When three SPC students accepted internships at MWD Web Design in St. Petersburg, they had no way of knowing they would be working on iPhone, iPod, and iPad apps that would be so successful they would end up in the Apple iTunes App store.<\/p>\n
Four students from the SPC\u2019s College of Computer Information Technology accepted the internships. Three of them \u2013 Michael Goltz, Rick Williamson and Jasmine Plugher \u2013 ended up with work assignments at MWD.<\/p>\n
While some interns may find themselves doing relatively mundane work, the three SPC interns soon found themselves working on actual iPhone applications. Their work was so successful that Apple accepted two of their applications for sale and another is pending \u2013 no small feat when one considers the relatively small number of iPhone app developers, and the even smaller number of Apps that actually get accepted for sale in the iTunes online App Store.<\/p>\n
MWD Partner Patrick Mabarak had high praise for the SPC interns, and said he is looking forward to signing on more of them from the CITT program for the next term.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey did an outstanding job,\u201d Mabarak said. \u201cThey were the first internship group that was able to complete an app \u2013 not just one, but actually two \u2013 and have both of them approved by the store, which is definitely a very good thing. No other group here at MWD has been able to do that, and that includes our office here as well as our offices in Detroit, Colorado, Indiana, and in China.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the apps, a game for children, is called Grab Your iLetters. It utilizes capitalization, memorization skills and color recognition. The players move letters around the screen and get applause for correct answers. The other, called iShapes, uses three random shapes which must be dropped in similarly-shaped boxes below.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the students were excellent, and presented themselves very well,\u201d Mabarak said. \u201cThis project gave them hands-on experience, and they were able to see how a project develops from start to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the interns, Rick Williamson, was offered a full-time job with the company, Mabarak said. All of them received cash bonuses for their work during the internship.<\/p>\n
Intern Michael Goltz said the internship experience far exceeded his expectations, and provided him with a great deal of valuable hands-on experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very different from what we experienced in class,\u201d Goltz said. \u201cWe could actually see what was required, and get experience in what coding you need and don\u2019t need. It was very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goltz is about to graduate from SPC with an associate\u2019s degree in computer web programming and analysis. He plans to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree in computer engineering at the University of South Florida.
\nSharon Setterlind, Dean of the College of Computer and Information Technology, said the interns\u2019 experience at MWD Web Design shows that the college is succeeding in sending well-prepared students into the work force.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is really an evaluation of our programs,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen we get such positive feedback from the people who hire our interns,\u201d we know we are on the right track, and that we are actually teaching what is needed \u2013 we are sending students out ready for the work world.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was the purpose of the program,\u201d she said. \u201cWe felt we needed more involvement in the local community, and that is what happened here. Plus, it gives our students an opportunity to see if they really want to be in that field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Setterlind said nearly 11 percent of the students sent out from the college as interns have been hired full-time by their employers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When three SPC students accepted internships at MWD Web Design in St. Petersburg, they had no way of knowing they would be working on iPhone, iPod, and iPad apps that would be so successful they would end up in the Apple iTunes App store. Four students from the SPC\u2019s College of Computer Information Technology accepted … Continue reading St. Petersburg College interns produce real iTunes Store applications<\/span>