Katherine Truitt talks life as an intern at REI
Meet aspiring software developer Katherine Truitt. A former signals intelligence analyst with the United States Air Force, Truitt is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree in software development at Green River College. This summer she interned as a software engineer with the Alpine team at REI, where she had the opportunity to work on a number of interesting projects and interact with team members across the organization. In the Q and A below, Truitt discusses her internship experience, talks about the culture at REI, and offers tips for career success.
First thing’s first. What led you to Green River College’s software development program?
KATHERINE: I was working as a pharmacy technician when I decided to go back to school. I was on the verge of job complacency and ready for a career change. I knew that I had to go back to school if I wanted to make it happen. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to go to school for. While I was trying to figure that out, my workplace was implementing a new software and it did not run as expected. That experience led me to the technology field.
I heard about Green River College’s software development program from a co-worker who was already enrolled in the program. I had taken college courses at Green River in the past. I had no idea that bachelor’s degrees were being offered at that time. I made up my mind (after consulting with my family) and quit my job. The commute to campus is only 15 minutes from my home which is super convenient.
Why were you drawn to apply for an internship at REI? What’s the culture like?
KATHERINE: I was really nervous about interviewing for internships because it had been nearly a decade since my last interview. I remember lying in bed with my cellphone looking at internship openings and saw that REI had just posted a few. I was super excited because I am a big outdoors fan and a true believer in the saying, “a life outdoors is a life well lived.”
When I walked through the front doors of the Anderson building I knew I was going to fit in just fine. From what I observed and experienced, everyone is respectful and not afraid to be themselves. As an intern, I was included in all of the team meetings and was encouraged to voice my input. (It was also nice to be in workplace where you are not required to wear business attire. I believe people do their best work when they are comfortable.)
Can you tell us a little bit about your summer internship?
KATHERINE: I was a software engineer intern for the Alpine team. I got to work on bug fixes and application enhancements on two existing applications called Ranger Station (manages code freezes) and Chairlift (project creation tool). Each day, I participated in a daily stand-up and had lunch with the team. I gained experience with tools that I had never used before such as Jenkins, Jira and Mockito. I was exposed to Spring Boot, Java Beans, and more. I also got to hang out with the other REI interns at leader lunches, go on a stewardship hike with Mary’s Place children, and participate in a flagship store tour.
What tips do you have for college students who are looking for that first internship?
KATHERINE: Network. Get out and meet people. Brush up your resume. Create a LinkedIn account or update your account if you already have one. Actively search the web for postings and apply. Stay motivated and don’t give up. I am still doing all of the above.
Explore job openings at REI by visiting: www.rei.jobs/careers/searchjobs
Learn more about Green River College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Software Development at: www.greenriver.edu/software
