My Internship Journey at Village 88

As the eagerly awaited internship drew closer, I was on a quest to explore potential IT companies where I could gain invaluable experience. While my university would undoubtedly provide a list, predominantly comprising government agencies with just a sprinkle of IT firms, I was determined to cast a wider net in search of opportunities to hone my skills.

Among the companies on my radar were industry giants like Accenture, Amazon, Kalibrr, and StackTrek. Yet, I recognized the limitations of confining my search solely to what my university offered. I thought about the pros and cons, realizing that sticking to what my school offered, like a government agency placement, might not be the best for my growth.

It was my sister who consistently nudged me to think beyond the conventional options. She insisted I explore other IT companies, and I'm glad I listened. So, I rolled up my sleeves and started doing some research. And then, like a light bulb moment, I remembered stumbling upon Village 88 on a Facebook page last 2020. With my sister's encouragement driving me forward, I dove deeper into my search, excited to uncover even more possibilities beyond the usual suspects.

Village 88, Inc. is a US-based company that offers IT consultancy services and incubates tech startup companies. It was founded by a young entrepreneur in Silicon Valley named Michael Choi. The company has successfully incubated various ventures, including Coding Dojo, Data Compass, and Focus Tracker. Additionally, it has played a pivotal role in launching numerous startups such as Alumnify, SpotTrender, and MatrixDS, among others.

Michael Choi's vision and mission for the company included initiating remote training programs for young Filipinos, aiming to groom them into skilled Software Engineers. This passionate endeavor has been central to the company's ethos since its inception.

Back in October 2022, Village 88, Inc. held a rigorous training program for Batch 3. I was keen on joining, but unfortunately, it clashed with my academic schedule and other commitments. I thought I'd still check them out to see if they were open for an internship.

Lo and behold, like a stroke of luck, they were conducting another Batch 5 Training program. Without hesitation, I thought, "Why not apply and see if I get accepted?" Well, I did, submitted my application, and waited anxiously for a response. To my delight, I was accepted into the program. Thank God!

It was on the fine morning of November 17, 2023, that I began the application process on their website. It took me two days to complete the Village 88 Training Prerequisite hands-on coding exercise. The following morning, I eagerly proceeded to my one-on-one interview with Ms. Karen Marie Igcasan.

Thankfully, I managed to pass both the prerequisite assessment and the interview process, securing my spot in the final training application. It was a moment of immense relief and excitement.

While awaiting the outcome of my application to Village 88, Inc., I also decided to apply to StackTrek, a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Philippines’ foremost provider of programming training solutions. Among its three brands—StackED, StackLab, and StackLeague – I have been an active member and mentee of the StackLeague Mentorship Program since October 2021.

StackLeague stands out as the largest coding Esports platform, dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for developers to showcase their skills. As an active member of the tech community, I had the privilege of participating in various activities, including an exclusive invitation (a free ticket!) to the first-ever StackLeague meetup for developers and technology enthusiasts from across the Philippines. The event took place at the StackTrek Office in Iloilo City on July 1, 2023. It was an invaluable experience that further fueled my passion for programming and technology.

Attending that developer's meetup was a humbling experience for me. Initially, StackTrek was my top choice for an internship opportunity. Unfortunately, it seems they weren’t accepting intern applications at that time.

Going back to Village 88, the application results were announced on November 28, 2023. Unfortunately, I didn't qualify as a trainee for the January cohort due to concerns about my final exam in January. The Village 88 Training is known for its rigorous and intensive nature, so I wasn't entirely surprised. I had been upfront with the project manager about my academic conflict schedule, but it was still disappointing.

In the following days, I found myself busy juggling academics, our capstone project, and preparing for final exams. Amidst the flurry of activities, I forgot to continue my hunt for other internship opportunities.

Then, just before midnight on December 11, 2023, an email arrived. It was from Ms. Ignasan, the Lead Instructor at Village 88. She reached out to inform me that the team had reconsidered and decided to create a separate batch group exclusively for OJTs (On-the-Job Trainees). This batch was scheduled to commence in the first week of February, and I was offered a spot in Village 88 Batch 5 Training!

