From Melbourne to Manila: What an Australian-Based Computer Science Student Learned in the Heart of PH Telco
- Rafael Abes
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
Rafael Abes’ internship journey took him far beyond geography. A third-year Computer Science student at Monash University, he arrived at Globe expecting to learn but left with a transformed perspective. He came to see artificial intelligence not as “magic,” but as a powerful force shaping real systems, real work, and real people in meaningful ways.
Rafael Abes
AI Practitioner Intern, Artificial Intelligence Group
Love for a challenge was what originally drew me to Artificial Intelligence. As a kid, this started with solving advanced Katamino puzzles that were arguably too hard for my age — but I did it anyway because I loved testing my capabilities and I never feared failure. This carried on throughout primary, middle, and high school — whether it was challenging myself to maintain my honor roll grades or always trying to improve my skills by playing tough opponents in badminton.
What initially sparked my interest in AI was how it seemed like it was pure magic. The concept of something being able to think and reason just like a human would, intrigued me instantly and that same fascination has stayed with me since.
Presenting my AI-powered edutech startup at pitch night as part of Fastrack
(a selective startup program at Monash University).
In school, the majority of all of my assignments, to no one's surprise, AI was prohibited. However, there was one unit I took where we were allowed free rein with the use of AI, so long as we properly cited and documented our use of it. With the power of AI in that unit, I found that I was able to breeze through assignments, as it allowed me to focus more on my critical thinking and the development of high-level ideas — without having to worry about menial or arduous tasks.
I was fortunate to be part of the selective program called Fastrack wherein students form teams of 3 to come up with a startup idea and then throughout the course of the one year program, they are meant to build a business out of the idea. We pitched Tiger Tutor, an AI powered revision tool for students undertaking the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) in Australia, to a panel of industry professionals, and they not only gave us industry grade feedback, but also gave us insights on how to further sharpen our business idea.
“AI felt like pure magic and it still fascinates me today.”
Delivering opening remarks at a Networking Night I co-organized,
and celebrating with my peers at the Monash University Club Awards Night.
Beyond startups, I also immersed myself in leadership roles. As Industry Director, I co-led the organization of Technical Careers Evening (TCE), our club’s flagship networking event. That year, we successfully ran the most well-attended TCE in the club’s history, welcoming over 200 attendees.
Our club was recognized with Best University Event in our category at the Monash University Club Awards Night. It was amazing to be able to celebrate the club's efforts and claim the award as a whole executive team.
From Australia to Globe: Learning AI in the Real World
Growing up, I’ve known Globe as one of the telecom giants in the country, and while studying Computer Science abroad, I kept hearing about its strong work–life balance and positive workplace culture. It seemed like the perfect place to learn and immerse myself in the corporate environment of a highly successful company — understanding the business practices and small culture drivers that make excellence the standard. So when I saw the internship opportunity on Workday, I decided to apply anyway because I thought that it could not hurt to try.
A typical day for me as a Globe intern starts at 8:45 in the morning. I get to my desk next to my supervisor,
Sir Carlo Abrera, and I check my inbox for any unread Google chat messages, before settling down and working for the rest of the morning.
Interning at Globe changed how I see AI. I learned more about Cloud Computing, specifically with how to use Google Cloud as it was one of the key platforms I used throughout my internship.
The main challenge I encountered was being over reliant on AI at times. Because I had free rein over AI use, it became easy for me to blindly use it without utilizing my own knowledge or thinking, and sometimes this ended up complicating the process even more compared to if I had just relied on myself.
It made me realize that AI is something that can be applied beyond the simple everyday uses I have for it, and it is much more powerful than I initially imagined. Through the time I’ve spent at Globe, I was able to get my hands dirty with different applications of AI and really deepen my understanding of the technology.
In the near future, I hope to use AI to push the boundaries of efficiency — building AI agents that can handle routine tasks so I can focus on more complex, creative, and impactful work.
“At Globe, it made me realize that AI is something that can be applied beyond the simple everyday uses… it is much more powerful than I initially imagined.”
Being a Globe intern has been a positively transforming experience that I am grateful for.
One moment I felt supported by my supervisor, Sir Carlo Abrera, was when I was working on setting up the benchmarking for our n8n platform — a no-code automation tool that is quickly becoming the industry standard for connecting systems and streamlining workflows. Initially I was unfamiliar with the process and felt very lost, which made me feel like I was not cut out for the task. I reached out to Sir Carlo for help, and not only did he try to guide me on how to set it up, he started working on it alongside me. This made the process a lot easier, as it made me more confident and I felt more comfortable with asking questions knowing that he knew exactly what I was doing too.
Lunch is my favourite part of the day because I get to spend time with my C4E team
and co-interns from different groups.
"I would definitely recommend Globe... it is the perfect environment to make mistakes and learn along the way because of how supportive and kind everyone is."
My advice to those who want to intern at Globe is to apply as soon as they can, regardless of whether they believe they will get in or not. Many students will believe that they don’t have enough experience to positively contribute, but what they fail to realize is that they have their own innate strengths that they can offer to a team of professionals as a young student. I believe that they should just apply and never be afraid of failure or rejection because if they let those things stop them from trying, they will never get the chance to grow.
Widening the Horizon
This internship definitely widened my horizons on what my future could look like, as I got a look into an entirely new career path that I am now very interested in.
Throughout this internship experience, I’ve picked up a variety of skills which will most definitely aid in my professional development. I’ve gained a newfound interest with cloud computing and automation, and this has influenced my decision to take a class on AI in my upcoming university year.
Besides the quantifiable learnings and concrete skills I’ve picked up, I’ve also learned things simply by showing up to work every week. Building a proper routine that allows me to be the most productive, working with and in a professional team, and most of all — having the discipline to work even when unsupervised. I see myself trying to find more experience similar to what I had in Globe, which will help me decide if this path is really the best for me.
Discover exciting internship opportunities at Globe here and start your journey of growth today. Follow Globe Telecom on LinkedIn to explore programs designed to help you unlock your full potential.
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