LINK - PESCO IT Department
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My LINK Internship was with PESCO, Inc. in Farmington, New Mexico. I worked in their IT department with the department head, James. Most days, I worked on computers doing imaging. That means that installed operating systems, as well as some coding and working on some servers.
Finding My Internship:
Finding my internship was a difficult process. At first, I wanted to work with the National Weather Service and I applied to be an intern there, but it didn't work out because my uncle, who lives in Washington D.C. wasn't able to find any contacts at NWS. So, I went back to the drawing board with one of my teachers and we searched for local IT service providers and companies and we found GitPrime. I emailed them and inquiry and made it through the application process, but then they decided that the time wasn't right to host an intern and so I was back to square one. Luckily, the LINK coordinator, Janae, knew James and introduced the two of us. He agreed to take me on as an intern.
Challenges I Encountered:
The challenges I encountered were several. As I mentioned, several things fell through before I was able to get an internship with James and PESCO. I was a little disappointed when the National Weather Service didn't come through. I was more disappointed by GitPrime. It seemed to me like they waited a while and let me go through a long process before saying no, which I found a little frustrating.
Explain Why You Chose This Particular Opportunity:
I chose interning with James and PESCO because I wanted to learn more about what it would be like to work in IT. I was also up against the deadline for selecting an internship and so it made deciding a bit easier.
What I Hope To Gain From The Experience:
I hoped to gain more knowledge about computers, servers, and systems. I've been interested in computers and coding and hacking for a long time and I thought that working for three weeks straight with computers would be a great way to do this.
What I Hope To Bring To The Business:
I hoped to bring my knowledge of technology as well as my enthusiasm for all things computers.
What Mark Will You Leave At Your Internship?:
I think the mark that I left at PESCO was pretty tangible. I moved a lot of things, I formatted a lot of things, I did a lot of uploading.
REFLECTION:
The skills and abilities I brought to my internship were general knowledge of coding and computers and these were useful because they helped me when James asked me to image computers, and especially when we built a server.
The most important skill I developed during LINK was independence. I developed my independence by working alone a lot, as well as being given tasks that I was expected to complete without anyone looking over my shoulder. I learned that I have people with me who keep me on task a lot and it was strange to have to navigate working solo. I learned that I really like being around people and talking to people. I also learned that IT work is pretty individual. I've been thinking a lot about the tension between those two. If I worked alone most of the time, would I still be myself? Or would I be someone completely different? People spend lots of time at work and that time can't help but affect who we are.
How I Grew Through Challenges and Shortcomings During LINK:
James asked me to figure things out by myself a lot. This was challenging because I didn't know where things were supposed to go, and I didn't want to mess up or make a mistake. Instead, I asked for help a lot. I was less worried about asking James for help. James was really good about helping me when I needed it.
A big part of my challenges were that I have ADHD and that I spaced out a lot. I don't think that James really got that my ADHD was affecting me in the ways that it was. I had to remind myself to keep pushing forward and to look for things to do.
Argue Your Case For PESCO Continuing To Accept HS Interns:
A lot of people my age like working in IT and, because PESCO is a small business, internships are a great way to add value and new thinking to their organization. It's also a good way to find new tech talent.
Describe How The Internship Process Has Prepared You For College & Career Readiness:
The LINK internship process taught me that I have to be independent and that there won't always be people who are there for you to help you get through your work and what you need to do. I learned that instead, you have to figure out what you want and how you want to make it happen.
My LINK Internship was with PESCO, Inc. in Farmington, New Mexico. I worked in their IT department with the department head, James. Most days, I worked on computers doing imaging. That means that installed operating systems, as well as some coding and working on some servers.
Finding My Internship:
Finding my internship was a difficult process. At first, I wanted to work with the National Weather Service and I applied to be an intern there, but it didn't work out because my uncle, who lives in Washington D.C. wasn't able to find any contacts at NWS. So, I went back to the drawing board with one of my teachers and we searched for local IT service providers and companies and we found GitPrime. I emailed them and inquiry and made it through the application process, but then they decided that the time wasn't right to host an intern and so I was back to square one. Luckily, the LINK coordinator, Janae, knew James and introduced the two of us. He agreed to take me on as an intern.
Challenges I Encountered:
The challenges I encountered were several. As I mentioned, several things fell through before I was able to get an internship with James and PESCO. I was a little disappointed when the National Weather Service didn't come through. I was more disappointed by GitPrime. It seemed to me like they waited a while and let me go through a long process before saying no, which I found a little frustrating.
Explain Why You Chose This Particular Opportunity:
I chose interning with James and PESCO because I wanted to learn more about what it would be like to work in IT. I was also up against the deadline for selecting an internship and so it made deciding a bit easier.
What I Hope To Gain From The Experience:
I hoped to gain more knowledge about computers, servers, and systems. I've been interested in computers and coding and hacking for a long time and I thought that working for three weeks straight with computers would be a great way to do this.
What I Hope To Bring To The Business:
I hoped to bring my knowledge of technology as well as my enthusiasm for all things computers.
What Mark Will You Leave At Your Internship?:
I think the mark that I left at PESCO was pretty tangible. I moved a lot of things, I formatted a lot of things, I did a lot of uploading.
REFLECTION:
The skills and abilities I brought to my internship were general knowledge of coding and computers and these were useful because they helped me when James asked me to image computers, and especially when we built a server.
The most important skill I developed during LINK was independence. I developed my independence by working alone a lot, as well as being given tasks that I was expected to complete without anyone looking over my shoulder. I learned that I have people with me who keep me on task a lot and it was strange to have to navigate working solo. I learned that I really like being around people and talking to people. I also learned that IT work is pretty individual. I've been thinking a lot about the tension between those two. If I worked alone most of the time, would I still be myself? Or would I be someone completely different? People spend lots of time at work and that time can't help but affect who we are.
How I Grew Through Challenges and Shortcomings During LINK:
James asked me to figure things out by myself a lot. This was challenging because I didn't know where things were supposed to go, and I didn't want to mess up or make a mistake. Instead, I asked for help a lot. I was less worried about asking James for help. James was really good about helping me when I needed it.
A big part of my challenges were that I have ADHD and that I spaced out a lot. I don't think that James really got that my ADHD was affecting me in the ways that it was. I had to remind myself to keep pushing forward and to look for things to do.
Argue Your Case For PESCO Continuing To Accept HS Interns:
A lot of people my age like working in IT and, because PESCO is a small business, internships are a great way to add value and new thinking to their organization. It's also a good way to find new tech talent.
Describe How The Internship Process Has Prepared You For College & Career Readiness:
The LINK internship process taught me that I have to be independent and that there won't always be people who are there for you to help you get through your work and what you need to do. I learned that instead, you have to figure out what you want and how you want to make it happen.
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