Career Discovery Programme Review

The days were scheduled very tightly and packed with various activities such as icebreakers, presentations and coding workshops. We were allocated time to get to know not only each other but also the ethos of the company, including initiatives for women in STEM and other diversity inclusion schemes. About two hours was allocated for coding practice everyday, with assistance from full-time software engineers, and the environment felt competitive. We were given no external responsibilities during this programme, apart from the entailing online mentorship scheme.

The main skills developed were programming and networking. As the cohort was small, it was easy to get to know familiar faces and network with potential future co-interns, while bonding over coding together. There were also workshops to build professional confidence, developing professional skills such as CV-building and interview techniques. Though I was already confidence with my CV skills, it was useful to find out what Expedia was looking for in particular when hiring for summer internships.

Learning about Expedia's missions as a travel technology company was fascinating. The main focus of the roles introduced were software engineering and project management, as it was alluded that the majority of the graduate scheme is made up of software engineering roles. We were put on interactive rotations, talking to employees on the graduate scheme in detail about their day-to-day work and the scheme itself. It was interesting to learn about their career paths and how they arrived at working for Expedia.

The company's culture seemed inclusive and relaxed. We met young employees of various gender, race, disabilities and educational backgrounds. For example, one of the software engineers we met had done his undergraduate degree in economics then converted to computer science. Even the interior architecture of the company exuded an atmosphere of modernity and casualness, typical of a technology company. Expedia has a very strong focus on diversity and inclusion, running monthly events by various schemes.

I enjoyed the insight programme a lot as I got the opportunity to network with other undergraduate students considering a similar career path and employees at Expedia themselves. The lunch and refreshments provided was excellent. It was a great way to experience Expedia's office culture while still a student and I believe this is a valuable opportunity. However I felt that the timetable was scheduled a bit too tightly at times with little breaks in between.

Yes

I would say if you were applying for a software engineering role, to brush up on coding skills and be willing to learn new knowledge and apply. For project management, perhaps why this role in particular over other roles. Any work experience on your CV would be a bonus, especially if relevant. Networking with recruiters on LinkedIn might be useful. Be open-minded and clear about how you can contribute to the company and its inclusivity culture.