Our Internship at Bigears - Saumya Sajwan and Guy West

From the left: Saumya Sajwan and Guy West

We spoke to Saumya Sajwan and Guy West, who completed summer internships at Bigears in 2021. They shared the benefits of interning at a smaller organisation, their experience of the Summer of Tech process, and advice for future interns. 

What do you study and where?

Guy: I’m still studying at uni, I’m doing a major in Information Systems and minoring in International Business. 

Saumya: I’m just about to enter my third year at university. I’m majoring in Data Sciences and Statistics. 

Why did you choose Bigears?

Saumya: I thought it would be a really good opportunity to apply to a small company. There’s not much time [during the internship], but we were able to get straight into our projects. On the first day, we both had plenty to do and we’ve been busy since! It’s a good experience, and we can make the most of our time. 

Guy: For me, a lot of the courses I’m doing are quite high-level in an organisation. You couldn’t really find a job where that applied in a larger organisation. I felt I could have more impact at a smaller organisation like BigEars.

What’s been a highlight? 

Guy: The people - it’s pretty daunting going into your first internship. Everyone’s been super helpful, I have no hesitation about asking questions, there’s always someone on deck to help. 

Saumya: I would say the same thing; you can ask questions of everyone. 

Any surprises?

Saumya: Getting projects straight away. It’s been really good, I reckon that’s the best way to go about an internship. You get heaps of experience.

How did Summer of Tech help with the process? 

Saumya: I think Summer of Tech just makes it really easy, because you sign up, put in all your information, and after that, it’s only one click to apply to something. You know when the events and interviews are from the beginning. Everything is organised by Summer of Tech, and there are a lot of jobs - it’s really easy as a student. 

Guy: I was surprised by how personal it is - you get real feedback from someone about your CV, and the team helps you along the way. You feel like there’s actually a person on the other end of the screen. 

Do you have any advice? 

Guy: Don’t hesitate. Just get stuck in; you’re gonna learn something no matter what. 

Saumya: Just ask questions. Everyone knows this is a new experience for you! 

Thank you, Guy and Saumya!