_private/qwestly-private-docs/HR/Personnel/cohen/Internship Learning Plan - Cohen Russell (shareable).md

Table of Contents

Cohen Russell - Summer Backend Engineering Internship

Welcome to Qwestly!

This 5-week program is designed to take you from JavaScript fundamentals to contributing meaningfully to our backend systems. You'll learn modern web development while working on real projects that impact our AI-powered hiring platform.

Week 1: JavaScript Foundations & Node.js

What You'll Learn

  • Modern JavaScript (ES6+) and asynchronous programming
  • Node.js basics and the npm ecosystem
  • File system operations and data processing
  • Development environment setup

Daily Breakdown

Days 1-2: JavaScript Deep Dive

  • Study: JavaScript.info - Focus on variables, functions, objects, arrays, promises, async/await
  • Practice: Build scripts that process data, work with files, and handle async operations
  • Goal: Master the fundamentals of modern JavaScript

Days 3-4: Node.js Development

  • Study: Node.js Documentation and npm basics
  • Project: Build a command-line tool that processes files and outputs results
  • Learn: How to create, run, and package Node.js applications

Day 5: Development Setup

  • Set up VS Code with Node.js extensions
  • Learn Git workflow and clone Qwestly repositories
  • Explore our project structure and development tools

Week Goal: Build and deploy a CLI tool that demonstrates JavaScript and Node.js proficiency

Week 2: APIs & Databases

What You'll Learn

  • REST API concepts and HTTP methods
  • Database design principles and MongoDB
  • API development with Express.js
  • Data validation and error handling

Daily Breakdown

Days 1-2: API Development

  • Study: Express.js Guide and REST API principles
  • Project: Build a REST API with CRUD operations
  • Focus: HTTP status codes, middleware, routing, and request validation

Days 3-4: Database Operations

  • Study: MongoDB Manual and database design
  • Project: Design schemas and build API endpoints that interact with MongoDB
  • Learn: Queries, indexing, aggregation, and optimization basics

Day 5: Putting It Together

  • Connect your API to MongoDB
  • Add proper error handling and validation
  • Test your endpoints and debug issues

Week Goal: Complete API with database integration for a domain like task management or user profiles

Week 3: Python Backend & Real Contributions

What You'll Learn

  • Python for backend development
  • FastAPI framework (what Qwestly uses)
  • Our existing backend architecture
  • Contributing to real issues in our codebase

Daily Breakdown

Days 1-2: Python & FastAPI

  • Study: Python Tutorial and FastAPI Tutorial
  • Project: Convert your Express API to FastAPI
  • Learn: Python type hints, Pydantic models, and API documentation

Days 3-4: Qwestly Backend Exploration

  • Set up our api-python development environment
  • Study existing FastAPI routes and data models
  • Understand our document processing pipeline
  • Review authentication and validation patterns

Day 5: First Real Contribution

  • Pick up a GitHub issue (like LinkedIn profile URL sanitization)
  • Implement, test, and submit your first pull request
  • Go through code review process with the team

Week Goal: Successfully merge a pull request that fixes a real backend issue

Week 4: Advanced Backend Systems

What You'll Learn

  • Logging and monitoring systems
  • Cloud services (AWS S3, CloudWatch)
  • Performance optimization techniques
  • Working with larger, more complex systems

Daily Breakdown

Days 1-2: Logging & Monitoring

  • Study our Vercel log drain system
  • Learn about structured logging and log aggregation
  • Project: Build improvements to our log processing pipeline
  • Understand AWS CloudWatch and monitoring best practices

Days 3-4: Cloud Services & File Processing

  • Study: AWS SDK Documentation and Supabase docs
  • Learn S3 file operations and our document processing workflow
  • Explore vector databases and embedding systems
  • Understand how our AI features work behind the scenes

Day 5: Major Feature Work

  • Take on a substantial backend improvement project
  • Could be: enhanced logging, file processing optimization, or new API endpoints
  • Plan implementation and start building

Week Goal: Significant backend improvement that enhances system performance or capabilities

Week 5: Full-Stack Integration & AI Systems

What You'll Learn

  • How frontend and backend systems integrate
  • AI/ML integration patterns with LangChain
  • Document processing and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
  • Advanced system design concepts

Daily Breakdown

Days 1-2: Full-Stack Understanding

  • Learn how Next.js communicates with our backend APIs
  • Study authentication flows and security patterns
  • Understand CORS, API protection, and data flow
  • See how your backend work impacts the user experience

Days 3-4: AI Integration

  • Explore LangChain patterns in our codebase
  • Learn about prompt engineering and AI workflows
  • Understand document chunking, embeddings, and vector search
  • Project: Build a document analysis API endpoint with AI integration

Day 5: Capstone Project

  • Design a substantial backend project based on what you've learned
  • Create technical documentation for your approach
  • Begin implementation with guidance from the team
  • Present your work and learning journey

Week Goal: Complete technical design and initial implementation of a major backend project

Technologies You'll Master

Backend Focus (Primary)

  • Python & FastAPI - Modern API development
  • MongoDB - Document database operations
  • AWS Services - Cloud storage and monitoring
  • LangChain - AI/ML integration framework
  • Authentication & Security - Data protection practices

Full-Stack Understanding

  • JavaScript/TypeScript - Frontend communication
  • Next.js - How APIs connect to user interfaces
  • REST API Design - Building scalable web services
  • Git & GitHub - Professional development workflow

What Makes This Different

Real Impact

You'll work on actual features and fixes that improve Qwestly's platform. Your code will help hiring managers and job seekers have better experiences.

