Internships provide deep insights into specific industry sectors, covering challenges and specific knowledge often beyond the main field of study. Internship programs generally adopt a learning by doing approach, allowing students to develop practical skills that are not only relevant but also highly needed in the professional world. The skills gained during the internship program become valuable assets, especially in an era that demands mastery of skills and competencies.

Valentino Vidi, an 8th-semester student of the Informatics Engineering Study Program at Universitas Dian Nusantara (UNDIRA), successfully passed the selection for a program organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (KEMENDIKBUD) as part of Kampus Merdeka, namely the Certified Internship and Independent Study (MSIB) batch 7 in 2024. Valentino was accepted for an internship at PT. Link Dataku Solusi Indonesia (Maxy Academy), a company in Surabaya that offers internship opportunities focused on developing digital skills.

Before starting the internship, upon UNDIRA's recommendation, Valentino participated in a website building bootcamp at Maxy Academy. The bootcamp aligned with Valen's foundational learning as an Informatics Engineering student, involving various aspects he had studied during his college years, such as coding and programming.

Valentino expressed that while participating in the bootcamp initially, the programming work environment, filled with time demands and various client needs that were sometimes very specific, could pose certain difficulties. However, Valentino remained confident that learning by doing is one of the most effective ways for him to adjust the pace when working on projects.

Valentino personally greatly appreciates the learning-by-doing method, especially in the scope of web development, which demands project completion within tight deadlines. He added, "With the fast pace and layout demands of websites varying from one client to another, I not only gained technical knowledge related to website building but also time management skills to complete projects on time."

When it was time to undergo the internship program from the university, Valentino, who had successfully completed the bootcamp, had the opportunity to continue his internship at Maxy Academy as a Fullstack Developer. Valentino admitted he was grateful for the opportunity given; "personally, because I love mathematics and computation, so the opportunity to continue the internship as a full-stack programmer is highly appreciated," he said.

Valentino also noted that through this internship program, he managed to build a professional network that provided valuable insights and advice in directing his career to a more precise path. For him, adapting to a new work environment is not easy, especially if someone does not have a direct background in the field they are engaged in. However, with the willingness to keep learning and curiosity about new things, one can overcome existing limitations.

Valentino reminded students who will undergo an internship program to take advantage of the opportunity as best as possible. He said, "Take various internship opportunities available. Not all knowledge learned on campus can be directly applied in the workforce. Internships are programs that can broaden students' horizons about the working world and prepare them to face real challenges. Opportunities do not come twice, therefore, dare to step forward with wisdom and courage for a better future."