My name is Toby and I’m studying Computer Science at university. I’ve just completed my second year and during these past two years, I’ve felt a hunger and desire to know what a role in tech (and the world of work) would look like. I found that although university had taught me about interesting and complex areas of the subject, I often struggled to relate what I was learning back to its use in real-life software engineering situations. I wanted to experience it for myself.
Through a little research, I looked for opportunities over the summer break of 2022 and it was at this point that I found Compare the Market – instantly recognisable from the meerkats that we all know and love. They offered three types of tech internship: Software Development, Cloud Operations and DevOps. Initially I was unsure, but after reading into each role a little more, Software Development was most suited to me. I decided to apply to Compare the Market after speaking with a current employee who described the company as friendly, reputable and empowering – all of which have proven to be true during my time here.
““Overall, I had an amazing experience and would happily come back and work for Compare the Market after finishing my degree. And whether you are just starting your career, or would like to change into tech, I couldn’t recommend the internship experience more!”
Toby WhittomeSummer Intern | Tech
Interning at Compare the Market has developed my skills in a huge range of areas. I’m part of a team of around eight developers and I work with them daily, doing activities such as pair programming, testing and code reviewing. I’ve learnt and improved my knowledge of front-end development, using React JS, Docker and more. I was buddied with an experienced engineer on my team who taught me the process of working to solve problems when I didn’t understand or was stuck on something. And within my team, there’s a personal development day once every fortnight, the idea being that you use it to learn a new skill, which will benefit your personal career development. I found this idea very forward-thinking and employee focused.
Overall, I had an amazing experience and would happily come back and work for Compare the Market after finishing my degree. And whether you are just starting your career, or would like to change into tech, I couldn’t recommend the internship experience more!
Aside from tech, one of the most interesting things has been just being involved in a large-scale company. An opportunity to learn from first-hand experience how they run, how teams collaborate on projects, company ethos and much more. Working in large-scale companies had previously been described to me as uninspiring and constricting and as a result, I was initially sceptical. However, my worries quickly disappeared after learning that Compare the Market really does seem a great place to work. They put the needs and health of employees above enforcing severe hours and deadlines, which was very attractive to me. I also had intern perks, including free breakfasts (in the office), Meerkat movies + meals, regular team building sessions and company socials.
Whatever your specialist area, wherever you are in your journey, we’d love to hear from you.
