From intern to innovator: A journey at Speechmatics

What initially attracted you to Speechmatics Machine Learning (ML) Internship?

Coming from an academic background, the internship presented an opportunity for me to see how well I could apply my research knowledge and skills in an industry setting. Specifically, at Speechmatics, I was excited to work on ML with real-world products and client needs in mind. The fact that Speechmatics has a solid client base meant development was product-driven, and I was curious to see how that compared to pure research.

What aspects of our company’s culture appealed to you when you were deciding where to intern?

I had a very positive interview experience and felt comfortable speaking to and getting to know the interviewers. It was also clear that Speechmatics' balance between office and remote work, roughly 50/50, would suit me well.

Can you describe a project or task you've worked on that you found particularly rewarding or challenging?

From the start, I’ve worked on projects that feel valuable and contribute meaningfully to the codebase, which has been rewarding. For example, I’ve worked on integrating specific benchmarks into the codebase, helping us compare the performance of our models against other comparable models.

How has working with our ML mentors influenced your understanding and interest in Machine Learning?

I’ve learned a lot since starting, thanks to my team members, who are always happy to chat about ML and answer my questions. It’s been interesting to pick up new tools that improve my workflow efficiency and to learn more about the current state of research in speech recognition and self-supervised learning.

What do you enjoy the most about our Modelling environment?

People are genuinely enthusiastic and proud of their work, and they're always happy to talk and explain. It’s been both easy and enjoyable to get to know people and learn about their specific roles within the company.

How have you found the balance between support and independence in your role as an intern?

We found a good balance early on: the goal was for me to become independent and take ownership as soon as possible, while also being proactive in seeking help when needed. My team members are always open to answering questions and providing support.

How do you think this internship has prepared you for your next career steps?

The internship was a great transition between academia and industry, allowing me to see if Speechmatics was a good fit for me, and vice versa. I’m already thinking more in terms of real-world applications for my work, rather than purely academic novelty, which I’m sure will benefit me moving forward.

What advice would you give to future interns considering an internship with us?

Talk, talk, talk! Use your internship to connect with as many people as you can. It will help you get familiar with the engineering side of things and give you a chance to meet and learn from other teams.