Human Resources Information Systems Intern
My First Virtual Internship Experience
During my eight weeks at Independence Blue Cross, I was responsible for addressing a business question using research, data analytics, and data visualization in Tableau. My individual project was focused on Independence’s associate recognition program. In order to gain a better understanding of the current program, I conducted 30 interviews with associates throughout the company. My interviewees ranged from award recipients, award nominators, top nominators, leaders, and business partners. Through the interview process, I was not only able to gain better insight on the program, but I was also able to network with associates and get a sense of Independence’s company culture–which is phenomenal! After gathering this information, I did some sentiment analysis and built a word cloud based on all of the responses. In Tableau, I wanted to analyze program reach and determine what groups aren’t using the program to its potential. After developing some visualizations, I proposed some recommendations on how to encourage more associates to utilize the program. Aside from my individual project, I also had a group project that focused on developing ways to encourage associate engagement in a virtual environment.
During my time at Independence, I learned the importance of adapting to change. We cannot avoid unexpected events from occurring, so it is significant to accept the challenge of change and use it as a learning opportunity to grow. Not only can random events occur, but technology is always changing and you have to become comfortable learning how to adjust. As an MIS major, the Data Analytics and Data Science courses helped me succeed in my internship since I was required to use Tableau and create data visualizations that portrayed a clear message. Overall, although my first internship was in a virtual setting, I am extremely grateful that I was able to have the opportunity to work from home since I feel it will be a part of the new norm.