Sharing and Feedback

Overall Evaluation

1. Working Environment
The First Cloud Journey program provided an excellent learning environment that perfectly balances structure and flexibility. The comprehensive curriculum spanning 12 weeks allowed me to progress systematically from AWS fundamentals to deploying production-ready solutions. The weekly worklog structure helped me stay organized and track my progress effectively. The environment encouraged self-learning while providing adequate resources and support when needed.

2. Support from Mentor / Team
The mentorship and team collaboration throughout the program were outstanding. The team was always available to discuss technical challenges, review my proposals, and guide me through complex AWS concepts. I particularly appreciated how mentors encouraged me to research and propose solutions independently before providing guidance.

3. Relevance of Work to Academic Major
The program content was highly relevant to modern cloud computing and software engineering practices. Starting from networking fundamentals (VPC, Security Groups) and progressing to serverless architectures, databases, security, and AI/ML services provided a complete cloud engineering skillset. The hands-on project—building an AI-powered chatbot with admin dashboard—gave me practical experience that directly applies to real-world scenarios. The emphasis on Infrastructure as Code (CDK) and DevOps practices aligns perfectly with current industry standards.

4. Learning & Skill Development Opportunities
The 12-week journey offered exceptional learning opportunities across multiple dimensions:

  • Technical Skills: Gained hands-on experience with 10+ AWS services, CDK, serverless computing, database management, and security best practices
  • Architecture Design: Learned to design scalable, cost-effective cloud solutions using draw.io and Q Developer CLI
  • Documentation: Improved technical writing through weekly worklogs and translating 3 AWS blog posts
  • Problem-Solving: Developed debugging skills by resolving Lambda VPC conflicts, timeout issues, and checksum optimization
  • Cost Optimization: Learned to make architecture decisions based on cost-benefit analysis (S3 archiving strategies)

The progression from theory (Weeks 1-3) → security & databases (Weeks 4-5) → architecture design (Weeks 6-9) → full deployment (Weeks 10-12) was well-paced and logical.

5. Program Culture & Team Spirit
The FCJ program fostered a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation. Team meetings were constructive, with open discussions about technical trade-offs and architecture decisions. The “Data Science on AWS” workshop in Week 6 and other learning events created opportunities to expand knowledge beyond the core curriculum. The team celebrated achievements (completing the midterm, finalizing the proposal, successful deployments) while maintaining a growth mindset. Everyone was willing to share knowledge through Notion documentation and help troubleshoot issues.

6. Program Policies / Support
The program structure was well-designed with clear weekly objectives, comprehensive reference materials (AWS Study Group, Cloud Journey, official AWS docs), and practical labs. The flexibility to explore different approaches (testing File Storage Gateway, FSx, multiple database options) while maintaining focus on the main project was valuable. Access to AWS Free Tier accounts and guidance on budget management helped learn cost optimization from day one.

Detailed Feedback on Program Phases

Phase 1 (Weeks 1-3): AWS Fundamentals & Core Services

  • Strengths: Comprehensive coverage of IAM, networking, compute, and storage. Hands-on labs reinforced theoretical knowledge.

Phase 2 (Weeks 4-5): Security, Identity & Databases

  • Strengths: Excellent progression into advanced IAM concepts, KMS encryption, and database fundamentals. Translation exercises improved technical English.

Phase 3 (Weeks 6-9): Architecture Design & Project Planning

  • Strengths: Learning architecture design tools (draw.io, Q Developer CLI) and studying AWS Solutions Library architectures provided practical context. The midterm exam validated knowledge comprehensively.

Phase 4 (Weeks 10-12): Full-Stack Deployment & Infrastructure as Code

  • Strengths: Hands-on CDK deployment experience was invaluable. Iterative refinement through multiple deployments taught real DevOps practices.

What I Found Most Satisfying

  1. Completing a Production-Ready Solution: Successfully deploying a complete chatbot system with admin dashboard, Messenger integration, automated archiving, and analytics pipeline from scratch
  2. Cost Optimization Achievements: Proposing and implementing cost-saving measures (DynamoDB cache, checksum mechanism) that reduced projected costs significantly
  3. Problem-Solving Achievements: Overcoming technical challenges like Lambda VPC limitations, timeout issues with Vietnamese prompts, and data synchronization logic
  4. Documentation & Knowledge Sharing: Creating comprehensive worklogs for 12 weeks and translating AWS blog posts to improve technical communication
  5. Measurable Progress: Transforming from AWS beginner in Week 1 to confidently deploying multi-service architectures in Week 12

Would I Recommend This Program?

Absolutely, yes! I would highly recommend the First Cloud Journey program to anyone interested in cloud computing for several reasons:

  1. Comprehensive Curriculum: Covers all essential AWS service categories from basics to advanced topics
  2. Hands-On Approach: Real project deployment provides practical experience beyond certifications
  3. Structured Progression: 12-week timeline with clear milestones helps maintain momentum
  4. Supportive Community: Mentors and team members actively help with technical challenges
  5. Career Relevance: Skills learned (CDK, serverless, security, cost optimization) are directly applicable to real-world industry roles.
  6. Flexibility: Program allows exploration of different services while focusing on core objectives

The program truly transformed my understanding of cloud computing from theoretical knowledge to practical implementation skills.

Suggestions & Expectations for Future Iterations

Suggestions to Improve the Internship Experience:

  1. Enhanced Pre-Internship Preparation

    • Provide a pre-internship reading list or video series covering basic cloud concepts
    • Set up AWS accounts and CLI before Week 1 to maximize hands-on time

  2. Weekly Retrospectives

    • Structured reflection sessions each week to discuss challenges and learnings
    • Share common issues and solutions across all interns

  3. Guest Speaker Sessions

    • Invite AWS Solutions Architects or cloud professionals to share real-world experiences
    • Industry insights on emerging services and best practices

  4. Capstone Presentation

    • Formal presentation of final projects to mentors and peers
    • Practice communicating technical decisions to various audiences

  5. Alumni Network

    • Connect with previous FCJ program participants
    • Mentorship opportunities for future interns

Would I Continue This Program in the Future?

Yes, I would love to continue with advanced programs such as:

  • Advanced AWS Specializations: Machine Learning, Data Analytics, or Security specialty tracks
  • AWS Certification Preparation: Solutions Architect Professional, DevOps Engineer
  • Open-Source Contributions: Contributing to AWS CDK constructs or community projects
  • Mentorship Role: Supporting future FCJ interns based on my experience

Additional Comments:

The First Cloud Journey program exceeded my expectations in every aspect. The 12-week journey from AWS fundamentals to deploying a complete AI-powered chatbot solution has given me confidence in my cloud engineering abilities. The emphasis on hands-on learning, cost optimization, and best practices has prepared me well for a career in cloud computing.

I’m particularly grateful for:

  • The freedom to explore different architectural approaches and learn from mistakes
  • The supportive team environment that encouraged questions and creative solutions
  • The comprehensive documentation requirements that improved my technical writing
  • The real-world project that required integrating multiple AWS services

Thank you to the FCJ team, mentors, and fellow interns for an incredible learning experience. The knowledge and skills gained during these 12 weeks will serve as a strong foundation for my future career in cloud computing and software engineering.

Rating Summary:

  • Working Environment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
  • Mentor Support: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
  • Curriculum Relevance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
  • Learning Opportunities: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
  • Team Culture: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
  • Program Structure: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5)

Overall Program Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