Software Developer Intern Review

I can honestly say that I found Metaswitch a great place to work. The work was challenging and interesting; the ethic was always constructive and open, without any office politics. People were friendly, and the office was genuinely fun (some people even used to toss soft balls across the office during their breaks!) I learnt a lot throughout the process, and the support for interns was fantastic, ensuring from the first interview to the end that my opinion was taken on board and I gained the most from the process.

Full-time colleagues treated me just like they treated each other. After the first few weeks, I actually got to a stage where I could begin offering some of my own advice to them! This is apparently pretty common in IT - it's impossible to be an expert at everything and even the pros can and do ask interns for advice sometimes. So my colleagues did at times rely on my advice and listen, which I found really encouraging. Metaswitch also hosts welcome drinks for every new employee, and many colleagues attended my welcome drinks too.

I was allocated a mentor to oversee my tasks and help me plan how to tackle the work. I was always free to ask him anything regarding my project. He was happy to explain everything to me without ever being condescending or patronising. My manager was also ready to discuss things that I was not clear with, although these were more questions regarding overall code design rather than specifics. I did have to learn whom to direct each question to! All colleagues were happy to help, but some were able to answer specific questions more quickly.

At the start of the day, we as a team discussed the plans, so I was always aware of what had to be done. The tasks kept me busy all day but were never overwhelming. There were occasional lulls during the day, but my manager ensured that I was never unsure of how to go about things.

As was the case with most interns that I spoke to at Metaswitch, I was given complete responsibility in the delivery of a project that was relatively small and separate from what the rest of my team was working on, although it would be used to speed up their work. In that respect, I was expected to deliver to a high standard, although Metaswitch ensured that my project was not mission-critical - it doesn't make sense for a company to give a very important project to an intern!

The skills developed during my internship include: Python, communication and presentation. As I am studying a science at university, Python programming isn't directly useful to me there. However, I found that the communication and feedback sessions run by Metaswitch really helped my improve my speaking skills regarding technical presentations. As well as that, I was expected to deliver a final summary of my project to my manager and his senior, which developed my presentation skills further. These things will be useful to me during my degree and beyond. As for programming, it's useful for almost every technical job nowadays! So yes, I did pick up a lot of skills that will be useful beyond just degree level.

The office atmosphere was friendly and open, People were focused on their work, but were always willing to offer advice or to direct me to the appropriate expert. Criticisms were always constructive.

The level of organisation was fantastic. From the first interview to the end, things were never delayed; the systems in place to ensure good organisation (emails, internal calendars, meeting organisation) were quick and efficient, and there were no unexpected malfunctions during my internship.

I was accepted despite not knowing any Python programming (which I used throughout my internship) - Metaswitch was willing to teach me the skills on the job! My manager created a training and development plan for me and ensured that I was meeting the targets he set by checking with me during weekly meetings. Also, Metaswitch laid on a communication and presentation skills session to ensure that interns could deliver presentations effectively.

Very appealing - the perks are good, the environment is friendly and welcoming, and the meritocratic nature of the company is great to see. Very few other companies value the employees so much!

There were welcome and leaving drinks for every intern, and the setup of a WhatsApp and SnapChat group helped with socialising and event planning. All the interns took part in social events run by Metaswitch.

The prices were pretty standard for a London suburb (Enfield), but as I commuted from home everyday as opposed to living in a company house, my travel costs were high.

The nightlife was again standard for a London suburb - not fantastic but London wasn't too far away. I didn't spend long investigating this, though. I did notice that there were a lot of good pubs in Enfield that stayed open until late.

There were numerous sports and other social events run by Metaswitch for the employees - there were almost as many societies as a university! I also happened to be working when the company's 'Enger Games' were in full swing (basically many team games and competitions were being held).