Intern of the Week: Shouray Kumra for Data Science!

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 13:17:04 -0400
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Name: Shouray Kumra

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: NewWave Telecom and Technologies Inc.

Position Title: Technical Intern II

Major(s)/Minor(s):Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Data Science

Current Class Level: Master's Student

Work Term: Summer 2020 to Spring 2021

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

My day-to-day responsibilities are based on Azure World, our company works closely with Microsoft, therefore, we make full use of Azure and other cloud services. My role is to be a specialist in Data Engineering Artificial Intelligence using Azure services so that we could offer services to our clients who are looking to switch to cloud based services. I work in a team of 5 where we each have designated responsibilities. Me and one of my team members built an automated Email system using cloud services like AI, Language Understanding, etc. It is published in Microsoft apps which goes by the name 'SmartMailAI'. Currently, our team is working on building a Search Service and will be out soon after the final phase completion.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I started my job hunt journey in early December 2019 and it was late June 2020 until I had any luck. I applied for the position through Indeed. My application was promising and demanded flexibility. I heard back from the company after 20-25 days and was invited to have a virtual interview. The interview was for one hour in which I was interviewed by the VP of Engineering and Microsoft Solutions and the Data Science Head of the company. They were impressed by my resume as I had a publication which helped me to land a job there. I got help to polish my resume in a Resume Review through the Career Center, they corrected my resume and made minor changes. Finally, I used coding practice from 'Hacker Rank' and interview preparation from top 100 questions found on Google.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

The most intriguing thing was that the company was patient with me as I did not have a background in Cloud. I was given time to learn about it as soon as I was handed over a project which required good knowledge about AI services in Azure. I was really excited to get my first project within the first month of my time there. My supervisor is very helpful and supportive which makes me comfortable and this pushes me to be more hardworking.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I successfully finished a project there and it was published as one of the Microsoft's Apps named 'SmartMailAI' which automates the Email process for an organization and helps them to answer thousands of mails within no time. Further, I have made some ads with the help of the creative team of an organization that will be soon published in Microsoft offerings which displays what our company is capable of in terms of AI and cognitive services. I designed the modules and services that will be provided to the customers who decide to take our services. Lastly, I am currently working in a team of 5 to build a search service like google but it offers more in terms of personal data and security.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would advise students to not lose hope and continue their job hunt. I had to try for 8 months before I landed my first job. First thing they should do is book an appointment with the Career Center for a Resume Review, which, in my opinion, is the most critical step as your resume should be flawless. Secondly, never skip a day practicing what you are studying or have on the resume because an organization can ask you unexpected questions from your resume; be thorough with the projects and publications you have on your resume.

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