributing to products that reach customers at the end of each summer.
Censia’s product helps companies quickly identify, evaluate, and hire the best talent using sophisticated AI models. To maintain their edge, Censia’s Innovations Team continuously works on new features and technologies that push the boundaries of their platform. However, finding young talent who can hit the ground running is no easy task — that’s where Forge’s Launch Program has made a real difference.
The Forge Difference: High-Quality Interns Who Deliver Results
Derick Johnson, Staff Software Engineer at Censia, has overseen six software engineering interns through the Launch Program since 2021. Each year, the interns have worked on projects that directly impact Censia’s customer-facing products, pushing code to production and building technologies that stay in use after the internship ends.
Derick has been particularly impressed by how well-prepared Forge interns are when they arrive. “Launch consistently impresses us with their candidates,” Derick shared. The interns’ strong technical skills, professionalism, and initiative set them apart from other interns.
Forge interns begin the internship already familiar with tools like React. “They arrive well-prepared to tackle complex systems and tasks.” Derick also mentioned that these interns excel because of the soft skills and professional training they receive through Forge. Forge interns are proactive, often taking ownership of tasks and offering thoughtful suggestions for improvement. Additionally, they maintain clear and structured communication, showing confidence in navigating feedback loops and collaborating with teams remotely. “They are open to challenges and enjoy having fun along the way, aligning perfectly with our team mentality.”
Key Projects Led by Forge Interns
Since 2021, Forge interns have played a pivotal role in advancing Censia’s core technologies, taking on impactful projects each year:
- 2021: Brittany was part of the team working on Censia’s visualization components, utilizing modular designs. These systems continue to impress customers.
- 2022: Jessie and Emily made significant contributions to Censia’s AI companion. They handled user interface designs, data storage, and some of the AI components.
- 2023: Yash was a key team member in building Censia’s next-generation AI systems. He required minimal guidance and became a contributing member of the team from day one.
- 2024: Anh and Harun worked on several critical projects. Anh spearheaded the integration of Censia’s launch platforms and AI companions, demonstrating initiative in tool assessment and recommendations. Harun further contributed to the evolution of Censia’s AI systems, focusing on benchmarking and DEI initiatives.
A Seamless Integration into Censia’s Team and Culture
One of the core strengths of Forge’s Launch Program is how easily the interns integrate into Censia’s team. Despite the remote nature of many internships, Censia has fostered a collaborative and inclusive work culture for its interns. In addition to weekly engineering meetings, interns also participate in virtual team-building events, such as Friday video chats that blend technical discussions with fun, personal questions to help team members connect on a deeper level.
This summer, Censia’s current and former interns took a break from the screen to meet in person at The Presidio in San Francisco. They spent the day bonding over coffee, walking along the beach, and discussing their work. Censia’s efforts to cultivate relationships with interns don’t stop when the internship ends — past interns, now working at companies like Netflix and Capital One, have remained in touch with the team.
A Long-Term Partnership Built on Trust
“I would recommend the Launch internship program due to the ease of navigating through the process and the consistent quality talent that comes from the pipeline.” -Derick Johnson, Staff Software Engineer, Censia
As a long-time partner of Forge, Censia’s commitment to the Launch Internship Program is evident. Derick and his team continue to hire Forge interns each summer, confident in the high caliber of talent that Forge delivers. The consistent quality, professionalism, and drive of the interns have made the partnership a cornerstone of Censia’s approach to developing new talent.