At a glance
The information technology: web development) student is the successful ASC student who was chosen to participate in a paid rotational internship in the Explore RochesterIT program.
The information technology: web development) student is the successful ASC student who was chosen to participate in a paid rotational internship in the Explore RochesterIT program.
With only 18 available spots and 65 applicants from schools such as Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and the University of Rochester (UofR), being selected was no mean feat. After attending the on-campus information session coordinated by ASC’s Career Development Center and learning about the opportunity, Kooy visited the Career Development Center to pump up his resume in order to be more competitive. His hard work paid off when he was chosen as one of the interns for the 2010 rotational program.
This program is a unique experience providing interns with a first-hand understanding of the business and the IT field that might be impossible to gain under other circumstances... and get paid for it too! Students spend three weeks at each of three different organizations that are the top IT employers in Rochester. For example, Iberdrola, USA (formerly Energy East) a Spanish company, maintains its corporate headquarters in Rochester.
“I was honored to attend the closing ceremony, and amazed by the experiences recounted by all 18 interns,” said Computer and Information Technology Department, have been instrumental in our partnering with the Explore RochesterIT program for the past several years. In fact, two years ago we transported students on two buses to an information program at RIT (ASC had the second highest student attendance, behind RIT). This past spring, the information session held on campus was attended by over 70 students. And this year it has been the ultimate reward having ASC represented by such a talented student.”
Matt shared with his fellow interns and the CIOs of UofR, Wegman’s, and Bausch & Lomb, to name a few that ”the internship was an unbelievable experience for me. While working with the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Paychex, I really got a sense of what it will be like when I graduate. Working on projects also allowed me to apply the knowledge I've gained in school to real-world material and not just a class assignment. It also helped me understand the purpose of taking certain classes in school, like Linux, which I thought was completely irrelevant to me; but I worked with Linux/Unix on a project at RIT. There is so much more to IT than I could have imagined. I'm really glad I got the opportunity to participate in this program because it has helped reconfirm that the IT field is for me. I also learned that communication skills are very important along with technical skills but technical skills can be learned on the job, so it is just as important to have a business background and good communication skills.”
“What was most rewarding to hear was that every student strongly believed that they would stay in the Rochester area to work after graduating,” stated Morsman. “This is the ultimate goal of the Explore RochesterIT program: to keep the best and brightest talent right here in upstate New York where there are many great jobs and careers.”
Kooy said it best: "Most students my age haven't gotten this experience before graduating and actually working. It really helped determine my degree choice and what skills I should work on before graduating."