Meet Queen-Monica
Q: What are you studying at the moment?
I’m studying Computer Science at DCU. I’m in third year.
Q: Before starting the internship, what did you expect it would be like?
I knew the company works with mobile networks, so I expected something very network-focused — maybe working with things like C or C++. I was preparing for that kind of environment.
But when I started, I realised we’d be learning Clojure, which is a functional programming language. That was actually refreshing. It’s something different and it’s interesting to work with a language I wasn’t already familiar with.
Q: What’s something you’ve learned during the first few days?
One thing that stood out is how much emphasis there is on learning. When we started, they gave us a lot of resources — websites and exercises built specifically so interns can learn the language before moving onto real projects.
Right now we’re focused on learning Clojure, but the plan is that the projects we work on later will actually be used. That’s exciting — knowing that the code you write could end up being deployed.
Q: Has anything been challenging so far?
Functional programming is a bit different from what I’m used to. Languages like Python or Java feel more natural to me, so it took a little time to adjust.
But once you start doing the exercises, you begin to see the patterns. When that happens, things start to make sense quite quickly.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you here?
I take the train in and then it’s about a ten-minute walk to the office. Once I get in, I usually sit beside another intern and we start working through the Clojure exercises.
We use VS Code and run everything on Linux, which is also different because I usually work on Windows. During the day we go through the learning materials and ask questions if we get stuck.
Everyone has been very helpful. The team really encourages us to ask questions.
Q: What’s something people outside the industry might not realise about internships?
A lot of people think internships are going to be stressful — that you’ll be thrown straight into work and expected to know everything.
But that’s not really the reality. Most companies expect you to know very little at the beginning. They take things slowly and help you build up step by step.
Q: What makes technology interesting for you?
It’s how deep it goes. Once you start studying it, you realise that everything around you is connected to software in some way.
Even something simple like a display at a bus stop has code behind it. Once you notice that, you start looking at everyday things differently.
Q: What would you say to other women thinking about studying technology?
It’s not as hard to enter the industry as people sometimes think. Yes, it can be male-dominated, but the people you meet are generally very helpful.
Even if you’re one of the few women in the room, it’s not as intimidating as it might sound. If you have questions, just ask them — don’t let your gender hold you back from being a normal intern.
Q: Do internships make the industry more accessible?
Definitely. Of course it helps your CV, but it’s also really valuable for learning.
You develop skills, confidence, and a better understanding of what kind of work you want to do. When I go back into my final year, I’ll be able to use things I learned during the internship in my final-year project.
Categorised in: Blog