New skills Developed 

From Internship experience, I have got a very good knowledge about corporate environment as well as developed many new skills such as

• Time management skills
• Organization skills
• Enthusiasm to work in IT
• IT skills
• Self-motivation
• Self-management and problem solving skills
• Commercial awareness – knows what makes money and saves money 

Strengths: 

Self-management and Dedication: From my internship experience I found that all work takes time and effort to done. I stuck many times in my project work but I used my dedication strengths to find out solution.  

Determination: From this strength, I am never back off when I found a tough situation in my work. To being honest I faced many problems while I am working as a database assistant eg. At initial stage of my internship I been advised from my mentor to work on SQL server 2005 that time I found a bit tough situation because I had to work on server so that time I used my determination skills at work place and tackle with situation. 

Dependability and Reliability:  At my job place I follow up and don’t rely on others to ensure that a job is done. 

Honesty / Integrity:  A willingness to take responsibility for my all actions at job place. 

Weaknesses: 

From my internship experience, I found my weakness in listening skills. At my job place mentor explained me whole the process of work very well but due to lake of my listening skill, I missed some important point and I need to ask him again and that time I feel hesitation. Apart from this I notice that when I am doing phone base communication at that time I have problem with pronunciation as well as some sentences to understand. 

Nowadays, I am trying to overcome my listening skills weakness by following elements of active listening.          

•  
  • Pay attention properly
  • Look at the speaker directly.
  • Put aside distracting thoughts.
  • Avoid being distracted by environmental factors.
  • “Listen” to the speaker’s body language.

Apart from this I am trying to listen radio and watch TV to improve my listening skills as well as attain some presentation.

In my current internship role, many time I assisted to my project manager as well as my mentor James. The other day my project manager wants to setup 5 desktop (Computer) on different place that time I approached him and advised him that I can do this my self just show me location at where he want to set up the desktop. I set up all 5 computers for him. Furthermore I downloaded operating system as well as many software applications in them.

Apart from this in database role,  the other day My mentor ( James) been advised from our IT services that they need all database description in excel file and that time James allocated this work to me because his busy schedule and I did this very efficiently and he really appreciated from my work.

Apart from this I assisted to them in PC Re-image, installing software and hardware in PC, Installing printers, File documents, scan, fax, and take phone calls sometime.

 I have done a many research on my project as an innovative suggestion and I found many problem with current architecture. As an innovative suggestion I found many ways to tackle with the problem but still I need some more work on it.

Wesley mission provides services and operates charitable business ventures in aged care, health, counselling, families and children, youth issues, suicide prevention, employment and vocational training. As a dynamic and result oriented organisation, Wesley mission has numerous joint ventures with corporate sector, and in the ICT area alone is partnered with companies such as Cisco Systems, Plutonic Zoo, Alphawest and SWS. Wesley mission is having 1500 personal computers spread over 200 sites; the mission has a long history of using ICT and has a significant investment in it. 

Wesley mission has a own intranet systems which can be a Source of value creation to firms by providing intra-organizational communication at reduced cost and by allowing employees to distribute and communicate their ideas more readily, thus positively impacting organizational performance.

Apart from this Wesley Mission has adopted a strategy of centralizing its operation to save costs and provide the flexibility to meet business needs. Further more it has implemented a virtual private network (VPN) based on broadband technology. VPN technology is used to save on costs, provide greater flexibility and improve performance and disaster recovery procedures.  

The VPN has provided enterprise wide access to application such as finance and payroll and enabled ICT services to be centralized. This has allowed the consolidation of staff and services and improvement in management of support staff. All databases now run off SQL server at one site rather than a mix of SQL and Oracle at many sites. Backups are now managed centrally. They are made over the network to the central site, providing for improved control and better recovery procedures. In an emergency it is possible to reconstruct services and run them from a central server. (Wesley Mission www.wesleymission.org.au)

In project we are used many ICT technology. We are using an Intranet Technology for efficient communication, SQL server to link databases in project. Apart from this we are using SQL server reporting services and SQL server analysis services to create and analysis reports in project. Furthermore we are used VPN technology in project which is used to save on costs, provide greater flexibility and improve performance and disaster recovery procedures.  

