Celebrating the tech talent of tomorrow
Progress starts with inclusion. At IBM, we understand that education and skills are the key to ensuring equity and access to tech jobs for underrepresented minorities. We continue to build on existing programs like P-TECH while developing new programs like SkillsBuild and OneTen – as outlined in the 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report.
I began my 20+ year career journey at IBM as a summer intern, and I fully understand the importance of having the opportunity to do meaningful work early in your career. From apprenticeships, returnships to internships, we believe that many skills can be learned on the job.
This week, as we celebrate the National Intern Day in the United States – a holiday created by WayUp in 2017 to recognize and celebrate interns – I invited a few of our IBM P-Tech interns to share their stories and work experiences as they embark on their career journeys and develop new skills. A true and proud IBMer moment, I hope you’ll enjoy these insights as much as I did from the talent of tomorrow.
Assiata Kamagate
Frederick Douglass High School – Upper Marlboro, MD
Tell us about yourself and what you are doing at IBM.
I am currently a graduate senior from Frederick Douglass High School. I will be attending college in New York in the fall. This summer I have worked on a cybersecurity team to analyze a project scenario that focused on risk and vulnerability management.
Why is this internship important to you? What does it offer?
This internship has given me the opportunity to work with a team and learn about a new field. I value learning so it was a great experience to be exposed to the world of cybersecurity. This internship offered me the opportunity to enhance my critical thinking and presentation skills.
How have you grown from this experience? What have you learned?
I have become a better team player and critical thinker from participating in the business unit challenge. I have also learned the importance of positive mental health and wellness. I gained better presentation and self-awareness skills.
Do you have any advice or guidance for others considering an internship, apprenticeship, or new collar employment?
Have an open mind. Coming into this internship I was very nervous to be a part of a cyber security team because I had no background knowledge on cybersecurity. However, during these past few weeks I have learned so much exciting and interesting information. Having an open mind allowed me to have a great internship experience.
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Esmeralda Enriquez
Falcon Tech, Longmont, CO
Tell us about yourself and what you are doing at IBM.
I am Esme and I am going to be a senior for school year 2021-2022. This year at IBM we are creating a prototype on the cloud.
Why is this internship important to you? What does it offer?
I am learning lots of new things and it made me realize the career path I want to take, I always wanted to go into cybersecurity but I wasn’t very confident in doing it. Doing this offers so much, not only being able to learn new things but also to collaborate with people you may have never interacted with.
How have you grown from this experience? What have you learned?
I am a very shy person and keep to myself a lot, but during this internship I learned that just being myself doesn’t hurt. I opened conversations, put myself out there and made the best out of it. I learned how to use Mural and Box but most importantly I learned how to get out of my comfort zone and talk to people.
Do you have any advice or guidance for others considering an internship, apprenticeship, or new collar employment?
Don’t be scared and just be yourself, speak about your ideas, be out there and just make it fun! It is what you make it out to be.
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Estefano Dominguez
W.H. Adamson High School P-TECH – Dallas, TX
Tell us about yourself and what you are doing at IBM.
I am 18 years old and am located in Dallas, Texas. I am currently interning for IBM this summer which has been a lot of fun! At IBM, I am working in marketing.
Why is this internship important to you? What does it offer?
This internship gives me real corporate experience. It offers lots of room for growth as a person and allows me to develop my work skills in a company setting.
How have you grown from this experience? What have you learned?
I have grown massively from this experience! I am applying my communication skills when discussing things with my teammates and managers and I learned new skills such as setting up a professional schedule and checking emails in a timely manner.
Do you have any advice or guidance for others considering an internship, apprenticeship, or new collar employment?
Be ready to adapt to changes that may occur. I had to adapt my schedule to fit all the events that I had, and also communicated with managers and teammates to make sure everyone is caught up with the latest info.
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Alana Harris
Newburgh Free Academy P-TECH – Newburgh, NY
Tell us about yourself and what you are doing at IBM.
I have an Associate’s Degree in Cybersecurity and right now I am going to school for my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Analytics. I am currently doing a Cybersecurity internship with the CISO Remediation Team. I am a senior P-TECH lead for the team which means that I provide support to the team. On top of all of that I get to learn about Cybersecurity in real time which helps to improve my knowledge and experience.
Why is this internship important to you? What does it offer?
This internship allows me to practice and gain skills needed to work in the cybersecurity field. It has offered me such great opportunities to network with IBM employees and to build my skills and confidence. It also allowed me to work in a corporate environment.
How have you grown from this experience? What have you learned?
In 2019, I had my first ever summer internship with IBM during my junior year of high school and now I am a junior in college. Over time, my skills have improved — including communication skills, whether that be presentation skills or learning to talk and network with other IBMers. I am also learning more cybersecurity skills and also building skills in administration. Lastly, I would have to say I am learning time management. Being able to manage my time well and knowing when to take breaks has been super important. I am also participating in the IBM Accelerate program and the time spent with that program been really valuable.
Do you have any advice or guidance for others considering an internship, apprenticeship, or new collar employment?
Network and get involved. This can help you meet new people, and also helps you be considered for different opportunities. The more you talk with people the more people get to know you and what type of skills and interests you have. And a lot of times networking with people helps you get mentored by employees who have worked with IBM for a long time and have different tips for navigating different careers in business.
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Ben Fitzgerald
P-TECH Norwalk – Norwalk, CT
Tell us about yourself and what you are doing at IBM.
I’m working as an intern with the Cloud and Cognitive Software Business Unit on revamping the Data and AI Product Management Hub, a website hosting the resources, tools, and information that product managers need to do their job. We conducted user interviews with product managers, and after analyzing the comments, we added several new sections to the website, such as “Data and AI Strategy and Products” and a “Getting Started” section for new managers. It’s a fun, rewarding project that has taught me a lot about IBM’s internal workings.
Why is this internship important to you? What does it offer?
In the future, I hope to work for IBM as a programmer, so this internship has been a great introduction. I love being able to connect with half a dozen interns, even though we’re thousands of miles apart. And, I love taking advantage of IBM’s incredible resources—not many companies would bring in a Goldman-Sachs banker for a financial literacy section! Finally, it’s been incredible connecting with IBMers through networking and learning sessions. I always ask them how they got their start at IBM, and I’ve received a wide range of answers.
How have you grown from this experience? What have you learned?
I’ve gained hard knowledge about the inner organizational structure of IBM. For our business challenge, we learned about the role of product managers in Data and AI and their interactions with marketing, sales, and legal teams. I’ve also honed my communication skills. Since this was a digital internship, I learned the importance of scheduling regular check-ins with my team members and asking questions. It was also important to check that other team members understood the material so that everybody could succeed.
Do you have any advice or guidance for others considering an internship, apprenticeship, or new collar employment?
Do it! New collar experiences are transferable to whatever career you’re considering, and no matter what you choose, you’ll be sure to get something out of it. If you choose this internship, you’ll have a summer of learning, laughs, and teamwork that will kick start your professional career.
