Tajudin was eager to find his first real job.
“Not many people know that I was born in Kenya, in the city of Nairobi. When I was around 7 years old I came to the United States. I started school in the second grade so I had to catch up really quick. Until high school, I had to take an ESL class and I kind of struggled in reading. At first I failed my reading test, but I got good support from my teachers and passed the test the second time. After that, I found out I was pretty good in other areas, too.
I have never had a real interview before I interviewed here. This is actually my first job I’ve ever had that I get paid for, so I’m excited about it.”
I am…
// 18
// Determined, organized, easygoing
// A graduate of Ubah Medical Academy
I dream of…
// Becoming an architect
Building a virtual reality experience with his team and presenting a business idea at Revival, a one-day accelerator for digital professionals.
He embodied the value of Achievement.
“At first when we started making our own business, I was pretty nervous. When we heard that we were going to present our business idea to other companies, I thought, “Whoa, I can’t do this.” I had no ideas in my mind.
But as we started to go forward, collaborating as a team, coming up with just one concept became much easier. I definitely think in the future I could come up with more business ideas.”
Tajudin and his teammates showing off their business idea: a smart streetlight that uses drone technology to ensure pedestrians’ safety.
He learned how to thrive in a professional work environment.
“Throughout this summer, I actually gained more experience and comfort in talking to people and interacting with them. We have some smart people in the group who are skilled at Photoshop and they’ve helped me out so now I’m comfortable with it. I also learned the importance of having a good relationship with your supervisors.
I still feel like I’m myself, but I’m at a more comfortable level of myself. I’ve gotten pretty good at showing people what I can do.”
See the difference that Rêve Academy makes.
Tajudin gained both technical and professional skills in his internship—and he didn’t have to pay a cent. In fact, we paid him a fair wage for his work each week, while he learned:
Professional skills
// Empathy
// Authenticity
// Collaboration
// Achievement
// Ingenuity
// Agility
Technical skills
// Photoshop
// Illustrator
// Virtual reality
// Project management
// Agile development
Rêve Academy’s student interns of summer 2016.
Help students along their path.
If you have a heart for students, we have a place for you.
Become a digital volunteer and help our interns as they work on real-world projects. Or show our kids what an ordinary day looks like for a working professional. There are lots of ways to get involved, so don’t be shy—we can’t wait to meet you!