By Tahera Shaikh IT Intern
During my summer internship at the Pension Boards' IT department, I had an amazing experience and learned a great deal about the company and my own career aspirations. The projects I was assigned were both challenging and rewarding. I had the opportunity to work on various tasks, including developing a program for contribution file transmissions to Fidelity, creating employee and member ID generators, and designing annuity workbooks.
The support and guidance I received from the team were incredible. They were always there to clarify any doubts I had and allowed me to take ownership of my projects while providing the necessary support and knowledge to succeed.
Being a part of the daily meetings helped me understand the entire project management lifecycle, from requirements gathering to solution design, development, testing, and production. Working hands-on with Python, MS SQL, and Azure DevOps gave me valuable programming experience and taught me how to integrate different environments effectively.
One of the highlights of the internship was the leadership roundtable sessions. Every week, we had the opportunity to hear from each department about their roles and contributions to the organization. It provided me with a broader understanding of how the different teams collaborate and contribute to the company's success. Moreover, the organization-wide project was an outstanding learning experience. Collaborating with other interns and departments, we delved into the psychology behind personal finance decision-making. It was fulfilling to see how each individual's strengths and skills contributed to the cohesive final product that was presented to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.
As the summer came to an end, I realized how much I have grown both personally and professionally. The internship has instilled in me a deeper passion for programming and a drive to make a positive impact through my work. I am immensely thankful for the wonderful group of people I had the privilege to work with, and I will carry the lessons and experiences gained at Pension Boards with me as I embark on my future career endeavors.