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We are presenting an overview of our internship experience. Our team consists of students from three main programmes: software engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science. We shall begin with a brief introduction explaining why we joined the IoT-ra Lab.
Speaking for myself and some of my colleagues, we joined in our First Year after undertaking a recess project with Dr Mary Nsabagwa. Before enrolling in software engineering, I had certain expectations that were not being fully met. After discussing this with my friend Sally - whom I studied with at school - he introduced me to MS Agatha Turyagyenda, (Ph.D). We spoke, and by the next day I had joined the lab, even though I had no real technical skills at the time.
For many of us, the motivation was the same: we wanted hands-on experience, the ability to collaborate with others, and the opportunity to grow not only as students, but as software engineers. Initially, when asked what skills we had, most of us mentioned Laravel simply because it was the basis of our first project.
This internship has offered enormous exposure. I learned about IoT, something I had long assumed was only for electrical engineering students. Even when I joined the lab, I believed only those specialising in electronics could handle such work. I have since learned that you can do anything once you are willing to start.
We also gained valuable field experience. Some interns went out to see real-world problems first-hand rather than merely hearing about them. The mentorship we received from Dr Nsabagwa, Ms Turyagyenda, and Ms Ephrance Namugenyi (Ph.D) has been invaluable. Collaboration and communication were central to our growth.
A major principle in the lab is “learning by doing”. Even the lab’s WhatsApp group displays this motto as its profile picture. We tackled numerous problems, encountered errors, failed repeatedly, and sought guidance from our mentors while also conducting research to find solutions independently. Teamwork is mandatory here; once you join the IoT-ra Lab, you are immediately placed into a working group.
Among the key projects we worked on were the IoT-based Smart Beehive System and the IoT-based weather monitoring system. We faced several challenges, the first being technical. Most of us arrived knowing only Laravel. For instance, when I joined, Ms Turyagyenda assigned me to data science, a field completely new to me. I had to start from scratch, but with time I made significant progress.
Time management and collaboration were also challenging, especially balancing schoolwork with lab commitments. We gradually learned to communicate effectively and maintain professionalism. For example, instead of sending reports through social apps, we now use email properly.
This internship has shaped our future aspirations. I am now deeply interested in IoT devices and often research them independently. We are motivated to contribute to smart technological solutions that make a real community impact. Unlike some software that feels abstract, projects such as weather prediction systems or smart beehive management have visible benefits.
Our perspective has changed completely: preparing to do something is not the same as doing it. Planning, talking, or reading about the task is not doing the task. Only doing the task counts.
We extend our sincere appreciation to our mentors, supervisors, and Makerere University for their guidance and support.