Raza, Internship in Software Development

Could you tell us a little about your internship project at Vaisala?

I worked within Vaisala R&D where I completed a software development project. It was mainly comprised of software programming in C++. The purpose was to process the weather observation data in an efficient manner and to interface it with weather models.

What made you interested in the Giant Leap internship program?

Undoubtedly the statements on the Giant Leap website were true representations of my aspirations as a science student looking forward to a bright and prosperous career. There can be no other substitute to practical work experience in a multinational company of this size. Importantly, the domains of internships offered by Vaisala were in direct relevance to my areas of interest.

What is your educational background? Do you feel you could apply your skills and knowledge during your time at Vaisala?

I have a rather multidisciplinary education. I have a BS degree in Computer and Information Sciences with 1+ year of work experience at a Climate Change research organization in Pakistan. This exposure to climate science motivated me to know more about atmospheric sciences. Consequently, I went to Sweden and joined the Department of Meteorology at Stockholm University (MISU), in September 2007. As I have knowledge of both engineering and meteorology, I was able to grasp the meteorological concepts and translate them into engineering logic through software programming.

What have you learned from the internship?

Valuable work experience was my biggest take-away from the program. Working in a real professional environment provided me with insight into aspects like teamwork, responsibility, customer oriented approach, time constraints and the ability to translate ideas into reality.

How would you describe Vaisala as an employer to students who are seeking an internship?

If you are looking for a place where there are able supervisors, helpful colleagues, required resources at your disposal, freedom to express your ideas and room to learn new things, then my recommendation would be to join Vaisala. I strongly feel that it would be the most appropriate way to use your educational skills under the umbrella of an environment rich in learning and polishing the creative side of an individual.