Insight into the Life of a Software Engineering Intern @ VMware
By: Juhi Shah
Tags: Silicon Valley, Software Engineering, Vmware, Careers, Cloud Computing

First off, let me introduce myself! I’m a rising senior at Mount Holyoke, a women’s college on the East Coast, where I’ll be graduating with a degree in Computer Science. This summer I’m interning at VMware HQ in the sunny Bay Area on the Cloud Automation Engineering Team. Before diving into the specifics of my typical day at VMware, I’ll give a general overview of what the company does, my intern project for the summer, and just a few things I love about this company.

What is VMware? It is known as the leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure on a global scale. The company provides software that customers can use to build hybrid clouds across their data centers; cloud providers are able to utilize compute, storage, networking, and security virtualization technologies. VMware also enables its customers with digital workspace services (called End-User computing) whereby they can deliver applications or data on any devices.

My intern project. My role for this summer is to create a Visual Studio Code extension for Cloud Automation Services blueprints. These blueprints enable the Infrastructure as Code (IaC) design principle. It allows us to build cloud infrastructure and deploy applications in a speedy and reliable manner by defining it in YAML format. Your infrastructure and application configurations are then governed through YAML files that are managed through source control systems. These are the building blocks of Software Defined Data Center (SDDC).

The user is easily able to build and deploy their blueprints by choosing components that they’d like in their blueprints on the left, dragging and dropping the items in the middle, and then specifying the details on the right-hand side of the user interface.

An example of what the existing Cloud Assembly Infrastructure looks like.

Just a few things I love about VMware…

A solid internship program → The intern program here is reputed and medium-sized; interns work on actual products, get the chance to speak with customers, and are included in meetings just like any other full-time employee. In addition, you are taken care of in all aspects…whether it is through intern events hosted by the Intern Programs team or the fact that you are assigned a mentor and manager to guide you through your internship. Not only that, but you will also have regular check-ins with your recruiter throughout the process!

The main lobby of VMware HQ!

Bash → One of my absolute favorite events at VMware! Bash is a bi-weekly event extended to all employees where there is food, live music, and drinks. It’s a great time to mingle with your coworkers and relax outside in the sunshine :)

Friendly coworkers → Employees of VMware are friendly and extremely helpful…they definitely go out of their way to ensure you succeed. They are also really welcoming and treat interns just as they would anyone else on the team.

My welcome lunch!! Pictured from left to right is my mentor, me, my manager, and my coworker on the team.

Competitive pay → It’s no secret that tech companies pay their interns extremely well, but VMware definitely takes this to the next level! CNBC recently published an article ranking VMware to be the number one company to pay “sky-high intern salaries.” Check out the rankings here!(https://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/02/these-internships-pay-more-than-real-jobs.html)

Amazing interns!! → My internship would not be the same without others to experience it with. Mingling with other interns is a great way to network and also make memories that will last a lifetime :)

The interns planned a hiking trip during the second week of our internship!

Beautiful campus → There’s no point in being located in the sunny Bay Area if you’re not able to go out and enjoy the weather while at work! Luckily VMware’s headquarters are located in the quiet foothills of Palo Alto, where it boasts an extremely sustainable and beautiful campus. However, the true hallmark of this campus is the iconic pond containing over 15 turtles!

Here’s what my typical day at work looks like…

9:00 am → Arrive to work, make an espresso, get breakfast, and then start working!!!

Wednesday’s are bagel days at VMware!!

10:30 am → Check-in with my mentor at this time to talk about the progress I have made and ask any questions I have.

12:00 pm → Take a lunch break with other interns at one of the three dining spots on campus!

1:00 pm → Time to get back to work!

3:00 pm → Change up my work setting by working outside or at Oasis Cafe (located on campus) with other interns.

5:00 pm → Briefly connect with my mentor with any progress updates on the project, make a to-do list for the next day, and then leave work!

To conclude…

As you can probably tell from this article, I absolutely love VMware and all that it has to offer! If you are interested in high tech, then I strongly urge you to consider applying to VMware’s internship program. Along with the great intern perks, perfect location, and mentoring system, you will be able to further your career at a great company. I hope that after reading this article you have a better sense of what VMware as a company is all about, the internship program, and also what your typical day as an intern might look like!