Alumni Spotlight: Alisa Llavore talks life as an IT intern at Costco
Meet Alisa Llavore. Alisa graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Software Development from Green River College (Class of 2022), and currently works as an intern with the IT Sustainability Team at Costco. In the Q and A below, she talks about her role and the culture at Costco, and offers advice for college students who are looking to break into tech.
What led you to Green River’s Software Development program?
ALISA: In high school, I was in a program called Running Start where you can take college courses for credits. During those two years, I loved how convenient Green River was. It wasn’t overly crowded, expensive, and the smaller class sizes made getting help easier. After getting my associate degree, I decided to leave Green River and try to get an Ultrasound Technician degree.
However, after going to the informational session I realized that a career in the medical field wasn’t for me. Immediately after I decided to see what bachelor’s degrees Green River was offering. After seeing Software Development, I decided to take the leap and come back to Green River to try and make a career for myself in tech.
What is your job title at Costco? And can you briefly describe your role?
ALISA: Currently, I’m an IT intern on the IT Sustainability team at Costco. This team is fairly new and aims to support and optimize the technologies and processes that the Sustainability, Energy and ESG Reporting teams use to meet Costco’s Sustainability commitments. I’ve been able to get exposure to a variety of SaaS programs that this team uses. For the past couple months, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a proof of concept for a dynamic form that would help with data intake.
What is the culture like at Costco?
ALISA: The culture at Costco is wonderful. Costco’s “open door” policy is no joke; you really can go up to anyone and ask them anything. Everyone is eager to help you succeed and will extend a helping hand anytime you need it. It’s nice being in an environment where you’re only surrounded by people that want to help you grow. (You’ll also probably see some Green River Gators around too!)
What career advice do you have for college students looking to break into tech?
ALISA: The biggest piece of advice I have is, things will take time and that’s not a bad thing. Don’t let that get your spirits down. If you end up not getting an internship, take that as a learning opportunity. Message the recruiter, or even the interviewer, and ask for advice for how you can do better next time. The best thing you can do, especially early in your career, is try and get your name out there. Connections you make on purpose, or by accident, are going to help you out.
Learn more about Green River College’s Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Software Development by visiting www.greenriver.edu/software.