This news filled me with happiness and gratitude. Village 88 recognized my potential, passion, and dedication, and I couldn't be more thrilled to embark on this journey with them.

Everything happened so quickly, and Ms. Karen wasted no time in providing me with all the necessary details to kickstart the onboarding process, considering I would be working remotely. It's quite funny, actually. When I got her email, I was feeling rather sleepy and definitely not in the best condition to compose a coherent response. In fact, I ended up forgetting to reply for weeks!

It wasn't until January 2nd that I finally reached out to Ms. Karen and the team to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity. To my relief, she was incredibly lovely, nice, and welcoming.

Even before the official start of the training, and while still attending school, I eagerly delved into their Basic Algorithm tasks on HackerHero. This course served as excellent preparation for the training ahead, putting my coding knowledge to the test. I'm pleased to report that I successfully tackled all 29 JavaScript problems.

As January unfolded, I found myself in a whirlwind of activity, juggling my academic responsibilities, leading my group's capstone project as the programmer, and diligently working through my tasks on HackerHero for Village 88.

Between all this, I made occasional trips to school to tackle my OJT requirements and prepare for our impending capstone final defense. Every moment was a race against time as I aimed to wrap up my academic commitments and shift my focus entirely to my upcoming internship.

Then, on January 26, the day of our capstone project defense finally arrived. As we presented our work, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, and a sense of relief washed over me. It was as if a burden had been lifted, and I could finally breathe freely again.

Moreover, amidst the chaos, I managed to complete my OJT requirements, including the crucial Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). This milestone marked a significant achievement: I became the first trainee from our university to join Village 88. The partnership between UA TLM Campus and Village 88 was officially established, with me blazing the trail as the pioneer. It's a thrilling prospect to know that I've opened doors for future students who aspire to intern at this remarkable company.

Just before diving into my Village 88 internship orientation, I hit a wall of uncertainty – got cold feet! It all started innocently enough with me scrolling through Discord and Reddit, seeking insight from past trainees about what to expect. But what I found was a flood of stories detailing their trials and tribulations during the Village 88 training program. Suddenly, my excitement turned into apprehension. They said the training was no joke, not for the faint-hearted, and made me doubt if I could handle it.

Reading through those accounts, it felt like I was peeking into a world of intense challenges and demanding schedules. While I knew that everyone's experience would be different, the overwhelming consensus painted a daunting picture of what lay ahead. Suddenly, the confidence I had in my abilities wavered, replaced by nagging doubts about whether I was cut out for it.

One of the things that really got to me was the realization that progression through the program wasn't guaranteed. Trainees couldn't just coast along; they had to show real progress and meet certain requirements to advance. The thought of hitting a roadblock halfway through, with the possibility of having to start over elsewhere, was terrifying.

Amid this uncertainty, I found myself considering the unthinkable: backing out. The fear of not being able to keep up with the demanding training regimen became overwhelming. I even started looking into other options, like VirtousoMaster, a company my university had connections with.

It was a rough time, full of self-doubt and second-guessing. But ultimately, I knew I had to face my fears head-on and make a decision that aligned with my goals and aspirations.

I remember vividly the moment I confided in my mom about my inclination to back out of the Village 88 internship. She was sympathetic and understanding. She listened to my concerns and offered her support, assuring me that she would stand by whatever decision I made.

But my sister had a different reaction that truly made me reconsider. Upon learning of my intentions to back out, my sister didn't mince words. She expressed her disappointment and firmly challenged my decision – gave me a reality check, honestly. In a heartfelt conversation, she laid out the potential benefits of sticking with Village 88, highlighting the invaluable opportunities for skill development and professional growth that it could offer compared to more conventional options like a government agency position.

She knew I had what it takes, and she wasn't taking no for an answer (as always). With a mix of tough love and belief in my abilities, she urged me to push past my doubts and seize the opportunity before me.

