Fredrika Carlsén, an intern in the development team at Elastx, shares her thoughts on LIA.
After ten weeks of hands-on practice, I can attest to the truth of the common phrase, 'you learn the most during your internship.' This is where you gain practical skills and experience working as a developer.
In October, I left Nackademin to begin my first internship as a front-end developer at Elastx.
School provides a solid foundation for aspiring developers, covering crucial concepts and tools. However, it's during internships that this knowledge comes to life and is contextualized. I've gained valuable experience working with agile methodologies, understanding the development process from backend to frontend, and the significance of utilizing various tools and adhering to code standards. My extensive JavaScript study in my first year has proven essential to my success during the internship. It's evident that practical experience is crucial for growth, but it builds upon a strong educational foundation.
Having said that, stepping into a company with massive code bases as an intern is a daunting experience. My school projects suddenly seem like small, insignificant assignments in comparison.
Getting to know the company's website
When I arrived at Elastx, the company had recently completed a website refactoring. During my initial days, I worked alongside my supervisor to identify and resolve any bugs that emerged. This involved frequent screen sharing sessions and an abundance of questions. What does that function do? How are the front end and the CMS connected? Where does "data" come from? What happens if I accidentally break something?
At first, the sheer size of the codebase felt overwhelming. So many lines of code. How to navigate it? Where do you even begin?
The (rather obvious) answer is: you just do it.
Eventually, my initial nervousness faded. Although the volume of code was larger than I had encountered before, the underlying concepts remained familiar. It was a satisfying moment when I realized I did understand it. Of course, I didn't have all the answers, but enough to feel confident to begin researching what I didn't know.
Pause for reflection
The journey from beginner to developer involves more than just writing code. It also requires a deep understanding of context, connections, and the ability to recognize and articulate what one doesn't understand. I was initially apprehensive about my non-technical background in the humanities and service, but I've come to realize that my knowledge gaps are manageable.
Embracing a growth mindset takes patience and humility, but I've been met with encouragement and support every time I've asked seemingly "stupid" questions. It's impossible to know everything, even the most senior developers don't have all the answers. This realization has allowed me to approach my journey with a more confident and relaxed mindset.
Getting to know Elastx
Being an overall curious person, questions were also directed outside the dev team. What is OpenStack? Kubernetes? What does the system look like to the customer? What types of customers are there? What projects are in the pipeline? Although I only comprehended about half of the answers, I relished the opportunity to listen to people speak with passion. This also proved to be an excellent way for me to get to know the company's services and the people behind them.
People are what truly matter. I am fortunate to have found a team of individuals who are not only highly skilled, but also kind, humorous, and delightfully nerdy.
Overall, I am thrilled with my decision to join Elastx.
Highlight: when I got to visit one of the data centers and physically handle a server and unscrew stuff. I’m very glad no one told me the cost of the parts until afterwards.
Low point: it took me several weeks to figure out the microwave ovens in the office.
Three quick questions
What is expected of an intern?
That you keep up with what the team is doing, ask questions and take responsibility for your own tasks.
What were the biggest challenges?
Impostor syndrome is a thing. There is so much you want/need to learn that it is easy to get overwhelmed. It is important to take some deep breaths and do one thing at a time.
- What is it like to be a woman in a male-dominated workplace?
It feels nice to be able to weigh up topics of conversation like crypto and electric cars with girly things like nail polish and true crime.
(Jokes aside - there is a warm and welcoming culture where everyone's different qualities and skills are appreciated)