Some of the best advice I’ve heard includes taking as many opportunities as you can to ask questions, explore, and to test out ideas to stretch yourself. If you are a current student, you may be at a point where you have flexibility to zero in on these moments of growth. Because of this, I decided to sit down with Mark Roukema, VMware intern and current student at the University of Waterloo to see how he takes this advice to heart as he returns to VMware for a second internship. Let’s see what Mark has to say about VMware’s people, making an impact from day one, and the defining moments that helped shape his trajectory.
The Software Engineering Program at the University of Waterloo provides a variety of growth & development opportunities for students, including six four-month internship placements with top employers across the country, including VMware. During my third year of college, I was lucky enough to receive the opportunity to intern at VMware headquarters in Palo Alto, California as a Software Engineer working on the Partner Engineering Storage team. It was an incredible experience that I will never forget.
It’s because of this experience that I decided to join VMware again for a second four-month placement working on the same team. Now several months into my second internship, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share my thoughts on why I came back.
1. People and Culture
From day one it was clear that VMware treats its interns differently than most employers that I’m familiar with. I spent my first day getting acquainted with VMware’s culture by touring the newly expanded, beautiful campus in Palo Alto and meeting my new coworkers. To my surprise, most of the other people in the orientation were not fellow interns, but full-time new hires. Attending orientation was my first clue that I was in for a game-changing experience. I felt like an equal contributing member of the employee community, just like any other talented employee. This was a key factor in my decision to return to VMware.
2. Making an Impact on Real World Challenges
The largest difference between a VMware internship and internships at other companies is that the quality of work we are given. The work that VMware interns are involved with is of great interest to each team and makes a direct impact on the business. For the first time at an internship I got the sense that my work was actually contributing to the team and unless I put my full effort into it I would let the group down. What I do matters and that means a lot to me.
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