 As far as I believe that Often theory and practice are spoken about as if they are opposites of each other, and sometimes they are–in the sense that each has to compete with the other in terms of time. Even there is general agreement that both theory and practice are necessary. However, from my workplace experience, I found that practise is more important than theory and behind that I have many reasons eg. From my university study I learn about SQL query in database but when I worked at my job place in database that time I found it is totally a different what I learned in database subject. From practise I learned many new things in database such as database connection with server; create report in server etc….. .

The other day, I did my MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) assessment and found that I have INTJ type of human being. INTJ stand for Introverted,   Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging. Some of things, which are I never know before MBTI assessment such as I am a 11% introverted, 12% intuitive, I have 25% of thinking power and I have 89% of judging power.

Apart from this I found that INTJs may appear a self confidence, perfectionists. In the broadest terms, what INTJs “do” tends to be what they “know”. Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and engineering, but they can be found wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness are required.

As per MBTI assessment, I am self confidence and perfectionist in my work and it is truly accepted for me because I see my self very confident and perfectionist in my project. Nowadays, my project is going very smoothly where I need to do much analysis and thinking about project as an introvert personality. To being honest, I’m sort of shy and this causes people to think of me as unfriendly or stuck up. Once you get to know me though, I’m obnoxiously outgoing and funny. I’m also always trying to come up with new and cool ideas in my project. As an Intuitive and thinking personality, I like to perceiving information primarily from within my own mind and imagination in my project and making decisions based on consciously weighing pros and cons.

Organization and planning skills used

The key to a successful project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first thing we should do when undertaking any kind of project. When we planned our project that time we put our attention to developing several goals that will enable us to be successful in project. Apart from this we have done SWOT analysis which is i a strategic planning tool to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to a project. It involves specifying the objective of the project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favourable and unfavourable to achieving that objective.

There are many personal issues can encountered in the business for instance lack of reliability, conflict at the workplace, poor customer service skills, interoffice dating, and stealing from the company. Conflicts at work can cause friction amongst your staff. This can hurt your business because you could lose both customers and money. 

There is a wide range of areas in business where professional problems come to play and in most cases, professional moral issues are predominant. In most cases, professional problems include employee rights and that deals with the correct to an honest wage and compensation, right to ideal business environment, and non-discriminatory policies among others. In the area of sales selling, some of the moral issues commonly applicable embrace; creating false claims on company products, also ethical issues in sales, promotional deals with the act of partaking in anti-competitive activities such as price fixing, and copyright and patent infringement activities. 

 Problem solving skills used

When your small business has problems with its personnel, it can affect your business negatively. To create a healthy work environment you need to deal with personnel issues before they become too difficult to manage. Solve the problems any way you can, whether it is to fire the individual or speak with them about their conduct. Each situation is different and using tools such as performance management software can help.

The first step is dealing a problem is determining whether the problems are personal or professional. If it’s personal, listening sympathetically while an employee blows off steam can help the employee relieve tension in the short run. If the problems are professional, it’s time to do some informal investigating. In this conceptualization, human problem solving consists of two related processes: problem orientation, the motivational and affective approach to problematic situations and problem-solving skills, the actual cognitive-behavioral steps, which, if successfully implemented, lead to effective problem resolution.

The communication process is the perfect guide toward achieving effective communication. When followed properly, the process can usually assure that the sender’s message will be understood by the receiver. Although the communication process seems simple, it in essence is not. The communication process begins with the sender and ends with the receiver.

 Mostly in business, sender uses some kind of medium to begin transmitting the message. Most mediums are either oral or written. Common mediums include the telephone and a variety of written forms such as memos, letters, and reports. Oral communication mediums are more efficient, when immediate feedback is necessary because any doubts can be cleared up on the spot. However, written mediums are more effective in some situation where the message must be delivered to more than a small group of people. 

