Test, learn, and optimize.
That not only applied to the projects Jaden Quinones worked on during his internship at M&T Bank this summer. It’s also the approach the Brooklyn native has taken throughout his tech journey thus far, building an experience and skill level that will set himself up for a promising career once he graduates from City College of Technology next year.
Originally a business major, Jaden quickly learned that finance was something that he did not want to do. Since he’s always had a passion for tech, he incorporated those business learnings and found a home in computer information systems and software development.
“As I learned hard tech skills such as coding, I learned that there’s not just one route to have a job,” Jaden says. “That’s when I found product managing and started pursuing an internship.”
He spent last summer interning remotely at CodePath – an organization that helps minorities break into the tech industry by connecting students with classes and internships at top companies – which helped him find the opportunity at M&T Bank.
Jaden practicing his pitch for PowerUpTech’s Tech Design Challenge at Seneca One. (Photo by Mark Mulville)
As a full-stack software engineer, he moved to Buffalo for the summer and worked in the infrastructure department to create a web application that visualized utilization data to aid internal decision-making by highlighting active and inactive servers within the company.
“I worked with two other interns to make this web app come to life,” says Jaden, who was also able to connect with many interns from other companies throughout Western New York through PowerUpTech.
The program, which is tailored for college students, had events such as a boat ride along Lake Erie, a community hackathon, and a LinkedIn workshop where Jaden presented about personal branding.
He also enjoyed connecting with the community through volunteering events planting produce at Grassroots Gardens WNY and offering tech support to seniors at Harvest House.
“In New York City, there’s a lot of things probably going on that you wouldn’t know,” Jaden says. “Within Buffalo, it’s very tight-knit. They’re trying to expose everyone to newer possibilities and not trying to gatekeep anything. They help you meet new people, take you to events, and introduce you to them.”
Learning how to harness tech and incorporate it positively into community building is important to Jaden, and his summer experience in Buffalo has opened the possibility to coming back if the right offer is there.
“This internship is exactly what I wanted,” he says, “I was able to experience what I lack in, and now I’ll be able to buckle down and go for that first starter position. Product managing is something that I could pursue as well, as I feel I have the personality, communication, and technical skills on the business level.”
In addition to the technical skills and resume-building experiences, Jaden has also learned to take advantage of every opportunity in front of him.
“I soaked up a lot this summer,” he says. “All these trials and tribulations, it’s helped me now find my path to finding my dream job.”
