Introduction

Hi! My name is Lisa, and I’m currently following a one-year Fullstack Development program at SyntraPXL in Genk. In this blog, I’d love to share what my internship at b.ignited was really like — and how it changed my view on working in tech.

How it started

I first crossed paths with b.ignited at the PXL Jobevent in Hasselt. By then, I’d already applied to quite a few companies in my search for an internship, but hadn’t had much luck yet. I went to the event ready to give it my best shot, but mostly just hoping to meet some new companies and enjoy the day with my classmates.

That’s when I met Muskaan, who works at b.ignited. She explained what the company does: Test Automation. As someone training in Fullstack Development, I hadn’t really considered that field before. I told her honestly — I didn’t think it would be for me.

But Muskaan was so enthusiastic when she talked about Test Automation. She explained what makes it fun for her: you still get to code, but you’re not developing full time, which can make coding in your free time feel fresh and enjoyable. Plus, as a Test Automation Engineer, you get to send buggy code back to developers (which sounded oddly satisfying!).

When our chat ended, I quickly checked her event badge so I could look her up on LinkedIn later. I was still searching for her profile just a few steps away when she came over with her LinkedIn QR code: “By the way, want to connect?” I just held up my phone, I’d already found her!

Starting my internship

Not long after, I applied for an internship through their recruiter, and a few weeks later, I got the good news: I could join b.ignited as an intern!

I didn’t just get one mentor but two: Muskaan and Koen. Koen is one of the managing partners at b.ignited. He introduced himself as such, but back then, I didn’t really know what a “managing partner” did. Turns out… it’s basically your boss. No pressure!

Jokes aside, Koen turned out to be very approachable. He often sat just one desk away and was always happy to help when I had questions.

For my project, I got to build an application that would be used to teach UI testing tools like Playwright and Selenium. To make it extra challenging, the app wouldn’t have a backend — all API calls had to return mock responses.

The team

One of the things I appreciated most at b.ignited was the team. It’s a diverse group of kind, motivated people from all kinds of backgrounds. There’s a good mix of personalities, and humour is definitely part of the culture.

Even as an intern, I felt included from the start. I got to join a workshop day, be part of a short marketing video, and even give feedback on a presentation Muskaan was preparing. I felt like I was part of something, not just “the intern.”

What I learned

What I learned most at b.ignited is that there’s more to working with code than just building things. As a developer, you’re often focused on creating new features, but testing is just as crucial — and just as technically interesting.

I didn’t just grow my knowledge of frontend and testing tools; I also learned what it’s like to be part of a real development team. There’s a big difference between school projects and the work you do at a company — and I’m so glad I got to see that up close at b.ignited.

Looking back

I look back on my internship with a lot of gratitude. It showed me a side of tech I might never have explored otherwise — and I want to thank b.ignited for giving me that chance.