Welcome to my personal account of an adventure filled with ups, downs, and unexpected turns. This is the complete, unfiltered story of how I went from struggling to secure a 12‑month internship for my third-year bachelor’s program to finally landing a Technical Student Internship as a Fullstack Developer at CERN. Read on for every twist and turn.

1. The Internship Hunt: Dreaming Big

I was required to search for a 3–4‑month internship as part of my third-year bachelor’s program. Ever since I can remember, I had dreamed of landing an internship in the USA. I spent at least eight months chasing that dream—but thanks to COVID, securing a US internship became a bureaucratic nightmare. American companies were reluctant to deal with all the paperwork, so I reluctantly let that dream rest… at least for the time being. However, I vowed that one day I’d still chase that dream, even if I had to start somewhere else.

2. A Safety Net in Belgium

After accepting what I perceived as a “failure” in not finding an internship abroad, I turned my focus to companies in Belgium. I applied rather late, still clinging to my hope of a USA or Canada placement. Fortunately, I received an offer from one of my dream companies in Belgium—Spatie, renowned for its Laravel packages and innovative projects. It became my safety net, a solid fallback option if nothing else caught my eye.

3. Thinking Outside the Box: Exploring New Avenues

Not content with simply settling, I broadened my search. I applied to big-name companies like Palantir and Google in hopes of “upping my game.” I even got redirected—via the principal of Katowice University of Economics—to a big Polish company. Despite the potential, I turned it down because living in Katowice for 3–5 months just didn’t feel exciting enough (the 1 week international project in Katowice was great though!). I began to focus on what truly inspired me: science, space, physics, fintech, and companies that empower developers worldwide (think IDEs and developer tools).

4. Narrowing Down to What I Love: ESA, CERN, Stripe, and JetBrains

I honed my search to organizations that resonated with my passions: ESA, CERN, Stripe, and JetBrains. While ESA and Stripe weren’t interested in my application, I managed to secure an interview with JetBrains—and, more importantly, I decided to give CERN a try.

I applied to CERN—whose locations span Switzerland (Geneva) and France—with a “YOLO” mindset. Deep down, I believed I had no chance. Nonetheless, I gathered every document they required: school grades, my resume, details of my experiences, and proof of skills in math, languages, physics, and more. A huge shoutout goes to my amazing tutor, Dimitri Casier, who kindly wrote me a recommendation letter.

5. The CERN Application Process: Tests and Nerves

One of the hurdles was a SONRU test. In short, SONRU is a brief online assessment that evaluates both your technical and interpersonal skills—a quick way for CERN to gauge if you’re the right fit. I submitted the test and then pretty much forgot about it.
About a month later, while I was at the gym, I received an email that made my heart skip a beat:

“You have been selected as a possible candidate. We would like to interview you.”

I was shocked. The email mentioned that the interview would involve theoretical coding tests, and for a moment, I considered skipping it. After some intense deliberation, I decided to give it a shot—not only for the chance of landing the internship but also to gain valuable interview experience. I prepared using the STARR method, brushed up on LeetCode exercises (albeit with only moderate success), and reviewed general coding conventions.

A week later, I booked a room at the university, grabbed my laptop, and nervously awaited the interview with two lead developers. They asked me a mix of theoretical questions and practical challenges—for example, how to implement a solution in Java without using a traditional for-loop (I answered by suggesting the Stream operator). There were also questions on React and databases, reflecting the fullstack nature of the Technical Student position at CERN.
I managed to answer about 60–70% of the questions, though some topics were outside my comfort zone.
When they asked about my availability, it turned out they were looking for someone for a one-year commitment—far more than the 3–4 months I had in mind. I explained that I could do at most 3–5 months (maybe 6 months in a pinch). They said they’d consider it and get back to me.

6. A Rollercoaster of Rejection and Hope

A few weeks later, I received an email congratulating me on being selected for the position—starting in February—but with a one-year minimum commitment. I was ecstatic, almost in disbelief, wondering if I was hallucinating. However, when I consulted the internship coordinator at my university, Howest, I was told that a one-year internship was not feasible. With a heavy heart, I had to decline the offer. I informed Dimitri of the bittersweet news; he remarked, “This is really sad, but it’s great to see you got accepted.”

