IT Intern Andrew Williams was a late addition to the Prairie State team, he started just over a month and a half ago. Despite that, Williams has made up for missed time by being a productive member of the IT team.
“Working with IT and the help desk has given me an opportunity to work with a lot of different things,” Williams said. “Sometimes I have to work with infrastructure. Sometimes I work with applications. Our project manager gets involved in issues as well. It’s really a team effort.”
Williams said one of his goals for his internship was to gain a deeper understanding of a multitude of aspects of IT systems. His time working on PSGC’s helpdesk gave him that opportunity. He’s gained familiarity in many of PSGC’s technical systems.
One of his favorite assignments was working with the infrastructure that PSGC’s wireless internet is made up of. He helped expand the reach of PSGC’s wireless internet to the mine warehouse, a place that previously did not have it. To do so, he helped install access points and switches to help make PSGC a fully wireless campus. It’s been tasks like this that have been Williams’ favorite because working with infrastructure has been a whole new experience for him. He’s hoping to see the project finished before his internship ends.
Some of his favorite experiences at Prairie State have been working on the stack at the plant on its telecommunications system and touring Prairie State’s underground coal mine. He’s also enjoyed meeting people from all over campus through his time working on the help-desk.
Williams’ internship at Prairie State will end in just a few weeks. He will stay one week longer than the rest of the interns to break down all of the workstations that they will leave behind. Williams will return to Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville for one final year before he graduates in May.