Engineering into the Real World: An Intern’s Perspective
Being an intern, new and under-skilled, is a daunting position to find yourself in when starting at any company. However, real world application of the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom environment is a priceless contribution to any student’s resume and well worth overcoming the initial jitters.
My first day at Avanceon was both exhilarating and a bit horrifying; my main focus was not to have sweaty palms as I was walked around the cubicles meeting the team I was now a member of. I noticed two things immediately. First, everyone was very pleasant and greeted me with a smile. Second was the feverous attention everyone paid to the work at hand. I heard the steady clicking of keyboards throughout the cubicles; the computer screens I passed displayed an alien landscape where nothing looked familiar. I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Unfortunately, and most likely due to poor funding, the educational environment tends to be equipped with archaic technology and programs from yester year, completely the opposite of the technology and equipment used here at Avanceon.
This internship has proven to be a highly technical and hands-on position. I’ve worked both individually and as part of a team on all aspects of system integration: design, needs analysis, design review, testing, implementation, and validation. This wide experience has taught me the value of being both a team player and a self-starter, ready for the next challenge. No sweat! Avanceon has provided a tremendous opportunity and I strive to become an asset to the company in exchange for the priceless knowledge and experience bestowed upon me.