Xiaohan is a current Computer Science student who completed his placement year at Expedia Group. This post gives a great overview of his onboarding experience and what it was like working as a software engineer intern.
Placement year, a new world waiting for you to discover
Have you ever thought how does the tech industry look like and how would you fit it? I have always been thinking about whether my studies in computer science would be enough for getting into those top tech companies, given that most of the outcomes from the course are theoretical. This was until I came across the placement year opportunity, and decided, why not try it by myself before completing my course?
After weeks of preparation, I finally got my placement opportunity at Expedia Group as a Software Engineer Intern. I went in without much software engineering knowledge but was eager to start learning and experiencing new technologies that I have not met before. I got into a team full of senior developers and can proudly say that it was one of the greatest experiences I had. As an intern, you get to work side by side with great people and learn from them, while also being able to acquire new skills at your own pace without being overwhelmed with tasks. Isn’t this amazing? Most importantly, you come out from the placement year with a whole new set of skills which you can then apply in your 3rd-year modules, especially in your dissertation project. And never forget that you will earn your first bucket of gold from the tech industry before even completing your course!
The application process for getting into your target companies can be quite tedious, but here is where King’s Career Services come into play. They are always available to help you throughout the process and I would firmly say that I would not have gotten into Expedia Group without their enormous amount of assistance. If you are insecure about whether to take a placement year, you will always be welcome to have a little talk with them. You will not regret it and promise that it will open a whole new world in the tech industry for you to discover!