Sinéad O’Doherty had heard great things about Kemp Technologies before starting her internship, but never could have imagined just how nurturing an environment it would prove to be.
While college days are often fondly remembered as the best years of youth, third-level education can be quite fraught in reality. As the end of one’s studies draws near, there is a lot of pressure to figure out exactly what you want to do.
You’re being shoved towards the precipice of adult life, and it can be difficult to make informed decisions about your career when you’ve had no prior engagement with companies.
Luckily for Sinéad O’Doherty, she was offered the opportunity to do an internship while completing her software development course at Limerick IT. After hearing glowing reviews of the internship programme at Kemp Technologies from students who had also interned there, choosing to work with Kemp seemed like a no-brainer.
Despite how positively reviewed Kemp was, she was still blown away by how quickly she was integrated into the team. Here, O’Doherty discusses what she learned while interning there.
What are you studying in college?
I am studying software development in Limerick Institute of Technology. It is an enjoyable and challenging course that is filled with plenty of practical work that has prepared me for this internship programme.
What drew you to Kemp when you were seeking an internship?
Kemp Technologies has a great relationship with Limerick Institute of Technology for hiring interns and graduates. Previous interns expressed how much they enjoyed working with the company.
They also shared with me how friendly and helpful other employees are, and how they felt that they were part of their team from day one. Hearing this, I knew Kemp would be a fantastic place to work.
What expectations did you have before you began your internship?
I had a great advantage before I began here to get the opportunity to speak to previous interns. I was excited at the possibility of having the same experiences as them.
These experiences included being part of a team that would be patient and helpful, getting to work in a friendly and professional environment, and learning new technologies.
What duties and responsibilities were you given initially?
I was surprised at how fast I was allowed work on the project when I first started. Within the second day, I was solving bugs in the front-end user interface.
My duties included resolving bugs and attending team meetings, where we discussed what we were working on and shared ideas.
From day one, I instantly felt part of my team. In my interview for Kemp, I expressed how I enjoy being thrown into the deep end when it comes to learning, and that is exactly how my first week went – I loved it!
Did the scope of your work change as the internship progressed?
Due to working as part of my team from day one, the scope of my work hasn’t changed by much.
As I progress through my internship, my programming skills and knowledge of the project are improving every day.
This means that I can now work on more challenging parts of the project and I don’t require as much help as I did when I first started.
Can you describe a typical day in your role?
A typical day in my role involves working with my team to improve our product.
I work on the user interface, which means I spend my day fixing bugs. It’s basically like solving puzzles every day – a job that is impossible to get bored of.
What key things have you learned during this internship?
The most important thing that I have learned from this internship is how important it is to communicate and work as a team. It would be impossible for us to deliver new releases on time without working together.
Communication and working as a team also makes this job so much more enjoyable because you can share ideas and help each other while also laughing and joking with your team.
Has this internship made you feel as though you’re on the right career path?
Yes! I have been studying for three years now and there were times where I worried if I would like software development as a career.
Working at Kemp has made me realise that all the hard work of studying is worth it. I never thought I’d see the day that I would look forward to going to work every day. I love every minute of it.
Do you feel more prepared for working life following your internship?
Yes, it has made me feel more prepared. Not only has this internship given me a feel of what my future will be like, it has also greatly improved my programming, problem-solving, communication and team-working skills.
Why should someone take up an internship at this company?
I honestly cannot think of a single reason why someone would not like to take up an internship with Kemp Technologies. It is a great place to work, where you are made feel at home from day one.
I am very grateful to be part of my team because no matter how busy they are, they always find the time to help me when I need it.
I cannot believe how much I have learned in the last three months. So far, it has been an amazing experience.
