Director of Mobile Engineering for Northeast Pennsylvania (NEP) Broadcasting Bob Walsh finds the best employees to be self-starters.

NEP Human Resources Director Nicole Letourneau looks for employees who are not only flexible, but adaptable.

Point Park students had the chance to learn about NEP and its potential internship and employment opportunities at the Pittsburgh Center for Sports Media and Marketing (The Center) event March 31.

“We’ve been trying to bring in NEP for awhile,” said The Center’s graduate assistant Micky Haney. “We wanted to bring them in because it showcases a different aspect of the industry students haven’t seen before. It’s also important students see that NEP has an awesome apprentice program.”

NEP is an independent remote television production company that is headquartered in Pittsburgh. According to its website, NEP is currently the leading international provider of outsourced teleproduction services. The company creates production trucks and sends them to various events around the world, including the Olympics and World Cup.

“There is a lot more to sports and the production than what people see,” said sophomore sports, arts and entertainment management (SAEM) major John Mrozinski. “The amount of production trucks per event and the number of people at each event is surprising.”

The company has the largest fleet of production trucks in the world, and with an operation of this size, the need for employees is constant.

According to Walsh, NEP currently has 12 apprenticeships, which is a high point for the company. Normally, the company only offers eight, but increased productivity, and a global reach led NEP to expand its employment opportunities.

The NEP Mobile Unit Engineer Apprentice program began in 2006, and it is a two-year paid initiative offered to post-graduate students. The program is divided into five phases where a student will follow a NEP engineer through such things as setting up mobile units and developing troubleshooting skills. Interested students can go to www.nepinc.com and click the “Careers” tab for more information.

“Students can freelance in the area and get a leg up working with these engineers,” Haney said. “A lot of apprentices end up working with NEP on a full-time basis.”

In this competitive industry, employers are searching for much more than a good resume.

“We take people with varying educational backgrounds and experience,” said Letourneau. “We are looking for someone to come in with flexibility. Adaptability is important. Good customer service is key. There are a lot of tense situations live. We need someone who can roll with the punches and have a calmness to them.”

Walsh keeps it simple; he wants people who are motivated.

“You need to be motivated and a self-starter,” Walsh said. “This is not a classroom. People we see as a star are people that do work. They go in and figure out things no one helps them with.”

Though NEP focuses on broadcasting, there are plenty of other positions at the company. According to Human Resources generalist Christopher Gage, there are positions available in all fields from engineering, operations to finance.

“I enjoyed hearing about the different career opportunities,” said SAEM major and accounting minor Jessica Martin. “It’s not just broadcasting. The accounting department caught my interest. I would apply in the future.”

The best thing for a student desiring an internship to do is show interest and be pro-active, according to Gage.

“Definitely look into tours,” said Gage. “We give tours of the facility and if you find something you’re looking for, we will make sure to hook you up with right person.”

He went onto add the website does not post internship opportunities, but if a student is interested, then he or she can do one of two things. First, the student can stop into the corporate office located at 2 Beta Drive and drop off a resume. If the student cannot make it to the office, then he or she can simply call in. The student will be directed to an employer in his or her field of interest, and that employer will work with the student to find an internship position.

Gage confirmed that NEP offers paid, project basis and for-credit internships.

There are no more events planned this semester for The Center, but according to Haney, there will be plenty of events next fall. Haney plans on scheduling tours of the NEP facility.