Should I think about becoming an intern?

Chloe Lewis is taking a year out from her computer science degree at the University of Bath to take an internship at Intel as an IoT technical sales specialist. She spoke to Villiers Park about what she has learned.

How did you become an intern?

As a child growing up in the Swindon area, Intel have always been a company who I have had close links with. When I was at school, I attended many sessions at the Intel office where I was introduced to the latest technology and given an opportunity to engage in many activities - one of the most notable being the Bloodhound project. During my second year at university I started to look for placement opportunities and Intel immediately came to mind. I looked on their jobs page and found this role, which sounded like it would suit my skill set. I applied, had a telephone interview, got invited to an in-person interview and was successful in getting the role!

What does the role involve?

My role involves working within the Internet of Things Technical Programs and Enablement Team. My role at Intel is very varied, with the opportunity to get involved in testing and validating our next generation processors, providing customers with technical help on our products, benchmarking AI solutions on the latest Intel hardware, and much more. With Intel being a multinational company, the chance to work with different people across the globe is at your fingertips, all you need to do is reach out!

What are the most useful things you’ve learned?

As our former CEO Bob Swan said: “If it were easy, anybody could do it. Because it’s not, it’s meant for Intel.” This quote really resonates with me, and since having the opportunity to work for Intel I have met some of the most talented and incredible people. Along my journey I have learnt that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s an opportunity to gain a broader network of contacts and a chance to expand my understanding of the business and the different roles within the company.

What are your future plans for after you’ve completed the internship?

After my internship I will return to the University of Bath to complete the final year of my computer science degree. Upon completing my studies, I would love to come back to Intel and continue working alongside a team of highly-skilled individuals, whilst furthering my knowledge of cutting-edge technology.

What advice would you give to other people considering becoming an intern?

My placement year has provided me with more business knowledge and experience than I ever could have imagined, and I would strongly recommend an internship at Intel to anybody. We have a wide range of internships available in both technical and non-technical roles, so if you too would like to become a part of Intel’s journey to "do something wonderful", then the opportunities are limitless.