TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF
Hey, my name is Abdalla, I’m 19, and I'm currently employed as a GÉANT Operations Centre intern. I started at GÉANT in June 2024, and my internship is for 12 months.
I’m originally from Egypt and lived in Cairo for most of my life before moving to the UK two years ago to study at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), Cambridge. So, if anyone’s planning a holiday to Egypt, I can give a local’s recommendations – one is to avoid going in the summer unless you’re fine with 38°C heat and above!
“GÉANT colleagues and my immediate team have shown a lot of trust and confidence in me. My responsibilities have steadily grown to include more projects that have a real impact on my team and the company.”
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT GÉANT?
During my second year studying Computer Networks at ARU, I started searching for a placement. My university’s placements team encouraged me to attend a careers fair, which GÉANT was also attending. There I had the chance to meet Tony Barber, Head of the GÉANT Operations Centre, and Billy Holbrook, who was a GOC intern at the time. From our conversation, it became clear that this position was exactly what I was looking for! After updating my CV, I applied, and then received an invitation for an interview where I was asked general questions about myself and my skills. Following this, I had a second interview with Tony Barber and Temoor Khan, who is a Team Leader for Network Management in the GÉANT Operations Centre. This interview was much more technical, and it really tested my knowledge (thank you to ARU for helping me prepare!).
WHAT DOES A DAY AT WORK LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
A typical day for me consists of troubleshooting issues for our customers, making sure there are no unreported problems, and working on various projects. One of the projects I'm working on involves auditing the IP address management system, and ensuring addresses which are in use are recorded as such, and outdated/incorrect information is removed. Some days can get pretty hectic, but I always manage to squeeze in a round of foosball in the office kitchen with my colleagues!
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE INTERN LIFE AT GÉANT?
Since I started, GÉANT colleagues and my immediate team have shown a lot of trust and confidence in me. My responsibilities have steadily grown to include more projects that have a real impact on my team and the company. It’s been great to take on more and really perform at my best.
HOW WILL YOUR INTERNSHIP SUPPORT YOUR CAREER PATH?
After talking with lecturers, colleagues, and friends, once I've completed my internship, and after finishing my Bachelor’s degree, I’ve decided I want to start a full-time position. While a master’s degree is a challenge I would like to take on in the future, I want to focus on getting more real-world experience in my field first.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE INTERNS AT GÉANT?
Always be open to learning and absorbing as much knowledge as you can during your time here. You will make mistakes - it’s part of the deal, but the key is to talk openly with your team, ask questions, and learn from your mistakes. The learning curve can be steep, but if you stay curious and keep improving, you’ll do great!
ABOUT ABDALLA
Abdalla used to spend a lot of time reading web novels, but between work and studying, it’s been difficult to keep up, so he's taken up rowing instead which is less time-consuming…right? Abdalla had his first rowing experience with GÉANT when the company held an event for the Operations team that involved rowing in an eight boat along the River Cam.
Life @ GÉANT
