The Company Benefits of Hiring a Co-op Student

This event is part of the Industry Leaders Lecture Series, sponsored by the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.

Why hiring a co-op student makes good business sense for your company and for the student.

• Host: Babak D., Beheshti, Ph.D.
• Moderator: Peter Goldsmith
• Panelists:
  • James Flamm, Director of Operations, Designatronics Inc.
  • David Luft, VP, Application Development, Integration and Enterprise Architecture, Northwell Health.
  • Ayman Haque, New York Institute of Technology co-op student, 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc.

Zoom information will be provided upon registration.

About the Industry Leaders Lecture Series

Dean Babak D. Beheshti, Ph.D., New York Tech College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, hosts the Industry Leader Lecture Series, offering students and practitioners a chance to hear from and interact with distinguished professionals in the tech industry.

Working professionals and undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to attend and learn from these leaders’ insights. The series offers participants a unique opportunity to ask questions about career choices and hear advice and stories directly from experts in the field. All talks will be web-based.

Certifications will be awarded, by request, to New York Tech students who attend two of the three sessions during the spring semester.

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Panelists

James Flamm, Director of Operations, Designatronics Inc.

James Flmm has always been an advocate for hands-on learning. He holds an Associate’s degree in Welding and a Bachelor’s degree in Weld Engineering Technologies with a minor in Business Management and Entrepreneurship from Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT).

With 10 years of manufacturing experience, he has seen the skills gap struggle from both the student and the business perspective. Having spent time as an intern himself, he knows what works and how to connect classroom learning to on-the-job training. At Designatronics Inc., he is focused on accelerating the internship program to help train and retain future engineers and machinists. He works with high school, college, and workforce development students along with key industry groups such as HIA-LI and manufacturing Day LI to help promote manufacturing careers.

James is a current Advisory Board member on NYIT’s Co-Op program and PCT’s School of Engineering Technologies, Welding Department. He also volunteers his time through PCT’s Tomorrow Makers program by mentoring students and helping to guide them on their career path.

David Luft, VP, Application Development, Integration and Enterprise Architecture, Northwell Health

David Luft serves as the Vice President of Application Development, Integration, and Enterprise Architecture at Northwell Health. In this role, he leads dynamic teams dedicated to advancing enterprise architecture, crafting bespoke software solutions, and ensuring seamless system interoperability. Through his leadership of high-performing agile technology teams, David is committed to advancing Northwell's mission of enhancing health and quality of life through exemplary service and compassionate care.

Since joining Northwell Health in 2015 as a Director, David has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have significantly benefited the organization. Notable achievements include the successful implementation of agile methodologies and industry best practices in software development, the launch of consumer mobile applications and web experiences, the establishment of robust application development policies for enhanced security, the creation of innovative applications for patient care, and the initiation of the groundwork for enterprise CRM implementation.

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David's strategic vision extends to the establishment and cultivation of the Enterprise Architecture practice, as well as the optimization of cloud technologies through the Cloud Center of Excellence.

Before his tenure at Northwell Health, David held pivotal roles at CA Technologies, Inc., where he led various enterprise and consumer software product organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Northern Michigan University.

Host

Babak D. Beheshti, Ph.D., Professor and Dean, New York Tech College of Engineering and Computing Sciences

Babak's experience in higher education spans over 35 years, where he has served as a full-time faculty member, president of the Academic Senate, associate dean, and dean. As dean, Babak led the engineering college to the introduction of its first two Ph.D. programs, in computer science and engineering, two new bachelor's degree programs, and one new master's degree program, in addition to leading the college through its fastest climb in national rankings: #33 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (National – no doctorate)—a climb of 13 places since 2020, and #191 Best Computer Science Undergraduate Programs (National – no doctorate), a new ranking in 2021—a climb of 40 places since 2020.

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Moderator

Peter Goldsmith, Director, Industry Relations for the Engineering and Computing Sciences

Peter S. Goldsmith manages the co-op track and is an adjunct assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences. His experience includes nearly 10 years as a director with CBS-Columbia Records and nearly 20 years as a director with Grumman Data Systems. In 1997, he formed and presently is the chairman of the Long Island Software & Technology Network (LISTnet), a non-profit organization on Long Island that builds a strong ecosystem for software and technology. He also manages a co-working Tech Accelerator in Plainview called the Digital Ballpark. He was an adjunct and taught for five years at Hofstra University.

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