GetMyFirstJob Ambassador
Hello, I Am Kamsy Alino
I decided to do an apprenticeship to get a springboard into the career I want to pursue. An apprenticeship provides me with hands-on experience, and I have always been someone who learns better practically rather than theoretically. While university provides knowledge of theories and techniques, it doesn’t mean much if I can’t implement these aspects into a real-life work environment continuously.
By doing an apprenticeship, I am also surrounded by a strong network, ranging from entry-level employees to directors and executives. Being around such people allows me to learn valuable life lessons and gain a deeper understanding of how the business works, which is essential to doing my job properly, strengthening prior knowledge, and further developing business acumen.
Tell us more about your experience
My day-to-day tasks can vary, but here are some specific activities I might be involved in: I am likely to work on various projects, ensuring I stay on track and meet deadlines. This includes coordinating with different teams, tracking progress, and reporting on project status. I regularly attend and participate in meetings and communicate with my manager, Stacy Denton, as well as other team members through emails and catch-ups. For example, I might have 1:1 meetings with colleagues to discuss ongoing tasks and projects.
My role is dynamic and involves a mix of project management, collaboration, communication, and continuous learning. A highlight of my work so far has been being a key figure in an ongoing project where I co-hosted and demoed a Microsoft product to 400+ employees in a customer’s organisation.
When I first started, a senior employee gave me invaluable advice: “Not being busy for the sake of being busy.” It’s very easy to fall into the trap of doing things that simply fill up time. It’s important to focus on tasks that are meaningful and add value, rather than overloading yourself with work that doesn’t achieve much. Receiving this advice was eye-opening because, in such a vast organisation like Microsoft that has so much to offer, it’s easy to do too much.
All types of support are available to me—managers, mentors, support networks, and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), such as Diversity and Inclusion communities. At Microsoft, there’s a community for everyone. Microsoft also offers resources and programmes to support employees' mental and physical well-being, including access to counselling services, wellness programmes, and initiatives to promote work-life balance.
At the end of my apprenticeship, I aim to become a full-time employee at Microsoft.