Hello everyone, I’m Sanu Satyadarshi, currently serving as a Lead Software Engineer at Mercari. Recently, I had the privilege of being a mentor for the Build@Mercari 2024 program, and I’m excited to share my experiences from this incredible event.
Build@Mercari stands as Mercari Inc.’s premier pre-internship initiative, offering online training and internship opportunities to university students worldwide.
This immersive program provides hands-on training, allowing students to dive into the tech stack commonly used in the industry. Selected participants are grouped into teams, with each team being assigned 1-2 mentors. Throughout the program, students undergo comprehensive training covering essential skills such as Git, GoLang/Python, Web API development, Docker, CI/CD, and more.
This year, the event commenced on Feb 16, 2024, accommodating both online and offline formats. Online sessions catered to English-speaking students, while offline sessions were tailored for Japanese-speaking students.
I had the privilege of mentoring the English-speaking group (while still honing my Japanese language skills 😞). Our initial session focused on assisting students in installing and setting up Git, a fundamental skill for any Software Engineer. Following this, students were divided into smaller groups, with dedicated mentors assigned to each team.
The experience was incredibly engaging. We began by configuring our development environments, setting up Golang/Python on our laptops, and deploying a sample web application to showcase the iconic “Hello World!” message on our browsers.
As the Build@Mercari sessions emphasize technical proficiency, I volunteered to lead sessions on Docker and CI, in addition to the introductory GoLang session.
During the Docker session, I introduced the concept of containers, followed by a demonstration and hands-on exercise on containerizing a GoLang application. Students successfully created containerized applications and executed them on their laptops.
In the CI session, we utilized GitHub actions to automate the building of Docker images upon each PR merge, highlighting the significance of Continuous Integration in the software development lifecycle.
The students not just followed the sessions but actually went ahead and implemented the changes themselves. Some even started appreciating the “Works on my machine” meme!!!
After the training sessions, each team was expected to collaborate themselves and complete the project. Like any other software development team, we had daily meetings to sync on progress and help each other with any blockers. This also improved the collaboration and allowed students to get a feel for software development at companies.
At the end of the program, all the students presented their work to judges, comprising of engineers and TA team members. This is part of the evaluation process for offering internship to the selected students at Mercari.
I thoroughly enjoyed being the mentor for this program. Although, I had to take time out from my project deliverables, it was refreshing to see students learning and making progress in their skills.
The Build@Mercari program not only equips students with valuable technical skills but also fosters collaboration and innovation, making it a truly enriching experience for mentors and participants alike.