For days, she kept pushing me for what she believed was the best path for me, even when I resisted. Her words echoed in my mind for days – her persistence paid off. I finally listened to her and decided to commit to the Village 88 internship. What gave me comfort was knowing she'd be there for me every step of the way, ready to help whenever I needed it.

Finally, February 5 arrived—the day of my internship orientation at Village 88. I couldn't contain my excitement, though a hint of nervousness crept in as well. As I joined the Zoom call, I was greeted by a bustling group of fellow trainees for the February cohort.

Our supervisor and mentor, Sir Lenard Cordial, took the stage, introducing us to the Village 88 training routine and the timeline. He walked us through the modules on the HackerHero website and emphasized the importance of attendance, too.

The energy in the virtual room was palpable as we embarked on this new journey together. Despite the nerves, I felt a surge of determination and anticipation as we delved into what promised to be a challenging yet rewarding experience.

After that Zoom session, I worked on my self-introduction assignments and moved on to tackle algorithm-focused coding challenges. Throughout this period, I gained insights into the essential foundations of programming, which include functions, if/else statements, loops (including for loops), variables (including arrays), and object-oriented programming (OOP). Additionally, I began using T-diagrams as a helpful tool to solve code and determine variables, values, and outputs.

I also wrapped up the Introduction to Algorithm lessons and dove into Game Algorithms, where I got the hang of HTML, CSS, and Javascript basics. As part of my learning journey, I even conquered the JavaScript Ninja Walking Game task.

In one of our Zoom sessions, I learned how important it is to stick to the organization's coding standards. Keeping your code clean and easy to read is a big deal. So, after our chat, I jumped into the Clean Code assignment. I fixed up stuff like semicolons, spacing, indentation, and curly braces to make the code smooth and clear as day.

During the second week of our training, we dived into the Web Fundamentals Track, which kicked off our journey in the HackerHero basecamp. This track gave us a bird's-eye view of how the web functions behind the scenes. It was here that I got my hands dirty with designing webpages using front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, LESS, Bootstrap, RWD, Git, GitHub, jQuery, MySQL, SQL Queries, and Database Design.

Honestly, this track felt like a breeze for me, and I was genuinely pumped to dive into it. However, I could only fully immerse myself in it during week 2 because of pre-requisite homework.

Another invaluable skill I picked up in this course was how to back up codebases in the cloud and utilize libraries. We also delved into backend technologies like databases, learning how to build real-world projects from scratch in a matter of hours.

One of the key takeaways from this track was grasping the importance of properly aligning opening and closing tags, as well as using appropriate spacing and indentation to make our code more readable.

As the days flew by, Thursday, February 15, rolled around, marking another day of growth in my Village 88 journey. The highlight of my morning was hopping out of bed bright and early, still in my pajamas, to join the daily Zoom session at 7:30 a.m. Before switching on my camera, I took half an hour to freshen up and prepare myself for the day ahead.

During the session, one particular lesson from Sir Michael's video really stuck with me. He highlighted the two types of students in coding: those who thrive on research and best practices, and those who prefer hands-on experimentation. The key takeaway was the importance of focusing on building fundamental concepts, embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, and collaborating with peers for continuous growth and faster progress.

In addition to the Zoom session, I began diving into PHP Documentation and a Python Website Assignment. These tasks taught me the significance of honing in on essential information in technical documentation and cutting out unnecessary details to accelerate skill development. This approach allows for mastery in a matter of months rather than years. Plus, I got my first taste of LESS, expanding my toolkit in web development.

Over the next few days, I tackled the Bootstrap and LESS Assignment, putting my newfound knowledge into action. I learned a valuable strategy for problem-solving: dedicating the initial 20 minutes to independent struggle before seeking external help. It's crucial to exhaust training materials before turning to Google or other resources. Collaboration within the cohort is encouraged after the initial struggle, but it's essential to refrain from sharing code to maintain integrity and personal growth.

One thing that really hit home for me was realizing the importance of completing all mandatory assignments. Skipping tasks might seem like a shortcut, but it can slow down the learning process and give a false sense of progress. It's essential to dedicate at least 70 hours per week and remain humble in seeking assistance—it's a recipe for success.

