Summer Software Engineering Internship Review

I spent the majority of time working towards completing a set of defined objectives based around a project I was assigned based on my interests. My work on the project was primarily based around programming but also explored testing, documentation, and also gave me an insight into the day-to-day operations of the software development team of my department.

Yes, the project I was assigned to gave me the freedom to explore and better understand the code that was being written to meet my end-goals. I have become exponentially more comfortable and experienced with embedded software, as well as the agile approaches adopted by software teams. I have gained the skill to write code in C, as well as a much better understanding of the build process of embedded software.

I was assigned to an individual project within my team, and was given the responsibility of updating, adding and fixing code within the project, according to pre-defined individual objectives. The freedom to explore different routes to achieve said objectives allowed me to massively develop my knowledge and skills around the project's area, while dealing with the responsibility of delivering robust code. I was also given the responsibility to test my code on the hardware target.

Questions that I had were answered quickly and in a meaningful way. It was ensured that I understood why something worked, not just how. The implications of certain decisions were also discussed, to allow reflection and improvement. Resources were made available to me to widen my knowledge of the project area, which were easy to understand and refer to.

The company allowed collaboration through an open atmosphere that promoted communication between members of teams. Team members were very helpful and would go out of their way to ensure they were available to answer any questions. Online training made the security protocols of the company clear and easy to follow. The company promoted personal growth extensively, with many opportunities being made available to individuals internally.

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship, as I always felt I was working on something useful and contributing to the goals of the team. I was always treated like a full member of the team, and was therefore accurately exposed to the culture and processes adopted by software engineering teams. Throughout the duration of my internship I feel as if I have learnt many valuable skills, and therefore look back on my time spent here fondly.

Yes

The application process focussed on the collaboration between members of a team, something integral to the daily work within the company. Ensure that you show you can work effectively as part of a team, and can use the range of expertise within the team framework to explore the benefits of taking certain options over others. I believe it is also important to show a genuine interest and also show to the employer you have a drive to learn and improve.