Shortly after, the CERN interviewer emailed me saying I was the best candidate they had interviewed—and that he was genuinely disappointed I couldn’t accept due to the duration mismatch. I felt my hopes dwindle to zero.

Then, a couple of days later, Dimitri reached out again:

“Hey Layton, I really find it unfair that you were rejected solely because of the duration period, not because of your skills or performance. I’m going to contact people higher up from Howest University and see what can be done.”

My hopes skyrocketed to 300% once more. Soon after, Howest University approved the possibility of a one-year internship (a very big exception). I immediately replied to the interviewer, saying, “My university and I have reached an agreement that I can do an internship for one year.” Unfortunately, he responded that the spot had already been filled by the second-best candidate. I was devastated—another blow to my already fragile hope.

Determined, Dimitri and Francois (where I was in a meeting with to discuss this situation) asked me to share the interviewer’s contact information with Howest’s higher-ups. After weeks of emails and back-and-forth calls, the interviewer came back to me with some promising news. He arranged another interview for a different group within the department. This time, I met with the product owner/supervisor and a tech lead developer. The interview was much less technical—since they already knew I was qualified—and focused on practical questions like “Could you handle deadlines?” and “Are you interested in financial aspects?” Within just three hours after the interview, I received another email. I hesitated to open it, fearing another rejection, but eventually did so in the solitude of my bedroom. And there it was:

I GOT ACCEPTED BY CERN FOR A 1 YEAR INTERNSHIP AS A TECHNICAL STUDENT FULLSTACK DEVELOPER WITHIN THE FAP-BC-ENG GROUP!

7. Finalizing the Details: From Documents to Departure

The acceptance was life-changing. However, the celebration was short-lived as I was immediately plunged into a mountain of paperwork—documents, contracts, and final arrangements that took between one and three months to finalize. Next came the logistical challenge of moving from Belgium to Switzerland (Geneva). This move has been a real challenge for me since I did it all on my own. I never even mastered the art of handling day-to-day tasks and paperwork in my own country, let alone in Switzerland. Learning how to live independently, manage unfamiliar bureaucratic processes, and navigate a whole new environment has pushed me out of my comfort zone. It’s been a steep learning curve, but every challenge is a step toward growth and self-reliance—and I'm determined to make it work, no matter what.

Housing and Moving

Housing turned out to be a major headache. After some time, I found a modern (2023-built) student residence that turned out to be amazing—no regrets about renting here for the entire year. I then had to plan my transport to Geneva to ensure I arrived by 3:00 PM (15:00) on February 1st, since my first working day was on February 3rd at 8:15 AM (08:15)—which was also one day before my birthday! Flying wasn’t an option because I needed to bring along my monitors, gaming PC, office desk and chair, and personal decorations.

Fortunately, after a couple of weeks, my dad offered to help by transporting everything in a medium-sized van. Huge thanks to Dad for that! I also had to visit my local town hall to update my address (since I was no longer a Belgian resident)—a task that needed to be completed the day before my arrival. Setting up a bank account was next; I chose UBS because they’re well-versed in dealing with CERN’s temporary interns, although I plan to switch to Yuh later.

Farewells and Mixed Emotions

With everything set up and my belongings packed (pans, kitchen utensils, and more), it was time to say goodbye to my mother, girlfriend, and friends. For my last night before departure, my girlfriend surprised me with an evening at Mozart—a popular Volonté Ribs restaurant in Bruges. I thought it would just be the two of us, but when I arrived, I found a table of 12 people. She had organized a heartfelt farewell party complete with many presents (thanks to all my friends and, of course, my amazing girlfriend).

On the morning of departure, we left at 5:40 AM (05:40). The mix of emotions was overwhelming—leaving behind everything familiar was far tougher than I imagined, but sometimes you must take bold steps to achieve your dreams. The road trip took approximately 9 hours, with several stops along the way.

I finally arrived on Friday, January 31st—a day earlier than planned because I discovered at the last minute that in Switzerland you can’t move in on the weekends (customs and real estate offices are closed for key transfers). After a quick tour of my new, surprisingly spacious studio, my dad checked into the hotel next door and left in the morning, leaving me to face this new chapter entirely on my own.

8. First Day at CERN: Onboarding and New Beginnings

Setting up my new place was a whirlwind. I installed everything—from my gaming setup to my kitchen utensils and clothing—and before I knew it, my first day at CERN had arrived.

