These interns don’t just get coffee—they make new friends, gain real skills, explore Birmingham + more

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We all know the Hollywood cliché of an intern: fetching coffee, running errands—you get it. But here in Birmingham, and at Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, interns are an actual part of the team.

Last fall, we let you in on opportunities available through Coca-Cola UNITED’s student internship program. Last week, we stopped by their Birmingham office to meet a few summer interns and learn all about what they do, which includes everything from beautification projects in Alabama to trips to Six Flags over Georgia!

Ajani, Isabella + Antonio became real friends through their internship

Throughout eight weeks, Coca-Cola UNITED interns are exposed to the many moving parts of the beverage industry—everything from manufacturing to marketing.

Interns rotate through different departments and learn the ins and outs of the company.

Last week, while Antonio, Ajani and Isabella were on their Public Affairs and Communications stop, I got a sneak peek at a morning in their lives. Complete with donuts for breakfast and a tour of the warehouse.

Antonio Sweeney expanded his communication skills

Antonio, a rising senior at Morehouse College, is based out of the Atlanta area, but splits his internship between Atlanta and Birmingham.

When he’s not serving on SGA at Morehouse, you can find Antonio watching reruns of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal.

He was introduced to Coca-Cola UNITED while he was a Pay It Forward intern—a unique opportunity for HBCU students.

Now, he’s loving every minute of the communications, public affairs and community-based projects he gets to do.

Something unexpected Antonio experienced: “Three weeks into the program, we went to Six Flags in Atlanta. Anybody who knows me knows I don’t do roller coasters, but with some good peer pressure, I did it.”

Ajani Salvary got out of his comfort zone

While Ajani currently attends Knox College in Illinois, his roots are planted in Birmingham.

He was introduced to Coca-Cola UNITED through his dad, who works in marketing at Coca-Cola UNITED. Even though Ajani’s interests lay in politics, he wanted to gain a broader perspective on the corporate world.

Aside from his professional aspirations, Ajani is also a huge DC Comics fan, and loves when he can squeeze in a bodybuilding workout.

Why Ajani loves the student internship: “We’re exposed to such a diverse range of career options. This is an internship that’s not on a singular focus. We get a little taste of everything.”

Isabella Rodriguez is a storyteller

This internship introduced Isabella to Birmingham for the very first time, and she’s loving it, especially shopping at The Summit.

As a recent Journalism graduate from Georgia State University, Isabella joined the Coca-Cola UNITED team because she wanted a dynamic internship that taught her something new every day.

Ever since she was little, Isabella has loved storytelling, so a career in communications and journalism was the perfect fit for her.

What Isabella has learned from the student internship: “I’ve learned how every department operates, and how each department goes hand in hand with the other and as a communications major, it’s been really fascinating to learn in depth how Coca-Cola UNITED operates.”

Forming real friendships at Coca-Cola UNITED

Antonio, Ajani and Isabella let me in on all the things they’ve been doing throughout the past few weeks.

While they’re meeting with executives, presenting to leadership, shadowing the merchandisers and stocking grocery store shelves, they’re also having a ton of fun.

The inside jokes and laughs between these three proved everything they told me about Coca-Cola UNITED: It’s a great place to work.

The student internship program is just one of the many ways Coca-Cola UNITED invests in the lives of future leaders in Birmingham and beyond. Learn more about the UNITED culture.

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