Expanding career horizons with JDI IT

Just a few months into his first internship with JDI IT, Sulaiman Hyder has already had many opportunities to expand his horizons in the field of information technology.

The fourth-year computer science student at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton specializes in cybersecurity at school, but found in his role at J.D. Irving, Limited an experience “quite different compared to my degree” as he developed skills beyond his area of specialization.

It’s a difference he’s come to appreciate. As a business analyst intern with JDI IT supporting the company’s Transportation and Logistics Division, Sulaiman has been exposed to a broad variety of ways IT supports business success, from network support to the frontier of artificial intelligence. Coming from a more technical background in his studies, Sulaiman says his work term has broadened his view of the multifarious careers available in IT.

“I work with Atlantic Towing and it's really interesting, working with vessels. When you think about an IT business analyst role, you would never think about working with ships,” he said.

“I've learned how the business actually operates on a real-world level and how each business supports each other in a different way.”

For his final project, Sulaiman is leveraging automation to streamline the business’s parts order entry system.

With his internship already extended to the summer term, Sulaiman is looking forward to learning more in his role and growing with JDI IT. It’s important to keep an open mind in a rapidly changing field, he said.

“My advice for anyone would be to try out different things, be open to different roles,” he said. “And don't narrow your scope to one area of expertise.”