Our Delorean takes off in the direction of a colder climate in Finland for the third episode of our Back to the Future series as Dung Ho tells us about his journey and the experience he has gained after half a year as a Backend Developer Graduate in Engineering in 24i’s Helsinki office.
Past
You studied one semester in Amsterdam. Can you tell the biggest difference in the school system between Finland and the Netherlands? What was the biggest surprise for you during this experience?
The biggest difference was the teaching method. In Finland, students can study chill, which means they can choose to self-study at home or come to the class. All the materials were ready on the study system, students can reach out directly to the teachers to ask about their concerns. It is also not necessary to attend the class every calendar day where the courses happen.
On the other hand, in Amsterdam UAS, attending the class was required, and they did check the attendance of the students. In this way, all the students have a chance to get to know each other and improve their communication. Also, the exams were really tricky and students were required to load a huge amount of information.
You have some experience in cyber security. Why do you think this topic is becoming so important and why is the cyber security landscape changing so fast?
Well, as you know, internet usage is growing rapidly and criminals are shifting more and more online, for example stealing sensitive data like credit card credentials, personal information, customers’ data… As the popularity of the internet rises, so does the number of online crimes. So, security for all this important information must adapt and grow as fast as possible. Company assets must be more secure, people must know how to secure or hide their sensitive information.
A Backend Developer needs a lot of programming skills. While we’re travelling back in time, which programming language did you learn first?
The first programming language I learned was C#. This was a nice language to start learning with and, like almost everybody, I approached the Windows OS at first. It was really nice to learn how to make software for the Windows platform.
Today, I am mostly using Python. This is an interpreted language, supports a lot of libraries, and is used for the hot topic nowadays, Artificial Intelligence.
Present
Time flies fast and you have already been in the Future is Bright programme for half a year. As a participant of different trainee programmes can you tell us what is the main advantage of this one?
There are several advantages that I could list:
- The programme fits well for the fresher who just graduated from the University with less experience.
- You have a chance to work and learn at the same time from other teammates.
- A good start to build up your future career as a professional.
- You also have a chance to expand your network among the employees.
What were your main goals before attending this programme? Have you already achieved some of them or are they longer term goals?
I have set a short term goal and a long term goal:
- For the short term, I would like to be more proficient in working with APIs, and the current project I’ve been assigned by my Manager is really helping me out with that target.
- In the long term, I would like to become a software architect. I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m on the way to achieving it.
Most of us work from home and from different locations. What is the main advantage and disadvantage in your opinion to the current working conditions?
So, I would like to list the advantages first:
- You do not need to spend time on public transport to commute to the workplace. For me, it would take a lot of time.
- You have a chance to manage your timetable actively.
- You can have a break and make something to eat or drink at any time you want.
- You do not need to dress up every morning :D. You can dress in whatever you feel comfortable with, of course still in a more or less formal way.
Also, there are some drawbacks:
- Lack of interaction between your colleagues.
- I do not know about other places, but my home is really hot this summer. This is very annoying when you are working under hot temperatures.
Future
The IT world is changing so fast, some technologies rapidly become old or outdated. Do you have any tips and tricks on how to keep up with the pace of change?
- Always learning a new thing.
- Ask whenever you feel lost or do not understand something.
- Of course, follow Udemy or some Youtube channels that present or teach a new technique.
What is your dream position to work after finishing this programme?
Well, after the #futureisbright graduate programme, I would like to become an expert in my field and then continue towards that long-term goal of being a software architect. It’s always been my dream, because I can have a vision of software in general, but as an architect in a company is usually a more central role. It means I have to study hard in order to get there. I’m studying in Finland so I would like to stay here for work and contribute what I have learned.
What is the main message you would like to send for the future graduates who will have similar opportunities to attend this kind of programme?
- Be positive, be eager to challenge new things.
- Don’t be shy to ask.
- Be open to receiving feedback.
- Follow the guidance of your Manager, Mentor, and Buddy.
