Software developer intern Review

Interning at Metaswitch is a very rewarding experience. The company spends a lot of time and effort organising social events to help you feel welcome. The work itself is very interesting, and anyone who enjoys problem solving will have a good time working here. There are a large number of interns (~30) and so there are lots of people to enjoy the free drinks with!

I was given a mentor to help me with day to day problems I had with my project, and to ask any questions I had about the company. I was also in frequent contact with my manager who would talk to me about my progress and discuss any problems I was having.

I was given full responsibility for the project I was working on, and so I was busy trying to complete this project and working out what I needed to do next. I was never expected to work outside of work hours, and did not feel like I was being over worked during my placement.

I was given full responsibility for the project I was working on during the summer, and asked to track my own progress, estimate when I would finish it, and communicate any problems I was having with the rest of the team to keep them up to date and ask for help.

I was given training in a number of programming language, as well as communication and organisational skills that will be useful in my later studies. There is a week dedicated to intern training and fun, as well as lots of seminars available to learn about job hunting, CV skills, software development, code management, etc.

There are free biscuits and drinks, a ping pong table, and an arcade machine in my office. The atmosphere is relaxed, and it never feels like anyone is putting any unpleasant pressure on you. The office is in a great location, and was recently refurbished. There are frequent pub trips and other events organised by people in the office, which interns are always invited to.

Metaswitch has been running the internship program for a long time, and in fact many of the managers and employees were interns themselves decades ago. Therefore, they know exactly how to set up an enjoyable and rewarding internship each time. There are around 30 interns each year, with the number per team limited so there are enough team resources to mentor each intern fully.

Metaswitch plans for the mentors of interns to spend a certain amount of time each week helping their intern. This close guidance is very valuable as you are never stuck on a problem for too long. There are also frequent training seminars and access to a vast knowledgebase that help you learn quickly from others who are experts in their fields.

The beer is very expensive in Edinburgh, However, the company organised and subsidised accommodation which helped with the cost of living. The company also organises frequent drink events where your drinks are paid for. The company also pays enough for you to live comfortably in the area and still save up a bit for university.

Yes, there were many events such as drinks, sports, pub lunches, meals out, and special trips to go karting and other places. There are also night events such as board games and poker. Interns are encouraged to go to all of the events available to the full time members of staff. Many of the activities are subsidised by the company.