We asked Jonathan Harrison and Alfred Atomboh (pictured, right) why they decided to apply for an internship at Influential Software.

JH: The driving force behind my decision to join Influential was the prospect of being involved in a closely knit team in which sharing knowledge was at the core. Having not worked in a professional environment prior to university, I was intrigued by the agile development work flow and the opportunity to gain some insight into the real world of software development.

AA: I saw the opportunity to join Influential as one that can not only help me develop further IT Consultancy skills but to also extend them into business intelligence. After the open day, this was affirmed and increased my desire to join. I could see Influential had the right personnel and capacity to offer me the right internship.

What were you first impressions of Influential Software?

JH: The first thing I noticed was that everyone at Influential was friendly and approachable, for most people, starting a new job can be daunting and I felt the team at influential provided an environment where any sense of unease would be immediately abolished.

AA: Upon starting as an intern, my expectation of the getting the right calibre of support was confirmed. I am surrounded by intelligent staff who are excellent at what they do. They go the extra mile to offer help.

What is striking is that everyone is looking out for current trends and technology. As a result, we are always working with the latest technology and using industry best practices.

What are your aims and objectives for your internship?

JH: I want to get versed in the Java development world putting my theoretical knowledge and applying it to practical, project-based applications whilst building upon my team-based skills by gaining experience in collaborative work. I also want to push my limits as a developer by adopting new technologies, methods and techniques not previously encountered.

AA: I aim to add Business Intelligence and analytics to my knowledge base and the skillset of developing business solutions that are based on such technologies. I am confident that this internship will leave me with much of the knowledge I want.