$ summer
The Hidden Curriculum of a Tech Summer
Most advice about tech internships misses the point. After a whirlwind summer that spanned Google's HQ, a unicorn startup, friends at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cambridge, visiting family back in Spain, and a conference stage in Berlin, I've realized the most valuable lessons aren't on any syllabus.
At Google I/O, real insights sparked from chance conversations, not polished presentations. At Chainguard, "naive" questions sparked innovation, and diverse perspectives fueled my growth. During my internship, we closed a Series C, hitting unicorn status at $1B+ valuation. As one of the first engineering interns, I witnessed firsthand how a startup scales and why software supply chain security is critical. Talk about a masterclass in tech entrepreneurship!
This alchemy fueled my work on SELinux policies through buildspace. We merge graph-based analysis, automated verification, and even Language Models to refine policies. It's a vivid example of how security, graph theory, and AI can intersect in surprising ways.
Speaking at stackconf Berlin about the work I'd done last summer (building on my experience with the Flatcar team - Kinvolk (acquired by Microsoft)) showed me that in tech, we're often teaching what we've barely learned. It's uncomfortable, but it's how the industry leaps forward.
Even a late-night In-N-Out Burger run with dead phones became an impromptu lesson in real-world problem-solving. Shoutout to Varun Madan, my partner in these unplanned debugging sessions :)
The common thread? It's all about people. Chainguard drove this home: Nghia Tran's mentorship, Dan Papandrea and Matt Moore wisdom, Taylor Bloom, PMP's project savvy, technical insights from Billy Lynch, RJ Sampson, Philippe Deslauriers, Scott Moser, and Jason Hall, Dan Lorenc and Dustin Kirkland's approach to leadership - all as crucial as any code.
I can't forget the after-hours magic: late-evening pair programming with Ville Aikas, and karaoke with Josh Dolitsky. These moments shape you in ways no textbook can.
This challenges our approach to tech education. Beyond languages and algorithms, it's about human connections and diverse perspectives.
To students fretting about "productivity": if you engaged with people, explained ideas, and stepped out of your comfort zone (my tenacity is one to be reckoned with, I'm told ;) ), you've gained more than you know. These experiences will mold your tech future more than any resume bullet.
The next tech revolution isn't just about faster AI or quantum leaps. It's about bridging technology and human experience - something you learn from startup debates, explaining work to friends, and yes, even getting lost on burger 🍔 runs.
What unexpected lessons have you discovered beyond the classroom? How can we better prepare for a tech future where human interaction is as crucial as code?