Pros
The few friendly faces that you meet along the way.
Cons
While my internship had some bright moments, it ultimately fell short of my expectations. It was a challenging and somewhat disorganized experience that left me questioning if it was the right stepping stone for my IT career. The program lacked structure and interactivity, making it difficult to stay engaged. I had hoped to dive into the field and gain hands-on experience, but the setup was so uncoordinated that I often felt my time could have been better spent elsewhere. Unfortunately, the initial expectations set during the interview process didn’t align with the reality of the internship. I was initially promised full-time hours and a six-month commitment, but upon starting, I was limited to 20 hours a week, and my internship ended up being just four months long. Communication from HR also posed challenges. Responses to simple questions during the interview process often took days, and there was a lack of clarity regarding future opportunities. For example, when I asked if interns were typically hired afterward, I was told yes. However, despite my efforts to secure a role, including endorsements from key individuals, there were no open positions during my internship. When one finally appeared six months later, my application was declined within a day. This was disheartening and made me feel undervalued. The pay, at $16 an hour, was a strain, especially for someone fresh out of college. I had to dip into my savings just to stay afloat. While I appreciated the opportunity, it felt like the compensation didn’t fully reflect the effort required. One of the most surprising aspects of the workplace was the dynamic between management and employees. Management often presented a stern demeanor to the team but when nobody was looking seemed relaxed and, at times extremely unproductive. For instance, I overheard a conversation about attempting to install Steam OS on a device during work hours, a great use of time for management while other staff appeared overworked. While I gained some experience, I wouldn't recommend this internship to others, especially recent graduates eager to jump-start their careers. There are more structured and supportive opportunities out there that might better align with your goals and provide a clearer path to success.