Cutting-Edge Tech

You'll learn the same technologies used by top tech companies, including AI integration that's becoming increasingly important.

Mentorship

Direct guidance from experienced engineers who want to see you succeed and grow.

Career Preparation

By the end, you'll have real open-source contributions, a portfolio of projects, and hands-on experience with professional development practices.

Daily Schedule

Typical Day Structure (12 PM - 5 PM Pacific)

  • Early Afternoon (12 PM - 2:30 PM): Learning and studying new concepts
  • Mid Afternoon (2:30 PM - 4:30 PM): Hands-on project work and coding
  • End of Day (4:30 PM - 5 PM): Quick check-in with progress and questions

Weekly Rhythm

  • Mondays: Week planning and goal setting with Dominick
  • Wednesdays: Mid-week check-in and problem-solving session
  • Fridays: Progress review and preparation for next week

Support System

  • Slack/Discord: Quick questions throughout the day
  • Code Reviews: Feedback on your GitHub submissions
  • Pair Programming: Work together on challenging problems

Success Metrics

Technical Growth

  • Write clean, working Python and JavaScript code
  • Build and maintain REST APIs independently
  • Design efficient database schemas and queries
  • Debug and troubleshoot issues methodically
  • Understand how complex systems work together

Professional Skills

  • Communicate technical concepts clearly
  • Ask thoughtful questions when stuck
  • Work independently on defined tasks
  • Learn new technologies quickly
  • Write careful, well-tested code

Real Contributions

  • Successfully merge pull requests to production
  • Improve system performance or capabilities
  • Add new features that users interact with
  • Help solve actual business problems with code

Projects You'll Build

Week 1: CLI Data Processing Tool

A command-line application that reads files, processes data, and outputs results - demonstrating JavaScript and Node.js fundamentals.

Week 2: Full-Stack API Application

A complete REST API with database integration, showcasing API design and database operations.

Week 3: LinkedIn Profile Sanitizer

Real contribution to Qwestly's codebase that cleans and validates user profile data.

Week 4: Log Processing System Enhancement

Improvement to our monitoring infrastructure that helps us understand system performance better.

Week 5: AI-Powered Document Analysis

Integration with our AI systems to process and analyze uploaded documents.

Learning Resources

Essential Reading

  • JavaScript.info - Comprehensive JavaScript tutorial
  • FastAPI Documentation - Our primary backend framework
  • MongoDB Manual - Database operations and design
  • Python Official Tutorial - Core language fundamentals

Project Inspiration

  • GitHub Repositories - Study well-written open source projects
  • AWS Documentation - Cloud services we use
  • LangChain Docs - AI integration patterns

Qwestly-Specific

  • Internal Documentation - Our engineering practices and patterns
  • Codebase Exploration - Learn from existing implementations
  • Team Knowledge - Direct access to experienced engineers

Getting Started

Before You Begin

  1. Install Development Tools:

    • VS Code (recommended editor)
    • Node.js 18+ and pnpm package manager
    • Python 3.9+ and pip
    • Git with SSH keys configured

  2. Create Accounts:

    • GitHub account with 2FA enabled
    • Request access to Qwestly repositories

  3. Set Up Workspace:

    • Create a dedicated folder for your projects
    • Configure VS Code with recommended extensions
    • Test that you can run basic Node.js and Python scripts

First Day Goals

  • Meet with Dominick for orientation and questions
  • Review this learning plan together and adjust if needed
  • Set up your first JavaScript project
  • Schedule regular check-in meetings
  • Join team communication channels

Questions to Ask

  • What specific projects are highest priority for the team?
  • How can my work best contribute to Qwestly's mission?
  • What are the most important things to focus on learning?
  • How should I communicate progress and ask for help?

Why This Matters

For Your Future

Backend engineering is one of the most in-demand skills in tech. You'll learn technologies used by companies like Google, Netflix, and Airbnb.

For Qwestly

Your contributions will directly improve our platform that helps people find better jobs and companies hire more effectively.

For Your Growth

You'll develop both technical skills and professional practices that will serve you well in computer science studies and future career opportunities.

Ready to dive in? This internship is designed to be challenging but achievable, with plenty of support along the way. By the end of five weeks, you'll have real engineering experience and a portfolio of work you can be proud of.

Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out to Dominick anytime - great engineers are always learning and asking questions!