What did you enjoy most about your internship?
I interned with the Manchester Image Signal Processing (ISP) team. They gave me opportunities to interact with cutting-edge technologies and curated a culture that prioritised a good work/life balance. I knew I wanted to come back to Arm and so I applied for a graduate role. I joined the GIC team in Cambridge and have been here since.
You helped establish the IET’s relationship with Arm, can you explain what IET is, and why you joined them?
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is a body of professionals comprised of multi-disciplinary engineers who come together to share best practice and general advancements in technology, methodologies, and more. This network helps engineers in industry to develop and foster connections, access resources (i.e., newsletters and thought-provoking articles) and a mentoring utilizes the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence and Commitment (UK-SPEC).
I helped kickstart the IET’s partnership with Arm for two reasons. Firstly, I believe there is a close alignment between the UK-SPEC and Arm’s own grading framework and core beliefs. This alignment is important for establishing the benchmark for skills development. Secondly, I realised early on that studying in university is very different to working in industry. Through the IET, I am supported by a mentor who has been (and still is) helping me adjust to working in a professional setting, helping me discuss my career trajectory and sharing general best practices in engineering within my team.
This support has been important to me because I am someone who learns best with hands-on experience –and having a mentor helps me know I am part of a professional framework that allows me to: know how I am doing in my work and career through clear progression tools, manage imposter syndrome by allowing me to compare my progress with myself (not others), and finally, take pride in the work I do.
The possibility of establishing an IET-accredited graduate scheme, and a mentor/mentee-networking scheme at Arm is exciting and I hope these initiatives will support more engineers here.
Can you round up your experience with Arm so far, with some final thoughts?
After being here for 2+ years, I can say Arm is a great place to learn and develop my engineering, programming and people skills in a psychologically-safe environment – it’s very much a second university for me and following the IET’s CPD ‘course’ is almost akin to a second (industrial) degree.
Arm is a place that I will look back to in many years’ time and realize how much I have grown out of my comfort zone and learned so much to become a better engineer, and a better person, and my journey is just getting started - for that, I am grateful. Hoping to be here for many more years to come!
Also, the unlimited coffee is great!