Software engineering intern Review

It was really focused around me with tasks geared towards what I wanted to do. Flexible working hours helped too with social activities on to make time outside of work enjoyable with the other interns. If I could have chosen the programming languages I was going to work with beforehand that would have been great, but instead I found out what was allocated on the first day.

I love how the things I did last year are still in place and used this year, and how my work is actually relevant and makes a difference.

Mostly left to do things independently, but I was assigned a mentor who helped out whenever I needed it. A good balance of responsibility and support.

Generally fine. Maybe having 2 projects running simultaneously would be good as the linearity of doing tasks sequentially means you don't have a distraction or something else to tackle when you get stuck on something.

Very good, I was given challenging work and my work actually made a difference to the company.

It really depends on whether or not you have an interest in or want to go into software as a career. The experiences of working in an office, delivering under time constraints and things like the 'Assessed Communications Excercise' help generally as life skills, but the majority of my training and skills developed have been programming related. The actual programming skills developed have been very good though, and it's a great way to learn a language or two.

Very good. Having other interns to socialise with and the company paying for socials meant there was always stuff to do. The nature of programming means the job can be a bit lonely or quiet at times, but I guess that's probably true with most office environments.

The number of interns and the timescale over which they've been doing internships mean they really know what to do to keep us happy.

They gave me a dedicated mentor whose time I could take up with trivial matters. Maybe some background reading or overview of what I was going to do beforehand would be a nice addition so it's not such a jump in the first week.

A job with Metaswitch appeals to me, purely due to my internships. On a personal level, a Cambridge office would be nice.

Stuff happening all the time, some of it funded by the company, some not. If the houses were a little closer that would be good, rather than breaking into subgroups of socialising.

Subsidised company accommodation in the centre of Edinburgh, during the festival. Amazing.

Edinburgh's a very cool city to be in. Lots of stuff to do and see.

Outside of drinking, there's not so much activity wise in the Edinburgh office. However, drinking is fine!