TIP Tuesday: Miguel Tamayo

What school do you go to?
I'm a rising senior at Manual Arts High School.

Where are you interning this summer?
I’m interning at Edlio.

What do you learn about at your internship?
I learn a lot about programming from my supervisor, especially about things I wasn't aware of. In school, I mostly program robots and stuff, but here, I am exposed to so many different types of programming, which is cool because I am interested in studying computer engineering, and maybe electrical engineering.

How did you become so interested in working with technology?
​Since I was little, I have been surrounded by technology, without ever really thinking about it. My dad owns his own small company, and later on, my brother would show me things on the computer that he was learning about. When I got to highschool, I started to build small things and program and play around with technology in my free time.

​What do you think is the most valuable thing you've learned so far?
Apart from learning the technological things and programming things, I learned to not be socially awkward and shy and to open myself up to people more. Before, I was pretty shy. Now, I can say "oh, hey, I'm Miguel, I'm an intern for the summer and I do this and that."  Every morning, we have a meeting, and I don't just sit in the back quietly. I like to stand in the front and interact with people.

I look around, and I think that everyone I'm working with now didn't know anything before. But now they do because they asked questions and did stuff. I see myself, and I know I can do it too one day because I am like them - I'm just a human learning things.

What is your favorite part of your internship?
I absolutely love it here. Everything is great. When most people think about work, they are bummed out. But for me, it is different. My work starts at 10 am, but I wake up everyday at 7 am, so I can get there early. The people there are so special and friendly, and since my first day, they have made me feel part of the team. Sometimes things can get hard, but my supervisor is always there to walk through things with me step by step. We have our talks about work, but we also have a lot of fun.
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How has this shaped what you want to do in the future?
I wasn't sure what I wanted to study when I was in school - maybe computer engineering? But maybe something else. This internship made me realize how fun computer engineering and programming is, and I've seen all these different types of jobs that I can do. This internship opened my eyes to this whole new technological and STEM space that I could be a part of. I now know that I for sure want to do something with technology. 

If you could give a future TIP intern advice, what would it be?
Don’t be shy, and just take advantage of every opportunity you can because you'll never know if you can get it back. You also can't be afraid. Everyone is just a human, and everything we do is something that we've learned in the past. I look around, and I think that everyone I'm working with now didn't know anything before. But now they do because they asked questions and did stuff. I see myself, and I know I can do it too one day because I am like them - I'm just a human learning things.
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