Before reading this post, you should read Do or do not, there is no try. (if you haven't already)

It's curious where the flow of life can take place.

If I could travel back in time to talk to my past self (that young, freshman or sophomore Telecommunications student) and tell him I'm working as an intern at a web development company, he probably wouldn't believe me. Me, who spent years swearing off programming, along with my college friends, assuring each other that we'd never enter the job market as programmers because once you start out as a programmer, you're a programmer for life. It's funny to see how all of us who have already entered the workforce have come to eat those innocent words.

Telecommunications Engineer specializing in Image and Sound. I emphasize Image and Sound because I could have chosen to specialize in Telematics during my third year, but, as I mentioned before, we had our sights set on a different kind of work. A job that few achieve, or that is mostly not intended for Engineers. I remember several visits we made to various companies with the University, asking about the number of Engineers on staff. You could count them on one hand at each company. Disheartening. I don't know a single colleague in my specialization who is working in the field they truly wanted when they chose this specialization.

And there I was, waiting to finish my final year project to receive my degree, when the opportunity to join Soltel presented itself. My knowledge of computer science was based on five subjects from my degree; I knew a lot and nothing in particular, and I'd had to repeat some of those subjects because I preferred to focus on more appealing ones. I was looking for a job as a programmer.

No experience was required for the training course, which, considering the job market in this country, practically requires a Master's degree or half a lifetime of work experience to be an intern. This, along with the opportunity to learn a trade, is what caught my attention. I decided to put my prejudices aside and choose a new path in life. So, from the moment I saw the offer, I started preparing as much as I could, revisiting my old, forgotten study materials and delving into the language most frequently advertised on any job search website: Java. I've always been quite inquisitive, and if something caught my eye, I didn't hesitate to explore it. So, I took the plunge…

It's been a month and a half since I joined the Soltel internship team. That me who used to hate programming has vanished. It's funny how something I once found tedious now captures my attention and motivates my efforts. And I think this training course and the people involved are largely responsible for that. The course is far better than I could have imagined. They essentially tailor us to the company's needs, without demanding more than we can give, but with the hope that we can prove we can be a valuable asset. They always have time to answer your questions, and that, combined with the company's positive atmosphere, makes the days fly by and I feel comfortable working there.

And what can I say about what I've learned in this month and a half? I've evolved like a Fibonacci sequence, week by week. Yes, from the beginning I had the vision to solve any problem, but I lacked the skills to use the tools to do so. And despite my tireless searches for information to solve problems, if it weren't for my five wonderful colleagues (a team of interns) by my side, I wouldn't have learned so much in such a short time. It's wonderful to see how we support each other and help each other solve any problem that arises. We are a team, and this is one of the things the company has fostered from the very beginning.

As a fun side note, there's a Star Wars vibe at the company. It turns out the interns are the Padawans and the employees are the Jedi, with a weekly prize awarded after voting for Yoda of the Week (complete with a light-up figurine). I like to think I'm a bit like Finn (mini spoiler for Episode VII), who started as an Imperial soldier, became a Rebel soldier, and whose future is uncertain (he could die in the future or become someone who makes a real difference in history).

This post might have ended up being a bit long, but I felt it was necessary to write it. You'll see that I don't hold anything back when I write, so I can honestly say that I'll always be grateful to Soltel for being the first company to give me the opportunity to work.
This is my story. The story of an intern.

Signed: Antonio