Amazon Discover: Spring Insight Participant Review

The Insight Programme consisted of several webinars and soft skills workshops where I was able to gain an insight into Amazon and its culture. There were panels as well in which current employees at Amazon talked about thier experience at Amazon as well as what a day in a Software Engineer's life looks like. We were then put into smaller groups with a software developer from Amazon Web Services (AWS) during the technical workshops, where we developed logical thinking and programming skills such as Python and Java to create games and a weather app.

I have definitely learned new skills such as coding in Python as I had very little experience in this field prior to the event. In addition to this, I learned how to develop a logical argument and how to efficiently approach problems. During the soft skills workshops, I was also able to learn how to carry myself during an interview to look confident. We were also taught how to answer questions during an interview using the STAR method.

The programme provided us with a good overview of Amazon and all its different fields, specifically Amazon Web Services. We learned about Amazon's culture and its customer-centric approach. The programme was more geared towards software development engineering so we were told about all the internships and graduate opportunities available in this field. However, we weren't given much information on other potential roles in different fields such as finance as it was a Technology event.

The company culture was very inclusive as the panels consisted of people of different genders and from various different backgrounds which I personally found very inspring and empowering. The atmosphere was positive throughout the 3 days as the presenters were wonderful and the mentors that worked with us during our techncial workshops were very enthusiastic when it came to teaching us how to approach the coding tasks and helping us out with any technical issues.

I enjoyed the insight a lot as I was able to learn a lot about both Amazon and what a career in Software Development looks like. I had a wonderful time getting to know the other interns as well and networking with them. The programme had numerous learning opportunities and I really enjoyed the coding aspects of the workshops as I had never done it before and it was a great opportunity to learn from some of the best.

Yes

I would encourage them to make sure they're CV is up to date and includes relevant work experience as well as extracurricular activities. The process was very smooth so after the initial application with the CV, we had to complete a psychometric test and the best way to prepare for that is to practice situational judgement tests that can be found online and just answering honestly. I would also advise students to brush up on their coding skills prior to the event as they will have to use them.