Cloud Services: Pre-Sales Technical Architect Review

I enjoyed many aspects of my work placement. By getting involved in many different sectors of IBM and pushing to discover more than the job role, I found many different routes to develop key skills. I felt a valued member of the team and actively participated in discussions internally and externally.

Being in a full-time job role, working in the office 9-5, I was always surrounded by work colleagues. When opportunities came into the UKI email address, I felt able to discuss with team member the appropriate course of action. Participating in internal and external meetings, I felt able to actively get involved and was not made to feel incompetent.

The management and guidance system is two-tiered. You have both a task manager, someone who sets you tasks day to day, and an early professionals manager (EPM), someone who is there for your personal development and well being within the company. This means you can speak to someone outside the team if you're having any problems in your work placement and they will support your discussions with your task manager. I felt if I needed to discuss anything with my task manager or EPM, I was able to use the appropriate channels.

With regard to the job role and job role alone, I was not particularly busy all of the time. This was based upon opportunities coming though the emails and request for support channels. I made sure to occupy my time, discovering sectors of IBM and developing my skills outside my designated job role. By doing this, I learned much more than the standard placement student- the only person in charge of your learning and development is you!

Managing the UKI Cloud Task ID and designating opportunities to the appropriate solution architect, I prioritised deals to ensure they had appropriate resources assigned. I also assisted the architects with pricing, gathering the mandatory approvals and creating the relevant pricing approval document to then be presented back to the client.

I have developed my communication skills with clients, learned how to network effectively between internal and external personnel and completed multiple team building activities. I built upon my knowledge of excel and the functions and macros involved. The sheer knowledge I have learned is appropriate to my course but this may not be a future endeavor for me. However Cloud is an upcoming, new trend and more employers are beginning to prefer to see modern skills.

The office is full of opportunity to socialise with the Cloud team and also the other interns in the Warwick site. There is a happy buzz between colleagues although it can be quiet on monday's and friday's as some of the other interns work from home or other locations at these times. There tend's to be at least 6 of us in our office section, sometimes ranging up to 20 of us so you won't ever be left completely alone.

There were multiple hurdles: application form, accessment centre, phone interview, business meeting, further business phone call. You have to be prepared to 'jump through the hoops' but the result is well worth the effort! You feel able to communicate with others on the assessment centres which includes a formal interview. You can discuss opportunities within IBM here and learn about possible job roles that interest you.

I have been on multiple training courses based around VMware and the offerings that we provide within IBM Cloud. I have also had the opportunity to develop skills with design thinking, blockchain and Watson. Using the internal portal, there are multiple channels to learn new skills and the company supports this through their think 40 scheme aiming to get all colleagues to complete 40 hours of training each throughout the 12 months.

By completing the internship scheme, the company have invested their time and money into your development. Therefore if your year is successful, you can be fast tracked through to business interviews the following year. By making sure to stand out in your internship and getting endorsement from your colleagues and manager, you maintain a positive experience and likely will return as a graduate if you so wish.

The location is based between Warwick and Coventry University with most students living in Leamington. With 20 plus interns in the Warwick location, if you want to explore the social scene, this is positively accepted but you are not shunned for not participating.

It is quite expensive to live in Leamington. I lived on the outskirts at Stratford-Upon-Avon and drove in but this means further expense on a vehicle. Socialising in the area isn't too expensive with plenty of pubs and a cinema in Leamington.

Not really a nightlife person but there is a couple of clubs nearby and some nice pubs in Leamington and Warwick.

There are university events, a sports centre nearby and there is attraction towards the IBM club which gets you discounted access to comedy gigs, hockey games, cinema nights and bowling to name a few.