This winter, for 8 weeks – from January 7th to February 29th - I worked as an intern at IBM Korea. Though still mistaken as a PC company, it’s a fact that IBM sold its PC division in 1995 and has since focused on leading the IT industry with emphasis on innovation. As a top notch business solution company, IBM manufactures and sells hardware and software, as well as offering consulting services and technical services.

When selecting the division I wanted to work in, I applied for Global Technology Service(GTS) because I wanted a more direct experience in the IT industry. Not only did I want to see the technology in action, but I also wanted to learn about its capacity to increase efficiency in business processes. After being selected, I was assigned to the Maintenance and Technical Support (MTS) division, which is under GTS.

The internship started off with an orientation. It consisted of informative sessions such as basic history of IBM and its values, marketing and global trends in the IT industry, and MBTI workshop. I was very proud to see that out of the total 56 interns selected, there were quite a few Ewhaians.

All interns were assigned to mentors whom would guide them throughout the course of the internship. The six interns (including myself) in MTS were under one jolly and talented mentor, and he kindly informed us of our schedule each week. Also, he avidly organized weekly MTS educative lectures and roundtable sessions by new and experienced employees whom helped us draw an overall picture of the functions of MTS and life as an IBMer. What’s more, the Human Resources office organized weekly lectures that covered broader subjects regarding IBM and essential individual skills.

I spent most of my days not in the headquarters in Dogok, but instead in several client companies of IBM. There, I was able to observe the delivery of technical support, and also the maintenance of hardware like mainframes. It is worth noting that the focus is always on the needs of the client, and this is a hard yet rewarding effort. If you think doing 9 to 6 is hard, imagine being on constant stand-by for any malfunctions. Furthermore, I was amazed how resiliency of IBM in adapting to change- change of the clients’ needs, as well as change in the IT trends.

Experiencing the IT industry was great. But at the end of the day, there is no doubt that it all comes down to the people. The people I have come know at IBM not only were open and honest about their work experiences, but also respected one another disregarding rank or gender. Finally, the strong bond with my fellow interns through the good and bad has made this internship a lasting memory.

 

 

Shin Eun-jung (International Studies, 4)

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