Mr. Choi shed light on an eye-opening fact: 90% of participants scored low on the Programming IQ Test due to the limitations of the Philippines' education system. Determined to change this, he spent a decade refining the training program. Instead of spending 5-10 years learning independently, participants like us can master the skills in just 4 months. And the payoff? After graduation, we could have the equivalent experience of 5-7 years as developers.

On top of that, I delved into jQueryUI, a tool that revolutionizes web development by simplifying the process of adding interactive and visually stunning user interface elements. With its pre-built widgets and customizable library, jQueryUI offers endless possibilities for enhancing web pages.

Moreover, I have also completed the remaining assignments and quizzes in the jQuery lessons. It's amazing how much ground we can cover in such a short time with the right tools and mindset.

On February 23, we tackled the Web Fundamentals Examination, a rigorous 4-hour test covering HTML and CSS. Drawing on the best practices I'd learned in our lessons, I dove in with confidence. After the exam, I shifted gears to dive into the SQL Queries lesson, immersing myself in the world of Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD) and database design. Through hands-on assignments, I bridged the gap between theory and practice, honing my skills in this critical area.

In the days that followed, I gained valuable insights into effectively handling date inputs, especially in validating against past dates. The importance of using the correct HTML elements, like <input type="submit">, for form submissions was also hammered home. Putting these lessons into immediate action, I revamped my code in the Web Fundamentals assignments before tackling PHP tasks.

Furthermore, I expanded my programming prowess by exploring the 5 levels of programming. I learned to trust the training materials provided by the platform, avoiding the rabbit hole of endlessly searching for "best practices" online. This approach keeps me focused and ensures an efficient learning journey.

Another important lesson I took away was the significance of employing best practices when using echo in PHP, refining my coding skills even further. With each lesson and assignment, I'm not just learning; I'm growing into a more proficient programmer, ready to tackle whatever challenges come my way.

As the days zoomed by and March rolled in, I found myself immersed in a whirlwind of learning experiences. In the first week alone, I gleaned some invaluable nuggets of wisdom from the Daily Bread video. One standout lesson was the importance of honing our documentation-reading skills as developers. Spending just ten minutes perusing the manual can save us hours of debugging headaches down the line. Additionally, I delved into topics like Headers, Hidden, Cookies, and Sessions, all crucial components in the developer's toolkit. Sir Lenard also stressed the importance of embracing criticism as a means of improving our coding prowess.

In my PHP lessons, I delved deeper into the world of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). This structured approach to coding not only enhances project scalability but also simplifies maintenance—a vital skill in the developer's arsenal. Armed with this knowledge, I dove into OOP assignments, putting theory into practice.

Furthermore, I came to appreciate the pivotal role of real-world projects in landing job opportunities as a developer. Instead of merely listing technologies on a CV, showcasing solid projects effectively demonstrates our skills. In PHP lessons, I delved into creating properties and methods in PHP classes, mastering access modifiers, and utilizing $ this for self-reference—a crucial step towards building scalable projects.

My Zoom sessions this week offered practical insights into web development frameworks like CodeIgniter. I learned the importance of organizing files and folders for a clean, understandable codebase, and delved into data sanitization and validation techniques—essential for maintaining security and integrity in large-scale projects.

As the day progressed, the Daily Bread video underscored the evolution of problem-solving pathways toward more elegant solutions with increasing proficiency. Collaboration and understanding were emphasized as key to mastering development skills and completing assignments successfully. And let's not forget the importance of good naming conventions—yet another tool in our kit for enhancing code readability and maintainability.

Delving into CodeIgniter's built-in form validation library was like uncovering a treasure trove of practical insights. It's all about simplifying the tedious process of validating form inputs. With methods like setrules(), I can breeze through form field validation, making web applications more robust than ever. And let's not forget about level 3 security validation—both on the frontend and backend layers. It's all about beefing up security measures to keep our applications safe from any unwanted intruders.

