My Co-op Gig: Ashwin Thomas

When Ashwin Thomas came to New York Tech, he wasted no time making the most of the programs available to him. Through the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, he’s advanced in both his studies and career.

Thomas has long wanted to be a product manager, a role that he says requires a combination of technical knowledge and business acumen. With his career goal in mind, he has taken advantage of the college’s B.S. with Accelerated M.S. Options program to pursue his Bachelor of Computer Science and Master of Data Science in five years, while minoring in mathematics.

He is aware, though, that being prepared for a professional role requires more than theoretical knowledge; it requires real-world experience, too. To gain this necessary practice, Thomas participated in the cooperative (co-op) education program, alternating a period of academic study with full-time employment in his degree field. From January through July, he worked as a software developer intern with telecommunications company Altice USA.

“The classroom is great for theory and provides a strong base, but the co-op program allowed me to gain hands-on experience and professional skills, as well as learn from expert individuals,” Thomas says.

During his co-op experience, his daily responsibilities included coding, testing, and researching new tools or technologies for streamlining development processes. Along with gaining technical expertise essential for his future career, Thomas honed soft skills such as best practices for task prioritization, cross-functional team collaboration, and effective communication with developers and stakeholders.

He also worked closely with other professionals in his department and shadowed the Network Operations Center, helping him to better understand the company’s infrastructure, available tools, and how technical decisions are made, especially at the product level.

More than professional know-how, Thomas learned to understand a project’s bigger picture. “My time with Altice taught me that it’s not just about completing the project,” he says. “It’s about contributing, using the right ideas, asking questions, finding unique solutions, and being a team player.”

As he reflects on his seven months with the company, Thomas says the experience has reaffirmed his passion for product management. Moreover, he is excited that his résumé now reflects “solid work experience” and a head start on understanding how the industry operates.