Wesley mission organization (where I am doing my internship), is using a same type of communication channel to run the business. I feel in Wesley mission that Manager and project supervisor always put their best interest to understand the other person and work hard to get the other person to understand them to make communication successful.

Communication processes I have used in the business:

In my internship task, I am using both type of communication medium such as oral communication and written communication. While in communication with my mentor and other staff I personally look after many things in my self for instance posture, eye contact, pausing, and vocal quality. I believe that eye contact is essential, however staring is uncomforting. When speaking to a group, select one person to maintain eye contact with until a thought has been completed. Then move on to someone else. Pausing also signals ability. There is power in the pause and it should be used to emphasize important points.

Apart from this, when I am communicating with my staff whether it is orally or written, I like to be linear, be succinct; avoid personal stories and too much detail, be honest and direct without being unfriendly.

 The main purpose of my internship in database application is to enhance knowledge in data base application. My main task includes self learning SQL Server 2005 application such as Server management studio, visual design, configuration tools and performance tools. Furthermore, I am practising to learn SQL Query in Server 2005 by using many applications such as stored procedure, view and triggers from my mentor’s help.

Apart from this I have been assigned a project from my mentor is to analyse the existing application architecture of WMAW. Actually my company wants to move forward and upgrade the existing application architecture of WMAW into a modern technology. The project has 3 main features.

1)      Analysis of Current Features of Applications. 

2)      Plan a new architecture of the applications using modern technology, but also being aware that what we are writing now will be obsolete in less than a year. Plan to continually move forward while reusing elements. 

3)      Rough Estimates. 

To being an honest, In this project mostly I am working on second part of project where I need to work on MS SQL, MS SQL Reporting Services, and MS SQL Analysis Services and link to SQL or entity frame work. 

Time Management and Self-management Strategies

I would say that professional Internship (Last part) is the busiest part of professional year program. Apart from internship, we do have two online academic studies which has been setup by CQ University and Australian Computer Society every week. In ACS online studies, I have to do forum discussion every week with my course colleagues. It is a quite interested but spends time lot. Furthermore, I write a weekly blog on my blog website a part of CQ University academic study.

As my time management strategies, I allocate appropriate time for each task such as every week I work 4 days in company a part of internship and the remaining day of week I am trying to finish my online work. Apart from this, I try to complete every task on time, avoid leaving all jobs to do at the last moment.

 As self management strategies, I am trying to understand my each task very carefully and efficiently so I can put my whole knowledge in it.

 Work place environment:

I am working in Wesley mission organization, which is located at Ashfield, NSW. We have a three department in my building such as Management department, financial department, and IT department. I am working in IT department where we have around 13 people altogether.

I would say that I have been got a nice working environment at Wesley mission, which is very peaceful, co-operative and pleasant. All people are working here very nicely and friendly. I notice here that each employee is actively engaged in the goal-setting process and takes ownership of the final agreed goals and measures. Furthermore, they don’t hesitate to show their appreciation for a coworker or employee when he’s done something well or helped him complete a project. All employees are always ready to help each other in their work. Although they are busy in their work, always ready to give us (Internship people) helping hands with great patience and thorough explanations when we do have particular technical problems. Example: In my first week, My mentor James did a lot of things for me such as setting my user access in computer, download SQL Server 2005 database application in my computer, show me all the parts of the database software. Apart from this he advised me about whole database system of Wesley mission organization.

 Interpersonal Skills Observed:

Good communication and positive interpersonal skills have a great importance at a business level. I observed that here all employees communicate with each other very respectfully, gracefully and professionally, which play an efficient role to avoid conflicts and increase participation in completing task. Furthermore, employees of Wesley mission believe in patience, truth, smile and hard-working, which have a great importance at a business level. Apart from this, IT manager (John) has good and positive interpersonal skills. They have been ensure that the team is working in a healthy environment and conflicts are managed and resolved in a great manner

By improving the communication skills, the working relationships will gain highest level of performance which will ultimately go in favor of the organization. This is because the communication helps to share the brilliant ideas with each other. Therefore, the developments of interpersonal skills are very necessary to communicate, motivate, organize, counsel and negotiate.