But that's not all! We also dipped our toes into the concept of RESTful routing, which offers a neat and structured way to define pathways and HTTP methods. Starting on assignment tasks to implement these routing conventions gave us some hands-on experience in applying these principles effectively. It's like unlocking the secret code to smoother, more organized web development.

On February 25th, our Zoom session began with a bang, featuring a powerful video that hammered home the importance of setting shorter deadlines to ramp up productivity and streamline workflow. Inspired by this nugget of wisdom, I jumped back into my shopping assignment post-session. And guess what? I successfully integrated the Stripe API for online payments—a major milestone in my coding journey that left me buzzing with excitement.

In my PHP lessons, I stumbled upon the magic of the VSCode Debugger. This handy tool proved to be a game-changer in debugging code swiftly and efficiently, saving me from drowning in a sea of echo or var_dump statements. Mastering the debugger not only saves time but also deepens my understanding of how HTTP requests flow through my code—from routing files to controllers, models, and views—a crucial skill for any aspiring developer.

Taking a peek at Ma'am Karen's Wall Bug GitHub repository revealed the art of clean and comprehensive code commenting. Her meticulous approach makes each method crystal clear, driving home the importance of clear documentation in fostering collaboration and code readability. And let's not forget about diving into AJAX technology, which opened up a whole new world of possibilities for building dynamic and responsive web applications without the headache of full-page reloads.

After three intense days, the PHP track exam arrived. It was a tough nut to crack, but I managed to finish it on time. I even implemented data filtering using jQuery AJAX, automagically updating the table/page without needing a pesky refresh. And when the exam results came in later that night, I received the thrilling news—I passed!

Wrapping up the end of February, I threw myself into the Product Dashboard assignment, putting my newfound knowledge of Useful URLs and APIs to work. These tools offer a structured approach to fetching various content types and interacting with data from different sources, paving the way for richer and more dynamic web experiences. It's like unlocking a whole new dimension of web development possibilities.

Capstone Week Progress

April 1st marks the beginning of my Capstone Week—a pivotal moment that kickstarts a whirlwind of creativity and determination. My first mission?
Crafting the database design, also known as the Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD), for my e-commerce project. I set the groundwork for my project's backend structure with careful planning and meticulous attention to detail.

As the week unfolded, each day brought new challenges and milestones. On day two, I completed the database design/ERD, solidifying the blueprint for my project's data architecture. With this crucial step behind me, I dove headfirst into coding the main page, focusing on essential features like login and register functionality—the backbone of the project's front-end development.

By day three, progress was in full swing as I wrapped up implementing the login and register functionality for both user and admin pages. With this key task accomplished, I turned my attention to coding the product page, a pivotal element of my e-commerce platform. It was exciting to see the project taking shape!

Day four saw further strides as I fine-tuned client-side functionalities, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user experience. With this aspect polished, I shifted gears to work on the server/backend side, laying the groundwork for the Admin Dashboard—an indispensable tool for managing the platform's operations.

As Capstone Week drew to a close, I focused on crafting the product view page, enabling users to add product reviews effortlessly. Drawing on lessons from previous assignments, I seamlessly integrated functionalities while also initiating the implementation of the Stripe payment method for the checkout page—a significant milestone in completing the project. And yes, I completed and presented it with pride!

After wrapping up Capstone Week, I dove back into my pending PHP track on HackerHero for the remainder of April. Here's a rundown of what I learned during this period:

First off, I discovered that the toaster's display message will pop up at the bottom right—an unexpected yet handy bit of knowledge.

Next, I delved into the world of AJAX, a magical tool that allows websites to update without the need for a full-page refresh. It's like a secret ingredient that makes the internet run faster and smoother.

I also took a crack at building a Chatbot, although I haven't quite cracked the code on that one yet. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, right?
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Moving on, I explored ORM (Object Relational Mapper), a nifty tool that bridges the gap between our code and databases. It's like having a personal assistant that handles data management tasks without us having to write a ton of queries.

In addition, I got to grips with DataMapper Models, which are a whole different ball game compared to CodeIgniter Models. These bad boys don't need explicit loading and shouldn't be added to autoload—they handle loading automatically.

