At AnaVation, we believe in cultivating talent by providing real-world experiences that challenge and inspire. This summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming back our second-year interns, who worked on even more complex projects, further honing their skills from their first internship experience. Our interns shared their journey, the new responsibilities they took on, and the growth they experienced during their time with AnaVation.
Building on the Foundations of Last Year
The second-year interns hit the ground running this summer. With their foundational skills already in place, they could dive straight into more challenging tasks. Atyub reflected on how the experience was more dynamic, saying, “We worked on a more challenging project which allowed me to build on the skills I learned from the first summer. I was able to learn from the other second-year interns and their experiences as well.” Elizabeth also appreciated the advantage of returning with a strong foundation: “It was a smoother start since it was a team of second-year interns. We got things started quickly.” For Ryan, this summer allowed the team to apply key learnings from the previous year. “We fully applied what we learned last year. The scope of the work was more complex this year, and it was nice getting into sprint meetings and planning how we can maximize efficiency.”
Taking on New Responsibilities
Many of the interns took on leadership roles and expanded their technical knowledge. Atyub took on the role of Scrum Master. This new responsibility helped refine his leadership and organizational skills: “It was interesting to learn how to set up meetings, manage the team’s time, and monitor our progress—all while still being a developer.” Elizabeth stepped into a leading role as well, “Last year, I was only responsible for the app development, but this year, I had the opportunity to manage both app and web development. I initially took on a leading role since Atyub and I were familiar with RPO and had a similar full stack project.” Meanwhile, Ryan branched out into more advanced AWS tools, saying, “This year, we used more AWS services like Lambda, EC2, Cognito, and RDS. It was an exciting challenge.”
Growing Confidence and Skills
With the increased complexity of their projects, the interns as a whole saw a notable boost in their confidence and professional abilities. As they tackled more challenging tasks, they became more comfortable asking the right questions, delegating responsibilities, and navigating their roles with greater assurance. Their ability to adapt and learn quickly improved, as they embraced new opportunities to explore different aspects of development.
Throughout the summer, the interns also developed a range of new technical skills. They gained experience with AWS services, Scrum planning, Andriod Studio, Java, GeoJSON, and various tools like map libraries, React, Geofence, and location services. Jacob shared how rewarding the experience was to build something tangible and viewable. Working in a team and seeing everything come together in the end showed how much their individual efforts shined in reaching their goal. By the end of the program, they had significantly expanded their professional skill sets, preparing them for future roles in the industry.
Insights Into the Industry
The interns also gained new perspectives on government contracting and cybersecurity, essential elements of AnaVation’s work. Atyub highlighted his exposure to real-world government contracting, stating, “Our product owner gave us real projects and applications that a customer could request. I also learned how to do sprints.” Elizabeth found security and the clearance process fascinating, and Ryan deepened his understanding of the importance of data security in government contracts.
Looking Ahead
As the summer concluded, our interns reflected on their next steps, and many were excited about continuing their journey with AnaVation. Atyub expressed his excitement to start AnaVation full-time after finishing school and getting put on contracts. Elizabeth and Ryan look forward to applying their new skills for future opportunities and billable projects, while Jacob is eager to relocate to Virginia and officially join the AnaVation team.
Their experiences exemplify what we strive for at AnaVation: growth, learning, and meaningful contributions to the team. We’re proud of our interns and look forward to seeing where their careers take them.
