Investing in the innovators of the future
Catherine Ramsdale
What a difference a year makes! Last August we published a blog post featuring feedback from our 2019 summer interns. Now 12 months later everything has changed dramatically. One impact of COVID-19 is that there has been a significant reduction in work placement opportunities for young people, but at Pragmatic we are pleased to have continued our internship programme. Here Dr Catherine Ramsdale, SVP Technology at Pragmatic, invites our 2020 students to share their experiences of working at Pragmatic during this challenging time.
A unique experience with a unique technology
Joshua Talks is about to start in his 3rd year studying engineering at the University of Cambridge. He has worked with Pragmatic’s Test team for the summer and says, “I was keen to join Pragmatic as I was particularly impressed by the innovative technology used to design and create the FlexICs, as well as the huge range of applications that these open up.” Although Joshua had to work from home because of COVID-19, he confirms, “While this clearly was a different experience, it was a positive one as I was able to work very effectively due to the great support I received from my project supervisors.” He adds, “Working at Pragmatic has been a constructive and enjoyable experience. The company has a friendly atmosphere and I have learnt so much from the project.”
Matias Silva is also studying engineering at the University of Cambridge. He took up an internship in Pragmatic’s Applications team. He says, “I wanted to join a firm for the summer to see what it is like to work in the professional world. Pragmatic appealed to me right away with its cutting-edge innovation and a unique technology that will change the way we interact with everyday objects.” Due to COVID-19, Matias had to move back to Portugal just before lockdown in mid-March, which seriously disrupted his studies and meant he had to work for Pragmatic remotely. He admits, “This was disappointing because I was looking forward to working in the lab I had seen.” Despite the challenges, Matias confirms, “I have found the environment at Pragmatic very welcoming and helpful. It is good to know that my contributions will be used in the real world. I have had a great collaborative experience with my supervisors, and they have been receptive to my ideas.”
Long-lasting benefits
At Pragmatic, we really believe that we benefit greatly as a company from our internship programme. Luke Park, Test Development Engineer, who was a summer intern at Pragmatic a few years ago, has worked with Joshua. Luke comments, “Joshua grasped the nature of the challenge early on and showed a steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of the project stakeholders. We are very grateful for his collaboration this summer.”
Adam Rearden, Electronics Engineer in Pragmatic’s Applications team is impressed with the contribution that Matias has made this summer. “Matias has been instrumental in helping to develop new systems for showcasing our ground-breaking FlexIC technology. His project is a prime example of how internship positions can provide vital inside industry knowledge and experience for students, whilst also delivering impactful, long-lasting benefits to the company.”
Innovators of the future
It’s clear that this continues to be a very challenging time for young people, so we are pleased we were able to offer these two promising engineers the opportunity to gain vital experience working with our innovative technology. We believe in investing in the innovators of the future.