Aug. 20, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by MarketBeat.

“One of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

It’s the biggest takeaway Augustana University junior Savanna Osowski has after her summer working as an intern at MarketBeat.

“Working at MarketBeat this summer has been unlike any job I have ever held before,” Osowski said. “From the moment I started on May 20, I could tell MarketBeat was a place where, No. 1, I would be taken care of, and, No. 2, I would gain invaluable experience for my future career in software development.”

Interns Brandon Jansen and Savanna Osowski on their first day

Osowski was one of two students to participate in MarketBeat’s inaugural software development internship program. The program is designed to give students a comprehensive, hands-on experience that fosters their technical and professional growth through tangible projects, immersion in MarketBeat’s work-life culture and exposure to Sioux Falls’ vibrant professional community. 

The program consisted of two parts: The Growing Developer Series and The Young Professional Series. The first helped the interns build their technical skills with members of the development team. The Young Professional Series focused on personal and professional growth, with sessions led by nondevelopment team members such as human resources, community development and marketing. 

Interns also were encouraged to attend events organized by the Young Professionals Network and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation’s INTERN program.

Brandon Jansen and Savanna Osowski attend an INTERN Sioux Falls event.

“My experience has been incredibly positive, constantly learning and engaging with the community,” Dakota State University senior Brandon Jansen said.

Jansen said his MarketBeat internship gave him a better understanding of what kind of tech field he wants to enter after finishing his computer science degree at DSU.

“This internship was unique for me because it involved a different aspect of tech. Instead of troubleshooting software, I was developing it. This shift allowed me to experience the creative side of tech development.”

Both interns received plenty of hands-on experience with coding, web and software development and task management through their summer project building MarketEats. This fun, internal project optimized the office lunch ordering process. The interns were able to use their coding and software development skills to create a user-friendly system to help automate meal selection and track preferences, enhancing the overall efficiency of the ordering process.

MarketBeat interns present their summer project, MarketEats.

“I learned more about software development than I ever knew was possible with the help of Bekah and the rest of the development team,” Osowski said.

MarketBeat web developer Bekah Van Maanen helped shape the company’s internship program not only to assist the interns with learning new skills but also to help them become fully immersed in MarketBeat’s culture.

Interns learn during a development meeting with Bekah Van Maanen.

“MarketBeat has cultivated a hardworking group of individuals that comes to work every day with the intention of accomplishing goals and doing it efficiently,” Osowski said. “There’s even a phrase that people often use to describe the speed at which tasks are accomplished: MarketBeat speed. When something is broken on the website or there is an error that a user is running into, the development team jumps into action and fixes the problem in not days or hours but in minutes.” 

Both interns believe this kind of learning will benefit them most once they start their careers. But they said their MarketBeat internship experience was far more than just learning new skills and how to operate in a workplace; it also helped set the standard for the kind of workplace culture they hope to experience in the future.

“I have formed amazing connections with my co-workers through team lunches, staff meetings, volunteer events and other office events like happy hour,” Osowski said. “Working at MarketBeat has shown me what the holy grail of company benefits looks like.”

Interns enjoy a lunch outing at Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen with the MarketBeat development team.

Helping to share MarketBeat’s encouraging culture and work-life balance was also a key goal of starting the internship program.

“We’ve created a supportive environment where interns can learn, make mistakes and grow,” Van Maanen said. “By bringing interns into this nurturing setting, we contribute to their professional development as a young professional so that they are primed for success in their future careers.”

It’s the kind of success Van Maanen has found in her own career at MarketBeat, where she was able to start and manage the internship program this summer, a way to hone and practice some of the leadership skills she has gained through several personal and professional development programs MarketBeat has helped her attend. 

“Through recruiting and working with interns, I’ve learned valuable lessons on what works well and how to continually improve the program. I am fortunate that MarketBeat has supported my own growth throughout this process, allowing me the freedom to explore mentorship by applying new tools and strategies directly with our interns,” Van Maanen said. 

Interns ‘graduating’ from MarketBeat internship program

She plans to continue to grow MarketBeat’s internship program. Anyone interested in learning more about MarketBeat’s culture can find more information online or by following the company on LinkedIn.