A Memorable Start to My Career
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to begin my professional journey as an Apprentice Backend Developer at Sky Portugal. It was a transformative experience where I learned, grew, and collaborated with a talented and supportive team in an inspiring and dynamic environment.
Key Contributions and Achievements
One of the highlights of my internship was working on the development, enhancement, and deployment of a Slack Bot designed to automate repetitive manual processes. A significant part of my work involved migrating the bot’s codebase from Python to Kotlin, a project that allowed me to make meaningful contributions by:
- Structuring the code more effectively for better readability and maintainability.
- Improving test coverage to ensure the bot’s robustness and reliability.
- Establishing a scalable foundation to support future development and integrations.
This project gave me a deeper understanding of how to structure code effectively, hands-on experience in development, and exposure to best practices for code migration. Along the way, I also sharpened my problem-solving skills and gained confidence in building scalable systems.
Embracing Agile Workflows and Best Practices
Another valuable aspect of this internship was learning how to work within a professional development framework. We followed an Agile methodology, which emphasized collaboration, adaptability, and iterative progress.
I participated in:
- Daily Scrums, keeping the team on the same page and in sync.
- Sprint planning sessions to set clear, achievable goals.
- Retrospectives to evaluate progress and identify areas for improvement.
In addition to Agile workflows, I adopted several best practices, such as:
- Writing clean, maintainable code that adheres to best practices.
- Conducting code reviews to ensure quality and consistency.
- Using version control systems like Git for efficient collaboration.
- Implementing unit tests to maintain reliability and robustness.
- Creating clear and detailed documentation to support future development.
These experiences gave me a firsthand look at how professional teams operate, teaching me to balance technical work with collaborative processes.
Gratitude and Acknowledgments
I want to express my sincere gratitude to my mentors, managers, and colleagues at Sky Portugal. Their guidance, support, and encouragement made this journey not only enriching but also enjoyable. They played a vital role in helping me transition from an academic setting to a professional workplace.
Looking Ahead
This internship has been an incredible stepping stone in my career. It not only provided me with practical skills and professional experience but also gave me the confidence to take on future challenges. I’m excited to build on everything I’ve learned and explore new opportunities to grow as a professional.