I began my journey with Investis Digital on February 1st, 2023, as one of 28 interns. The company planned to evaluate our preliminary knowledge and assess us throughout the internship, after which some candidates might be terminated, as the six-month bond period would come to an end.
During this probationary period, we received training from mentors in various departments, attended workshops, and participated in weekly soft skills sessions. Although we spent time together in the cafeteria, it was clear that we would eventually become part of different departments, each with its unique working environment and shifts.
However, this isn't just the story of "us"; it's my personal journey. During the internship, I had two team members whose domains matched mine, but our projects were distinct. We were given the freedom to work on projects independently, using our chosen technologies. We all opted for the MERN Stack, considering that selecting different technologies could lead to communication issues. This flexibility was provided because two out of three team members were required to submit project details and progress to our college as part of our last semester internship.
In May 2023, our manager learned that our college requirements were fulfilled, and we could transition to other aspects of our internship. He presented us with ideas related to technologies used in live projects within the company.
My two teammates worked closely together, collaborating effectively. On the other hand, I preferred working alone, pursuing my own ideas and comforts. While I occasionally contributed to their creative dummy projects, my primary focus was on learning from company blogs and documents to provide valuable results to the organization. As long as my manager wasn't dissatisfied with my work, I continued to explore various topics of interest.
Towards the end of our internship period, I stumbled upon a project that one of the 28 interns was working on. However, her proposed solution seemed impractical for real-world application. I knew how to structure a more viable solution, so I began creating my own model for the project. When the department's Vice President inquired about my learning progress, I showed him the project I was currently working on. Although the project had initially been assigned to another intern, the VP found my solution superior and reassigned the project to me.
As the internship concluded, and we prepared to assume our new roles in the company, I received surprising news. I was informed that I had initially been hired for a different project but was now assigned to the project originally designated for the other intern. Our VP decided for me to split my time evenly between both projects.
This project was unique in that it had only one developer, which was me. The project manager would assign tasks and features for implementation. While she provided valuable guidance, and ideas, and conducted code research, the emphasis was on my ability to solve challenges independently before seeking her assistance.
While I initially believed that the model I had chosen was superior to the intern's previous solution, I soon came to the realization that my chosen approach had its limitations and could potentially fail at some point. Fortunately, help was on the way in the form of a new addition to the team.
This newcomer was an experienced DevOps engineer who brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. He took the time to review my solution and provided valuable feedback. His suggestions went beyond mere improvements; they aimed to transform the project into a highly scalable and robust system that would never falter.
One of the key recommendations he made was to adopt a microservice architecture, a concept I had not previously worked with. My previous projects had been primarily integrated or monolithic in nature. This shift in approach marked a significant change in my development journey, and I eagerly embraced the opportunity to learn and implement this innovative architecture.
As I proceeded to demonstrate the solution to other professionals within the company, many of whom would eventually become end-users of the system, their feedback was instrumental in further enhancing the project. Their valuable insights and suggestions for additional features to integrate were carefully noted and incorporated into the development process.
Coincidentally, on the same day as this critical demo, it was my birthday. It turned out to be an unforgettable day as we gathered for our branch-level townhall meeting. During the townhall, our Vice President took the stage and proudly announced the remarkable progress of the project. What made the moment even more special was that I received recognition for my contributions, standing alongside my team members—the project manager and the DevOps engineer. This acknowledgment of my role as the developer of the project was truly an unforgettable birthday gift and a testament to the hard work and dedication that had gone into it.
As mentioned earlier, I am not solely dedicated to the project I described. I am also an integral part of another active project. In this team, we have a total of five developers, including myself, and three quality assurance (QA) experts. What makes this team particularly exceptional is their willingness to accommodate my schedule and workload. They generously assign me smaller tickets, enabling me to continue my work on the project that have been recently assigned to me.
Working with this talented team is a real privilege. Their collective knowledge and expertise are impressive, and I always find their discussions about solutions and strategies to be engaging and thought-provoking.