Discovering a new career path:

For Bachelor of Science student Rasheed Mohammed, a SCOUT internship with NTT DATA opened the door to a side of the technology industry he hadn't previously considered.

Studying Computing and Software Systems, Rasheed joined a team working on a real client project focused on networking and cybersecurity. Throughout the internship, he gained first-hand experience of the professional services lifecycle, learning how technical solutions are designed, delivered and communicated to clients.

"I wanted to learn more about professional services and how networking and cybersecurity are applied in industry," Rasheed said. "These were two areas my degree didn't cover, and I wanted to learn more about."

Working closely with mentors, clients and fellow interns, Rasheed helped configure and secure client networks, contributed to technical documentation and participated in client meetings where the team presented recommendations and explained their design decisions.

One of the biggest lessons he took away from the experience was the importance of communication in the technology sector.

"I realised that knowledge is only half of the story," he said. "It is more about being confident in explaining concepts to others and justifying design choices that are needed in industry."

The collaborative nature of the internship also gave Rasheed valuable insight into working as part of a professional consulting team.

"I really enjoyed the collaborative nature of the internship with other interns," he said. "We got a chance to reinforce our learning and see other methods of approaching the same problem."

Perhaps the biggest outcome of the internship was the impact it had on Rasheed's future career plans. Before joining this SCOUT project with NTT DATA, he hadn't considered cybersecurity as a career pathway. Now, he is completing his CCNA certification and exploring opportunities in both automation and cybersecurity.

Reflecting on the experience, Rasheed encourages other students to embrace the opportunity to challenge themselves and learn from industry.

"Go for it," he said. "Every bit of effort you put in will pay off, and you'll learn so much, both in terms of industry experience (and security)."