In this interview, we spoke with Paula Sofía Maroto Herrera a student from the University of the Basque Country in northern Spain, who is currently completing an internship through an ERASMUS + program at CARDAM s.r.o.. With a background in electronics engineering and a master’s degree in materials science, she came to gain hands-on experience and explore new opportunities abroad.
What is your main responsibility during the internship?
I mostly support the IT department, where we focus on testing code and analyzing which parameters work best for different tasks. In our most recent project, for example, we were trying to predict sales for the upcoming months. We used predictive algorithms, and my role was to adjust the variables to see which configuration best modeled the demand for specific parts or items.
What motivated you to apply for an internship abroad, particularly in the Czech Republic?
It was mostly about gaining new experiences. I wanted to live on my own in a country I didn’t know and see what that would be like. When my university offered this opportunity, I decided to take it. I really enjoy exploring different cultures — seeing how people live, what they do in their daily lives, where they shop… things like that. It’s all part of the learning experience for me.
Was your impression of the Czech Republic what you expected?
Actually, not really! At first, I thought it would be more like some Western European countries — very structured, maybe strict, kind of like Germany in my mind. But when I got here, I was surprised. It’s not as laid-back as Spain, of course, but still quite relaxed. There’s a lot of nature, and you can just go for a walk, explore the city… I really liked that atmosphere.
Did you have any previous experience in this field, perhaps from other internships in Spain?
Not specifically in coding—I’ve done lab-based research internships back in Spain. My coding experience comes from university courses rather than professional projects. Most of my prior work has been hands-on in laboratories, so this internship is my first opportunity to apply coding skills in a practical, real-world setting.
Are you satisfied with your decision to do this internship, especially considering the coding aspect?
Yes, I’m very satisfied. I hadn’t had much experience with coding before and usually tried to avoid it, but now I see how useful it is. I always had it in the back of my mind that I might need to return to coding one day, and this internship confirmed that. It’s been eye-opening to realize how many ways I can apply what I’m learning—almost every project I think of now, I see how these skills could be used. So yes, I’m glad I chose this internship.
Did you have any worries before coming here?
My biggest worry was definitely the language. I didn’t know any Czech at all—I was doing the very basics on Duolingo before coming. But once I arrived, I realized it wasn’t such a problem. At the company, everyone speaks English, and for everyday situations I’ve been using Google Translate or Google Lens. Of course, signs and labels in shops are in Czech, but it’s manageable.
Is there anything that has surprised you during your internship here?
Let me think … what really surprised me was how welcoming and nice everyone has been. Even though I’m in a different department and don’t work directly with many people in the office, they still include me in conversations and make me feel part of the team, which was a really positive surprise.
Another thing that surprised me was the way I work with people who aren’t even physically in the building. Most communication is through email, and I expected to have a supervisor constantly checking my work and giving feedback. But instead, they gave me a lot of freedom to test things and try out my own ideas.
They would ask me what I think we should do, let me experiment, and then we’d see if it worked or not. That level of trust was really great. It allowed me to explore solutions that weren’t part of the original plan, and some of those ideas actually worked well. So overall, I’m very happy with the experience.
And last question, would you recommend applying for an internship here at this company?
I would definitely recommend it, especially for mechanical engineers interested in 3D printing and modeling. They have a really strong team, and there are many opportunities to learn. For example, I’ve seen Tomáš (the other intern) working closely with them and learning a lot from these very skilled professionals.
Also, everyone here is very nice and welcoming, so I’d recommend the company as a whole.
For the IT department, I’d recommend it if you like informatics or coding. They have a variety of projects, so you get to learn a lot about different things and gain valuable experience.
Overall, it’s a great opportunity and I’d definitely suggest applying!