My Experiences as an International Intern

Working as an intern abroad provides valuable learnings both professionally and personally. In this article, I will share some of my key takeaways from interning in Bangalore, India and San Francisco, USA.

Laying the Foundation

I have always been interested in data science and machine learning. During my undergraduate studies at IIT Kanpur, I took several courses related to statistical modelling and data analysis. This helped me secure an internship opportunity with ABB India as a Data Science Intern through my university’s placement cell. I was stationed in Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, and mentored by Rupesh Khare, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and London Business School. Mr. Khare played a pivotal role in guiding me through real-world projects and helping expand my technical skills and business acumen.

Navigating a New Environment

Moving to a new city abroad comes with its own set of challenges. When I first arrived in Bangalore, I had to get accustomed to living in a paying guest (PG) accommodation rather than a hostel. Adjusting to the local cuisine also took some effort as a lifelong vegetarian. In San Francisco, being in a completely foreign country further amplified the sense of unfamiliarity. Factors like drastic time zone differences and having to find vegetarian food options made me feel homesick during the initial weeks. Added to this, the prevalence of guns in the US made me feel unsafe walking alone at night.

Gaining Valuable Industry Exposure

My internship at ABB India provided tremendous hands-on experience working on live data science projects. Under Rupesh’s guidance, I learned to view problems from a business perspective and communicate solutions effectively to stakeholders. We were even given the opportunity to present our work directly to the country’s Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director. Such high-level exposure at an early stage of my career was highly valuable. In San Francisco, I attended numerous hackathons, career fairs and company events. Networking with professionals from diverse backgrounds helped broaden my understanding of different career paths in technology.

Building Technical Competency

At ABB, I was involved in tasks like data analysis, statistical modelling, and developing end-to-end solutions. Through trial and error, I gained deeper knowledge of algorithms, tools like machine learning libraries, and best practices in project management. During my internship in the US, free online courses on platforms like Coursera supplemented my technical learning. Late nights spent Googling and troubleshooting code bugs helped strengthen problem-solving abilities. After months of effort, I independently built a full-stack news recommendation system using Django, TensorFlow and MongoDB.

Cultural Immersion and Personal Growth

Living abroad provided the opportunity to explore new places beyond work. In Bangalore, I frequently visited locations like malls, cafes, parks and heritage sites on weekends. When in the US, I made trips to diverse cities like New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and San Diego. Experiencing cultural diversity first-hand helped nurture tolerance and global outlook. Financially, the internship incomes helped clear my educational loans. On a personal level, being thrown into environments where peers were often more skilled forced me to challenge assumptions and grow intellectually.

Lasting Industry Connections

To this date, I have remained in touch with my mentor Rupesh through professional networking sites. He continues to provide career guidance and advice on investing in self-development. The connections formed during internship events and company visits expanded my professional network within the tech industry. Alumni from those organizations often reach out for referrals or collaboration opportunities. Overall, international internships offer rich opportunities to immerse in professional domains, build technical expertise, and enhance soft skills through exposure to varied cultures and environments abroad.

Conclusion

My internship experiences widened perspectives about diverse topics like problem-solving approaches, effective communication of solutions, and cultural relativity. Spending extended periods abroad to work and learn helped foster independence, global-mindedness and an entrepreneurial outlook. The technical and soft skills developed during the internships continue to benefit my graduate studies and future career choices. I remain grateful to mentors like Rupesh who invested their time and wisdom to guide interns towards becoming well-rounded professionals.