At AB Dynamics, we offer a variety of opportunities for those starting out in their career or looking to strengthen their academic studies with hands-on experience. Nurturing talent is a key part of our CSR goals, which is why we partner with local schools, colleges, and universities, offering interesting and rewarding apprenticeships, placement schemes and work experience.
In this blog post we turn to Uvindu Wijesinghe, a Senior Embedded Design Engineer, and Avishka Weerasingha, a recent summer intern, for their invaluable perspectives on the AB Dynamics internship programme. Their experiences shed light on the symbiotic relationship of internships for both students and the company.
How would you describe your overall experience at AB Dynamics?
Avishka (Intern): My overall experience at AB Dynamics was fantastic. It's an environment where learning and hands-on application of skills go hand in hand while contributing to the company's goals. Working alongside incredibly talented engineers, I found a supportive atmosphere where personalities meshed seamlessly, and everyone was keen on helping each other learn and grow.
In what ways has your time here contributed to your growth as an engineer?
Avishka (Intern): My time at AB Dynamics has significantly contributed to my growth as an engineer in several impactful ways. One major task involved diagnosing an underlying issue with a customer-returned product, an area untouched by the engineering team. This challenge threw me into the deep end, requiring me to eagerly learn new material and navigate setbacks with resilience, ultimately fostering my confidence as an engineer who can tackle problems with minimal prior knowledge.
What are the key skills you have gained during your time at AB Dynamics?
Avishka (Intern): Throughout my time at AB Dynamics, I've gained a robust set of key skills that significantly enhanced my professional capabilities. Notably, my proficiency in C programming, especially in the realm of embedded systems, saw substantial improvement.
What has been the highlight of your summer internship? Have you worked on any interesting projects?
Avishka (Intern): The highlight of my summer internship at AB Dynamics is undoubtedly my primary project, an intricate task to diagnose and resolve an undisclosed underlying issue with an AB Dynamics product. With no prior knowledge of the issue, I took on the responsibility of diagnosing and proposing a solution, seeking advice and guidance from fellow engineers.
Would you recommend a summer internship with AB Dynamics?
Avishka (Intern): Absolutely, I would definitely recommend going for a summer internship at AB Dynamics. The company has an excellent working culture, and you'll have the chance to work alongside some highly skilled and experienced engineers in the industry.
Do you have any advice for students wanting to do a summer internship?
Avishka (Intern): My advice is to engage in extracurricular activities beyond your university degree, showcasing your eagerness to get ahead. Beyond just technical skills, engaging in such activities allows you to develop essential non-technical skills, including collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams with diverse technical backgrounds, vital for a successful summer internship.
Can you tell us about your experience with summer interns at AB Dynamics?
Uvi (Manager): They have been a great addition to our team at AB Dynamics. They bring in fresh eyes and energy into our teams and help us take on new challenges, which we would otherwise not have time to investigate.
What unique insights do summer interns typically bring to your team?
Uvi (Manager): "They give us a good insight into what is currently being taught at university and allow us to gauge what areas within engineering that students are gravitating towards. This also allows us to pre-empt which areas students who are entering the industry might need additional support and training in, and which areas they are likely to be more comfortable and familiar with.
How do summer interns generally affect a team’s dynamic? In what ways?
Uvi (Manager): They enhance the capability of the team as they increase the number of projects or improvements we can be working on at any given time. They are often given a 1-week training stint within our testing and commissioning team to get them an understanding of what our products are and how they work.
How do you balance giving interns challenging tasks while ensuring they are not overwhelmed?
Uvi (Manager): Every placement student we hire will have different strengths and weaknesses. I aim to provide tasks they can work on which lie at the edge of their comfort zone, creeping into the unknown. I have regular informal check-ins to ensure they are not facing any roadblocks, and I encourage them to come to me if they have any questions.
How do you measure the success of a summer intern in their role?
Uvi (Manager): I measure success by determining what the student and the company gained during their time with us. It is important to me that the student has learned something new or gained a new skill while employed here. Similarly, they should feel like they have contributed positively to the company by helping solve challenges or contribute to the development of our products.
For those interested in kick-starting their career with AB Dynamics, we will be showcasing a range of early career opportunities on our website’s careers page in February 2024.