Uma's AI Engineer Internship at Avis Budget Group

Posted on: 11 August 2026 by Richard Finch in Student experiences

Uma joined the MSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Liverpool as a January 2026 intake student, and secured a 12-week AI Engineer internship at Avis Budget Group within four months of starting the course.

What have you been doing on your internship?

At Avis, I have had the opportunity to work on a real production fleet-management product using real business data. The product supports key areas such as fleet rotation, vehicle holding, fleet optimisation and revenue generation. I have been involved in developing an AI-powered recommendation system to help the business make earlier and more adaptive decisions.

One of the most valuable aspects of the internship has been working with real production data, business stakeholders and senior management. It has helped me understand how AI solutions are developed for real business requirements and how technology can create practical value for an organisation.

What have you enjoyed most about the experience?

Beyond the technical experience, I have really enjoyed being part of the Avis community and intern cohort. It has been a great opportunity to meet and connect with people from different teams, learn from experienced employees and build relationships with fellow interns. Overall, it has been a very valuable experience both professionally and personally.

How did you find out about the internship, and what support did you get with your application?

I found the internship opportunity through Indeed, and platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Handshake have also been useful for finding opportunities and building my professional network.

I am very thankful for the support and opportunities provided by the University of Liverpool throughout my studies. I would especially like to thank the Career Studio for helping me review and improve my CV, the Handshake and University Events team for organising sessions and connecting students with alumni to gain career and internship insights, and the Student Life team for their support with various queries and information throughout my student journey.

The MSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence curriculum has also given me a strong foundation that I have been able to apply directly to my work at Avis. Being able to connect what I have learned academically with a real production environment has been one of the most valuable parts of my experience.

What advice would you give to other students who are looking to gain work experience?

My advice to other students would be to tailor your CV to each role, prepare a specific cover letter for each company, understand the skills required for the position, continuously develop those skills, and make full use of university career resources, events and networking opportunities.I like to provide more insights as well related to career and skill development.

What do you feel that you have gained from the experience?

Overall, this has been a very valuable experience and an exciting start to my career journey in the UK. I am grateful for the opportunity to study at the University of Liverpool, gain industry experience at Avis, meet so many wonderful people and become part of new professional communities.

The internship has given me the opportunity to connect my academic knowledge with real-world AI engineering and has given me a strong foundation for the next stage of my career.

I would like to sincerely thank the Academic Support Team, the School of Computer Science and Informatics Department, and the Student Life and Career Studio for all their support and guidance throughout my university journey. They have helped me with everything I needed to progress towards my career and have always been there to clarify my doubts and guide me in the right direction.