My work experience journey at Hive IT.
A bit about me
I have always been a creative person who likes to be hands-on with everything I do. One of the key qualities that I think is so useful for a career in IT and computer science. The idea of creating something is what interests me most in the world but for a long time, I didn't think I would find that excitement in IT until I found software development!
My first day in my computer science class changed my whole perspective of what IT was capable of, my first “Hello World” in Python was what solidified that this was what I could put my creative energy into. What I loved most is how excitingly unpredictable software engineering can be, it seems set in stone, but trust me, the possibilities are endless!
Years ago, we were astonished by the concept of sending emails, and now we have robots and AI that can drive your car for you! Like everything else, technology is always changing, and I want to be part of that change.
T level route and why?
After leaving secondary school, I decided to go the T Level route in college. I took a T Level in Digital Production, Design, and Development.
What intrigued me about T Levels was not only how the course is centred around the aspects that encompass digital development as one subject, but the hands-on 45-day work experience that comes with it. In this industry, I believe experience and practice beats simply knowing a textbook back to front. No textbook will ever tell you where exactly an unknown error would show up(usually where you least expect it!), so having a real-life chance to understand what a day in the life of a software engineer is like is a valuable opportunity.
My time at Hive IT
I was able to attain my work experience at Hive IT in January 2024 and it has been such a great experience. Everyone has been so welcoming and encouraging since my very first day. I have learnt so much about daily tasks in a company, what it takes to start up a project, how much research goes into a body of work and most importantly, what my future could potentially look like.
During my time at Hive, I had the opportunity to co-create an AI chatbot designed to assist the company internally. I expanded my knowledge of Python and explored the various aspects of assembling a working chatbot. Additionally, I learned how to prepare and organise myself to share or lead in team meetings. My confidence in presenting also grew; during my very first Show and Tell, I successfully discussed my chatbot project with the entire company, effectively communicating my points and answering questions while engaging everyone in the room.
What's next?
Now that my time at Hive is unfortunately coming to an end and my course nearing its end as well, I have been looking forward to applying and getting into university in 2025, more specifically, I have been looking at the degree apprenticeship route for my future. I hope to continue with IT and eventually become a full-stack software developer primarily working on AI-related projects.
Long story short...
Something I have always believed in is that your dreams are not limited by anything other than your imagination. Never allow yourself to fit into a box that can’t hold all your possibilities, you never know where you might end up!
And if you are ever so lucky to find yourself at Hive IT, you’ve definitely taken a step in the right direction!
