Information Technology Intern, Charles Roth, has been building practical technical skills at Prairie State, while gaining a broader understanding of the IT field. As he prepares to graduate this December, the internship has provided him valuable hands-on experience that will help him transition into his career.
Throughout his internship, Charles worked alongside the Helpdesk team, assisting employees across campus with technical issues and supporting day-to-day IT operations. He also worked with his fellow IT Intern to image and set up more than 40 desktop computers and 30 laptops across the campus.
Charles also had opportunities to learn about areas of IT beyond his day-to-day responsibilities. Sitting in at an IT budget meeting gave him a new perspective on the business side of technology and helped him better understand how different parts of the department work together to support Prairie State’s operations. Looking back on the goals he set at the beginning of the summer, Charles feels he accomplished exactly what he hoped to achieve. “My goal was to gain a better understanding of how technical skills are applied compared to what I had learned in school, and I feel that I accomplish that goal every day with the different tasks I am assigned,” he said.
While Charles expected to develop his technical knowledge, one of the biggest lessons he learned was the importance of communication in information technology. “I’ve learned to ask better questions to find the issue quicker, especially when helping people who aren’t as familiar with technology,” Charles shared. One of Charles’ favorite parts of the internship was interacting with employees across campus. Whether responding to Helpdesk requests or setting up new computers, he quickly discovered that IT is much more people-focused than he expected. “It surprised me how social this position is,” Charles said. “You’re communicating with people all day, and I think that’s something that gets overlooked when you’re learning about IT in school.”
Charles has also appreciated Prairie State’s supportive learning environment, where asking questions and learning through experience was encouraged. “When I started this internship, the team made me feel like it was okay not to completely understand everything right away. That type of development-focused environment is part of why I’ve learned so much during my time here.”
Charles will return to the University of Missouri–St. Louis this fall for his final semester before graduating in December. After graduation, he plans to begin his career in information technology while continuing to expand the skills and interests he developed throughout his internship.
We thank Charles for his hard work and dedication this summer and wish him continued success in the future!