This turned out to be inaccurate as the days turned into weeks and I got a better feel for the IT Department and Yellowstone Landscape’s culture. I had only one previous IT internship and I assumed this one would be like my last, that for the most part I would be ignored and given busy work. That has not been the case, the culture is very social, and communication is a must! The people here care about my progress and want to make sure I not only do a good job for the company but learn at the same time. I grew skills here that I couldn’t and didn’t get in school, skills that will serve me in my professional life for years to come. Melody, my direct boss and one of my Mentors, is one of the best people I could work with. She is a driving force to keep us on task and always makes time to explain how to complete those tasks.
As part of this team it is my job to solve people’s problems, whether it be a printer, laptop, phone, scanner, email or anything tech related. Critical thinking skills, are well, critical for this job and those don’t grow over night. You are trained by doing tasks, to think the situation through and help users, most of which aren’t tech savvy. Sometimes it’s as simple as restarting a device or pressing a button someone missed. Other times it’s reconfiguring ports for printers or adding users to groups, things most users can’t do. So over time you learn to think in the way that can best help whatever situation.
Overall this has been a tremendous experience and I couldn’t imagine a more inviting place. The Yellowstone Landscape IT Internship is a real work experience. You are held accountable and expected to complete your assigned work fully and professionally. From the people, to the work environment, to the events, Yellowstone Landscape stands above the rest and will prepare you for your career. Personally, I don’t think I could be happier working anywhere else!