Setting up relationships in DataMapper models was another skill I mastered. It's like connecting the dots in a story—you specify how one thing is linked to another, ensuring your program knows how things are related.

I also dived into advanced query clauses like "where_between" and "where_not_between," which require specifying two values. Plus, I learned about built-in validation and the golden rules for setting up custom validation functions.

On top of that, I got schooled in Unix Timestamps—a handy tool for dealing with time-related data.

To cap it all off, I tackled a simple CRUD project using ORM, applying validations to manage database table relationships. It was a hands-on experience where I practiced basic CRUD operations, putting my newfound knowledge into action.

From April 22nd to April 26th, it felt like we were chasing the weekends on a resume workshop as part of the Village 88 Career Preparation. Crafting a standout resume and building a stellar portfolio were our main goals. We learned the importance of a strong resume in snagging job interviews, with Mr. Michael sharing how students vastly improved their job prospects by beefing up their resumes.

During the workshop, I learned to highlight accomplishments rather than just list job descriptions. Adding project links was also emphasized as a way to boost a resume's effectiveness in landing job interviews.

With feedback and suggestions from Sir Lenard, I made significant progress in refining my resume. I even took the initiative to deploy some of my CodeIgniter projects on GoDaddy to make them live, adding them to my resume and portfolio. Sir Lenard gave me a thumbs-up with a "good job" feedback.

April 29th marked my graduation—the end of my internship journey. It was a virtual graduation day filled with excitement and pride. Finally, all the sleepless nights, hard work, and stress paid off.

The day kicked off with Ms. Karen Marie Ignasan, our Lead Instructor, welcoming us and highlighting our journey through the exclusive Batch 5 Training program. Out of thousands of hopefuls, only a handful of us made it through the rigorous training. It was a proud moment.

Out of 2347 training signups, only 133 were accepted as regular trainees, and 52 student trainees from various universities in the Philippines, totaling 185. However, only 68 regular trainees and 8 student trainees, including myself, completed the training. Some trainees are still wrapping up their OJT hours.

Sir Lenard Cordial acknowledged the e-commerce Capstone completers and shared a motivational message alongside Ms. Karen. The mood was a mix of happiness and sadness as the training came to an end.

In the final stretch of our graduation, Ms. Karen shared valuable career tips to aid us in our job search, wrapping up our journey with valuable insights and encouragement.

Conclusion

My internship experience at Village 88 was truly invaluable. The training equipped me with industry-level knowledge in Fullstack web development, but let me tell you, those 12 weeks were no walk in the park. It felt like being in a military boot camp, as many of my fellow trainees would agree.

But amidst the challenges, the training team made all the difference. Sir Lenard Cordial, our supervisor, was always approachable and generous with his feedback and guidance. And Ms. Karen added a touch of fun to the mix, vibing with us trainees and making the journey enjoyable.

The solo capstone project was perhaps the ultimate test of my skills and patience. Building a fully functional e-commerce shop in just five days pushed me to my limits. But hey, I made it through, and looking back, it was a rewarding experience.

I won't sugarcoat it—there were tough moments. Pulling all-nighters to catch up with assignments, feeling sleep-deprived for weeks on end, and constantly chasing the weekends made it feel like a nonstop marathon. But amidst the grind, there were pockets of relaxation and bonding with my co-trainees that made it all worthwhile.

Despite the challenges, I made significant progress. Sometimes, it's easy to be hard on yourself and not realize just how far you've come in such a short time.

I'm proud to be a part of Village 88. Completing over 200 assignments, taking two exams, and earning proficiency badges were accomplishments I'll always cherish. And beyond the technical skills, the village taught me the importance of people, culture, time management, respect, and hard work.

In the end, my internship at Village 88 was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. As my sister aptly puts it, it was "good suffering," a journey of growth and learning that I'll carry with me for years to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey, and I hope it inspires others to pursue their passions with courage and determination.
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“An internship is not just about earning experience, but about discovering the strength within yourself to turn challenges into opportunities and dreams into reality.”