In the few weeks since the start of my internship here at UGA, I have learned a little of everything. Working with Mrs. Tonya Hayes, I have learned a lot about how technology allows the Human Resources department to function and grow. Through my activities, I have been able to explore and better understand how the University uses servers, databases, computer networking, and other technological techniques to create a more efficient and productive environment.
In my first week I saw and helped set up the video conferencing system. This system is used for long-distance job interviews and meetings, among other things. I also got to meet many of the workers in the Human Resources and Training and Development buildings. I became acquainted with the computer labs and some of the equipment being used, including the server and most of the computers in Room K. By the end of the week I had learned a lot about how organizations utilize technology to facilitate large-scale management.
After I had become acquainted with the staff, the building, and the labs, we began to work on two Dell Optiplex 960s. The computers were having problems with the backup software used to install identical operating environments on new computers. We used Acronis for the task of imaging over the PCs but each computer had its own, specific issues. One computer went into a reboot every time we tried starting a CD. The other computer had a problem with its hard disk. We troubleshooted the first PC by replacing the hard drive and optical drive with parts from a spare computer; but the problem persisted. We ended up burning a new disc for the computer to use and that allowed it to continue imaging over.
We called Dell Tech Support to request a new hard drive for the second computer. After navigating the phone tree, we ran some automatic diagnostics from the F2 option during the boot. The diagnostics indicated an issue with the hard drive. This news did not come as a surprise: we had already deduced that the hard drive was the problem by inserting spare parts from another computer. When the drive arrived in the mail, we completely wiped the old hard drive and shipped it to Dell.
The next week, we were able to put the freshly fixed computers to good use. We placed one computer in Mrs. Hayes’s office and the other in a nearby desk as a workstation for me to use during my internship. I spent the day installing software onto the new workstation. I also updated a database of workers. (The original database had become out of date during the recent upgrade to Optiplex 960 computers). I updated the names, IP addresses, phone numbers, and emails of all the HR employees in the database.
I have learned many new things this semester and I am excited to see where the Young Dawgs program takes me. As a means of exploring interests, Young Dawgs is one of the best programs for students looking to learn. I look forward to discovering more in the coming weeks and months as my internship continues.
