At ThoughtWire this Spring, we had the opportunity to welcome thirteen amazing interns from the University of Waterloo, Simon Fraser University, MacMaster University, Seneca College, and the University of Guelph.
We believe that interns bring unique and fresh perspectives to the table, further allowing ThoughtWire to explore new ideas and be a company that fosters innovation, growth and leadership for all employees. Throughout the term, these students have integrated themselves seamlessly and have made meaningful contributions to the company’s success.
Our interns for our Spring 2022 Intern Experience series are:
Oliver Fenton - Software Engineer Intern, Engineering
Jonathan Gobin - Data Analyst Intern, Product Management
Piya Mehta - Marketing Assistant Intern, Marketing
Hayley Yang - Interim Delivery Consultant Intern, PSG
Emily Synnott - Marketing Assistant Intern, Marketing
Hargun Bindra - Customer Success Intern , Customer Success
Madison Buitenhuis - Data Engineer Intern, Engineering
Chaitya Patel - Product Manager Intern, Product Management
Jesse Liu - Software Engineer Intern, Engineering
Shlok Pathak - Product Analyst Intern. Product Management
Shubh Mittal - Business Analyst, Strategic Initiatives
Noah Nefsky - Software Engineer Intern, Engineering
Shwetang Desai - Solutions Architect Intern, PSG
Jean-Pierre Mouallem - Software Engineer Intern, Engineering
What is your advice for prospective co-op students?
Jonathan: Step out of your comfort zone and take on every challenge. ThoughtWire allows you the very rare opportunity to try things that may be outside of your given role. This opportunity was invaluable to my own personal growth. Lastly, don't be afraid to ask questions. Everyone here is so friendly and willing to clarify/help out whenever you’re stuck.
Hayley: Don't hesitate to ask for more opportunities and responsibilities after completing the job at hand. It is a safe learning environment, and most people are very friendly and open to answering questions as long as you ask! The more you learn and experience during your internship, the better prepared you will be for your future career.
Emily: My advice to future co-op students is to be open to trying new things. There are many projects to participate in that may be outside of your job description but are great opportunities for trying something new, advancing your skills, and exploring the different areas of work within the company. I would also tell them to participate in the discussions within your team and give ideas and input because a fresh perspective is always helpful!
Jean-Pierre: I'd give the same advice that I was given by countless members of my team, use this opportunity to learn as much as you can. The team I worked alongside, and the company as a whole, seem very focused on making a comfortable learning experience, and anyone given that opportunity should certainly take advantage of it. With that said, it can be daunting, as there is much to learn, so take things one step at a time, and ask MANY questions.
What are some skills you’ve achieved at ThoughtWire?
Oliver: I’ve learned a lot about user interface test automation this summer. I’ve learned about how to set up and use a test automation framework, and how to develop test cases that will interact with the UI of a mobile app. Specifically, I’ve learned all about the Cucumber behaviour driven development framework using Selenium webdriver to interact with the app elements. Aside from those technical skills, I’ve learned how to work in an agile development team and the ins and outs of working on a software engineering team.
Chaitya: I got the chance to learn product management skills across the entirety of the product lifecycle from how to prioritize and analyze new ideas and product concepts, defining the product strategy and creating roadmaps, to product/feature definition, validation and feasibility check, and release activities. I also got the chance to recognize inefficiencies in the product development process and define a standardized one to produce better feature outcomes for our clients. This helped me to better understand product management as a discipline and grasp the true importance of it.
Shlok: During my time at ThoughtWire, I was able to learn how to use a lot of new tools and technologies, and develop my soft skills. I frequently used several Atlassian tools such as Confluence and Jira. I mainly used these tools for documentation and project organization. In terms of soft skills, I felt like my written communication skills improved quite a bit due to all the product documentation I was doing. Also, since I was working as part of a large team, my collaboration skills have also improved.
What were some of your top moments throughout the term?
Hayley: I really enjoyed my weekly one-on-one sessions with my supervisor. Getting her feedback and mentorship, and building a relationship with someone who has a similar academic, professional and career path is invaluable. I'm so grateful to have been able to work with my supervisor as well as the rest of the team who are all diligent and dedicated.
Noah: My favourite part of the term was the onboarding process. There are plenty of presentations which help you learn about what ThoughtWire does, and how the company was started. Also, you get to learn about each team and how they collaborate.
Shwetang: Some of my favourite moments from the term were from the various SA Syncs. Each Friday, the Solutions Architects host a meeting to discuss things that happened during that week, or just share interesting stories. These SA syncs were a fun way for me to get to know my co-workers while learning more about the various projects going on in the organization.
What part of your role did you enjoy the most?
Piya: What I enjoyed the most at ThoughtWire is how I was able to assist with the delivery of projects. I felt that it was a fun experience learning about the business as well as the clients we work with. I was definitely out of my comfort zone, and I really appreciate and enjoyed this because now I feel ready to take on any task! I also had fun going to the office for a day and getting to meet the marketing team.
Hargun: I enjoyed my time here at TW, as I got a chance to interact with a lot of people here working with the infrastructure team. This role helped my networking skills as I had to reach out to employees outside my direct team.
Madison: Overall I enjoyed working alongside my team while getting to know what a great group of people they are. I also enjoyed contributing ideas towards projects of all sizes at ThoughtWire and seeing the impact that was made.
Jesse: Seeing my work be actually used by other teams in their testing and further development. It's a realization that the tasks I'm working on are relevant and important; that my contributions are helping move the company forward, however small my task may seem in the grand scheme of things.
Shubham: My role is very dynamic based on the TW’s priorities and project’s timelines. I enjoyed researching market trends, helping the team with business proposals, and contributing to the TW’s project lifecycle.
To our awesome interns, thank you for your fresh perspectives and insightful contributions over the past few months! At ThoughtWire, we aim to ensure interns have a safe and enjoyable environment to produce their best work and create positive and professional relationships with others. We wish our interns all the best in their future academic and professional endeavors!