I reached CERN at 7:30 AM (07:30) to pick up my access badge (I was buzzing with excitement!). Then, at 8:15 AM (08:15), I attended an introductory session in a striking wooden structure that symbolizes the Earth. Surrounded by 60–100 fellow students, we enjoyed a quiz, breakfast, and a session filled with fascinating insights about CERN. Shortly thereafter, our department supervisor introduced us to our new office and integrated us into the team—an experience that made me feel right at home.

While CERN’s offices might not boast the ultra-modern aesthetics of some tech giants, I appreciated the academic, slightly “lived-in” vibe. I now have a setup with three monitors and a reliable desktop PC—a perfect combination for a student space where creativity meets a touch of organized chaos.

9. A Walk Through History: Discovering the Birthplace of the Web

On my first day at CERN, after settling in and picking up my access badge, I took a moment to explore the corridors of the building. It was incredible to stumble upon a hallway where, as legend has it, Tim Berners-Lee once worked. Right there hangs a sign that proudly states "Where the WEB was born" Knowing that this historic spot is just a stone's throw away from my own office added an extra layer of excitement and inspiration to my journey.

10. Settling into the Daily Routine

The onboarding process was extensive. My fellow graduate colleague (a “GRAD”—someone who has just gained a bit of professional experience post-graduation) and I spent 4–5 days working through countless onboarding documents, installing essential tools, and familiarizing ourselves with the department’s procedures and project diagrams.

As of this writing—Friday, February 7th, 2025—I've wrapped up the onboarding. Now begins the real work: getting to know the codebase, the tools, and the procedures for the three to four projects I’ll be contributing to (with one project being my main focus at the moment). I even made my first pull request today—a simple update to the README file to correct the outdated build and run command. That small change marked my first speaking moment during our daily standup meeting, and it was incredibly exhilarating.

Daily Work Hours

Officially, CERN’s working hours are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (09:00–18:00), including a one-hour lunch break. However, I’ve found that I prefer to start my day early, arriving at 7:30 AM (07:30). I typically take only a 30-minute lunch break, which means I often leave around 4:00 PM (16:00). Of course, if meetings or extra tasks extend my day, I adjust by arriving later the following day—since the rule is eight hours of work per day, any overtime allows for a delayed start.

11. The First Two Weeks: A Fast Start and a Steep Learning Curve

The first two weeks at CERN have been absolutely awesome, and I’ve already learned so much. I have to admit, I owe a huge thanks to Howest for equipping me with the practical skills that have given me an edge. Compared to students or graduates with a more theoretical background, I feel that my hands-on courses have given me a solid foundation in real-world development. It’s been exciting to see so many concepts I learned in my previous courses come to life here.

One of the biggest challenges so far has been navigating the massive codebases—something completely new to me. CERN also uses some architectural approaches I wasn’t familiar with before, like Modulith architecture, whereas I had only worked with microservices before. It’s been fascinating to dive into these new concepts, and I’m stoked to keep expanding my knowledge. It’s only been two weeks, and there’s still a long journey ahead. I know the first months will be slow and challenging, but that’s just part of the experience. I’m confident that I’ll continue to grow and learn a ton in the coming months!

12. My First YouTube Video: A CERN Journey Begins

I recently uploaded my first video on my YouTube channel, where I shared my experience of starting at CERN. In the video, I give a behind-the-scenes look at my first impressions, the excitement of joining such an iconic institution, and the challenges I’ve faced so far. It's a mix of personal reflection and practical insights into what it’s like working at CERN as an intern. I'm excited to continue documenting my journey, and I hope it inspires others to pursue similar opportunities!

13. Looking Forward

Every step of this journey—from the initial failed attempts at landing a US internship to the nerve-wracking interviews and the final joyous acceptance at CERN—has taught me something invaluable. Today marks not just the beginning of my work at CERN, but also the start of a new chapter filled with learning, growth, and the pursuit of passion. I’m excited to dive deeper into my projects, contribute to innovative solutions, and continue evolving as a developer and as a person.

Thank you for reading my detailed story. I hope it inspires you to persevere—even when the path seems filled with setbacks. Remember, sometimes the road to your dreams is anything but straightforward, but every twist and turn brings you closer to where you’re meant to be.

Stay tuned for more updates in the near future as I continue my CERN adventure!