Tuition fee. $2055. Monthly GO Pass. $125. Internship at Big Blue. Priceless.

Saturday, January 6, 2007

What an amazing opportunity to have an internship with Big Blue. January 4th was a full day of orientation for the January intakes. There were only about 50 of us. It seems that the largest intake is in May with about 200 students.


Presentations were made introducing us to the amazing facilities at the Toronto Lab. We are known as the SoftWare Group (SWG) of IBM Canada. The site is located in Markham, Ontario and is situated on about 8 acres of land. There is a river and a few ponds; trees were planted on the site by employees and the site has received a certificate from the Wildlife Habitat Council.

An amenity that stands out is the onsite fitness centre, Active Blue. All services are free to employees, including fitness appraisals and programs. It's fully equipped with treadmills, eliptical machines, free weights, and classes that include yoga, pilates, and spinning.

There are games rooms on the second floor equipped with a ping pong (go Forest), fooseball, and air hockey table; employees can escape to oasis rooms located on the fourth floor and depending on their mood you may find them in either the Country Cottage room or the Asian themed room which is complete with a waterfall.

There are a variety of eateries to choose from. There is a Tim Horton's, Williams, and Pizza Pizza on site. There is also a mini cafe that serves a complete breakfast located in one of the buildings. The Market Place is the main cafeteria that offers a large variety of meal options to employees. Chefs can be found serving meals at different stations: stir fry, deli, grill, and other types of food. There is also a salad bar and the usual refrigerated shelves with sandwiches and drinks. Prices are similar to that of a regular food court.

The building is completely wireless up to the river! In the summer time, employees can work outside on their Thinkpads (which most of us get one). There are kitchenettes on each floor found close to employee work stations. Here employees can store their lunches in the fridge and help themselves to complimentary tea and coffee. Microwaves on each floor can be found a little bit further away from work stations so that the smell of food is not distracting.

I am fortunate to have my very own Personal Work Area (PWA). Some students are sharing due to over capacity. The building was built to house 2300 people but there are about 2500 employees. The work area is approximately 6 by 7 feet and comes complete with a desk, chair, extra stool, filing cabinets, shelves, and an overhead and task light. There is no fluorescent lighting in the work area. Employees can fit themselves ergonomically to their work area with the aid of information found on a site dedicated to ergonomics at IBM.

IBM is a supporter of ongoing learning. There are opportunities to complete professional certifications, courses, and training; there is also a library complete with full-time professional librarians. IBM offers employees the opportunity to earn their MSc on a part time basis through the CONGESE program. Top professors in every field from across Ontario are flown in to hold courses at the lab.

The past couple of days have been exciting and at the same time a little overwhelming. My coach, Agatha, has requested that I prepare a presentation on how to use a feature of the new documentation software that IBM is switching over to. At first I was extremely "scared." I haven't been scared in a long time. This fear is a good fear because it means that I am up against a challenge. I haven't been challenged at work in a very long time.

I am really happy to be at IBM. I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity. This is truly a dream internship. I am also very fortunate to be on such a supportive team. Although I have not worked there for long, I have worked in many other jobs and know how to recognize a positive environment. This job is very important to me. I am going to give it my very best.