In our India Development Center (IDC), our team is dedicated to developing innovative technologies that change the way we connect. One way the IDC leadership is achieving this is by nurturing young talent. By providing access to the latest technology and a curriculum led by experienced mentors, the IDC is the perfect place to shape a career in technology.
Don’t just take our word for it. Hear all about #LifeAtATT from Sr. Associate – Data Analysis Preetham.
Meet Preetham
Preetham is one of the many young professionals making a name for themselves in our IDC. Raised in Bangalore, he began his career as an intern. Before that, he earned his Bachelor’s of technology in Electronics and Communication. His passion for math began in high school along with his love of football. He told us, “I was quite confident – always overconfident – and loved to take on any challenging math problem or challenging teams in football.”
Despite his love of mathematics, this is not the career he imagined for himself during his university days. He admitted, “I never knew such work existed. I never really thought about placements or jobs at school.”
So, how did Preetham end up becoming an intern with AT&T? Our reputation preceded us. “I heard AT&T was coming. I had read about them in my Wireless Networking Fundamentals course as a top-tier service provider and I thought ‘Great. Finally, a company I’ve read about is coming to my college.’”
That’s when his love of technology and drive to learn as much as possible took hold.
An Internship with Impact
When Preetham began his internship, ChatGPT was just released and grabbing the attention of the entire tech world. “The generative AI boom was upon us,” he said. “I found myself at the heart of it. The transition to this work from academia was a watershed moment for me. It marked the beginning of an exciting and rewarding journey.”
As an intern, he helped develop numerous AI integrations – from a customer care chatbot to several internal AI tools designed to increase productivity. In addition to doing work with real-world impacts, Preetham and his fellow interns were also getting an education in the world of communication.
“I had a great time during my internship with my fellow colleagues. Within the span of a month, we all got quite close. We were exploring and learning things together. It was quite fun working with new people,” he said.
A Day at the Office
Today, Preetham works in the Chief Data Office, where he continues to develop AI solutions. Currently, he is in the fraud department. “We strive to be on top of technology and stay ahead of the bad actors and hackers.” Additionally, he is working on a tool called AskOps. “By leveraging advanced data integration, skill development, and workflow optimization, AskOps aims to streamline processes and expedite response times, fortifying the operational backbone of the organization.”
A typical day will involve many hours spent whiteboarding. Preetham stressed the importance of these planning sessions to make the actual development easier. Between these sessions and actual development time, he makes use of the amenities at the IDC. One major advantage: the ability to network.
“The IDC makes people from different business units accessible. We can learn about the work going on with other teams. There are also internal hackathons and training sessions and a few parties every year.”
Lifelong Learning
A cornerstone of our culture is constant learning. It’s something Preetham has fully embraced. Whether it be through company resources – like internal training and knowledge sessions – or through personal activities – like watching tech videos and reading up on the latest news on his way to work.
“Working at AT&T allows me to learn tech I would have never had access to otherwise. Here you can imagine, innovate, and create magical moments for people through technology just like our very first invention: the telephone. We are reimagining technology every single day.”
“AT&T is more than just a company. It’s a platform to turn your ambitions into reality. It’s a place where your passion for technology meets the opportunity to make a difference. If you are driven by a desire to push boundaries, solve real-world problems, and grow both personally and professionally, this is the place for you.”
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