My experience interning at IDeaS Revenue Solutions

By Gabriel Godley - Software Development Intern at IDeaS

Every student has a tough decision to make when it comes to how to spend their summer vacations. Should I spend my time hanging out with friends and just enjoying myself? Should I have an adventure in a faraway mystical land? Should I pursue a passion and study something that I just haven’t had the time to focus on ? or should I further invest some time and energy in gaining experience to further my career?

I was originally born in South African, but have been studying my BSC in Electrical and Electronics engineering at Tel Aviv University in Israel. It was around the time I was debating all these summer vacation options when the university forwarded us an email they had received. It was from a Revenue Management Software company called IDeaS. They were looking for a student to intern at their Pune offices over the summer break in a new and exciting venture of theirs into Artificial Intelligence. This was my eureka moment!

Somehow the universe had conspired to give me an opportunity to have an adventure in India, to pursue a passion and to gain some amazing experience all at the same time. The only thing that seemed to be missing was the “Hanging with friends” part, but as I would soon find out, Indian Hospitality is phenomenal and I would quickly make many friends.

I began to do some research into IDeaS and what it is they do and who they are. I learned that they are a leader in their industry, with some major international corporations as clients, and have always been ahead of the competition in embracing new technology. I learned what Revenue management was and how they had taken part in changing the way the hospitality industry functions. I was excited and got in contact with IDeaS.

From Israel to IDeaS

After expressing my interest, IDeaS contacted me. They asked for some documentation and some motivation as to why I wanted to participate and what I could bring to the table. We had some interviews and phone calls to see if I would be a good fit. We discussed what they were expecting from me as an intern and what it was that I would be doing.

A lot of companies place interns at the bottom of the corporate food chain, they expect them to simply do as they are told and fetch coffee for their superiors. I was a little worried this might have been the case but when I even suggested it, the interviewer laughed and assured me this was not at all what IDeaS expect form it’s interns. The company embraces the fresh approach that an Intern brings. He assured me that I would be challenged intellectually and doing some tough but interesting work. This got me even more exciting.

A week or two after the final interview, I heard back from IDeaS. They were happy to tell me I had been selected for the two-month Internship. However happy they were, I assured them I was double.

I finished up my final exams and prepared for the adventure that lay ahead.

And off we go:

The day finally arrived and I landed in Mumbai. Form there, IDeaS had organized a car to bring me to my new home, Pune. Watching the rolling green hills pass by on the drive that lies between these two fantastic cities was stunning. I had no idea what was waiting for me in Pune but I was beyond excited to dive in.

The company had organized a place for me to stay close by, food every day and all the basic necessities I required. I was now part of the IDeaS family.

Everyone at the office greeted me with a huge smile and were extremely friendly and happy to help in whatever way they could. The office was filled with good vibes and I was ready for the project that lay ahead.

At IDeaS:

I was briefed on the company and what they do, I was then familiarized with the different departments and the processes of IDeaS. Once I was confident that I understood the basics of the company I was given my project.

I would be working on developing Artificially intelligent systems that would help the hard-working analysts at IDeaS. I was passionate to learn more about AI and Machine learning and see it’s real-world application and so I dived into the development process.

It was a difficult task in a field that I didn’t have much experience in and so at time I found myself overwhelmed and stuck, thankfully my IDeaS mentors were always there to offer advice and problem-solving skills so I could continue to progress. We would have weekly catch-ups and updates, presentations and troubleshooting sessions as well as continuous discussions on the progress and end goals of the project. I always felt like IDeaS respected my hard work and gave me the freedom to tackle the problem in my own way while still always being there as a guiding force.

I would definitely describe my Internship as a success, Professionally and personally.

I learned a lot over my two months at IDeaS. I gained professional experience as a Software developer which will be extremely helpful for my future career, I saw and felt what it is like to work in a happy and productive work environment. I got to experience a new culture and made friends from a different side of the world. For all of this, I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and experience. Thank you to IDeaS and all it’s employees and thank you to India.

About the author: Gabriel Godley is a student at Tel Aviv University, doing a BSc in Electrical and Electronics engineering. He recently completed his Software Development internship with IDeaS Revenue Solutions. You can find more about him here.

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