Ferris State University students gain valuable work experience through internships. Internships also can confirm or redirect career decision-making, provide marketability, develop people skills and enhance classroom learning. Many academic programs require one, but the experience is encouraged regardless to provide students with a better understanding of what will be expected of them in the workplace.
Many students are participating in myriad internships this summer. Meet:
Brandon Nylund
He is: a senior in Computer Information Systems, working on a Data Analytics Certificate. Brandon is from Midland.
Brandon’s Internship: He is at Equifax’s Workforce Solutions Center, in St. Louis, Missouri. “My role is centered on application performance monitoring. I have learned what type of data is given back from the applications in the form of logs and how to perform actions on the data using a program called Splunk to summarize how the applications are performing for various clients. I am also learning how to manage a project. Part of my internship has dealt with bringing together a group of people and combining our skills to create a small-scale proof of concept project.”
Making a Difference at His Internship: “I am looking at problems from all different angles and I believe some people may not necessarily take that approach. I bring new issues to consider rather than always focusing on the same ones. Also, I bring different chemistry to my team, at Equifax, and everyone I collaborate with.”
Future Plans: “I would like to secure a position in a software development role. Whether I go back to Equifax, Inc. for a full-time position, or not, I would like to complete my professional career in Michigan.”
Ferris Core Value(s) Brandon Relates to: “Opportunity, learning and collaboration are the most present, but all connections to all six core values exist. (The others are ethical community, diversity and excellence.) There are so many different opportunities at Equifax. No matter what task I was working on, I found myself always learning something new. Lastly, collaboration is highly encouraged. Collaboration will help with networking and just being more successful, and that is what all the employees want to see: success.”
His Advice to Students Seeking Interships:“It is never too early to start applying, no matter what other people say. It may
take several rejection letters to get the one acceptance letter you are looking for.
Practice interview skills with your professors, career centers or your family, because
the more practice you have, the more comfortable you will be when it comes to the
actual interview.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Brandon Nylund, a senior from Midland majoring in Computer Information
Systems, is shown above in this Meet the Interns photo.