Trusting Your Abilities: A Journey Through Liberty IT’s Internship
Being able to trust your own ability is a learning process for everyone, says Anastasia Ridge, a third-year software engineering student at Queen’s University Belfast who is currently on a software engineer intern placement at Liberty IT. Her story illustrates how a well-supported internship can turn curiosity into competence, and potential into a clear career path.
Anastasia, who also pursues aerial silks, beekeeping, and crocheting outside of her studies, chose Liberty IT because its publicly shared culture pointed to growth, mentorship, and real opportunities to learn. “From the social media channels, you could see how Liberty IT encourages its employees to progress as individuals, with many opportunities, whether its training courses or networking and learning from those across the company,” she told SiliconRepublic.com.
A Typical Day and Realistic Expectations
Before starting, Anastasia didn’t know what to expect, given the differences between study life and industry work. A typical day now starts with checking team updates and inboxes, followed by selecting a ticket from the sprint board if there isn’t one waiting. A ticket describes a task, bug, or feature with acceptance criteria, guiding who is responsible and what needs to be accomplished.
When questions arise, the team is approachable, offering explanations while juggling their own workloads. A daily stand-up after lunch helps everyone share what they’re working on and highlight blockers. This structure gives Anastasia the confidence and autonomy to own tasks while still receiving the support she needs.
Growth, Scaffolding, and Evolving Responsibilities
As the internship has progressed, the scope of her work has evolved. After initial training, a buddy walked her through tickets and steps, enabling her to apply what she learned in future tasks. Now, she handles her own tickets and manages them with the team’s guidance when needed. Recent exposure to shadowing colleagues in different roles, such as support monitoring auto-alerts and system health checks, has broadened her understanding of the tech ecosystem at Liberty IT.
“I’ve learnt to be more confident with asking for help and asking questions,” she says. “Everyone is willing to help and teach others what they know. It’s a welcoming environment.” Confidence in one’s own abilities is a learning process for everyone, but the team’s support accelerates that journey.
Career Alignment and Practical Readiness
The internship has reinforced that a career in software engineering is the right path for Anastasia. It provides a lens into how university knowledge—like Python and SQL—translates into industry practice, including more advanced applications. Interacting with interns across departments has highlighted the vast array of tech roles available, underscoring that opportunities in tech are wide and varied.
Beyond technical skills, the experience emphasizes communication. Engaging with colleagues at all levels has granted real insight into what different roles entail and how teams collaborate to drive excellence while staying authentic to who they are.
What Sets Liberty IT Apart for Interns
For Anastasia, culture stands out. The company fosters inspiration, knowledge sharing, and collaboration, with a focus on supporting interns as they grow. Workloads are catered to the learner’s journey, and a clear goals-and-growth plan is developed throughout the program. This combination—supportive leadership, structured learning, and meaningful, hands-on work—creates an environment where interns can thrive and develop their professional identity.
As she continues her internship, Anastasia looks forward to taking on additional responsibilities and exploring new areas within the tech sector. Her message to aspiring interns is clear: seek environments that encourage questioning, provide mentorship, and recognize that growth is a gradual process built on daily progress.
