DIGITAL ENGINEERING AT CAPCO : CRACKING A NEW TYPE OF CODE

Coming into Capco as a Computer Science graduate, I was excited to find out what this start to my engineering career would be like. Since working here for just three months, I have already had the chance to learn various new skills that go beyond what I learnt during my time studying Computer Science. Although I programmed in Java for most of my university career and learnt the fundamental theoretical aspects of it, applying it in the workplace almost felt like learning a completely new language.

In university, I learnt object-oriented programming in a step by step manner, where the objective was purely to meet a steady, well-defined set of requirements. Solutions were acceptable as long as they worked, not much attention was drawn to scalability or flexibility. However, after familiarising myself with the Spring Framework and tools such as Sonarqube that check code quality, I was introduced to more efficient methods of coding in Java than what I was aware of. Furthermore, I am also learning the ability to adapt to changing requirements in an agile fashion. I have already experienced having to adjust and alter the logic that implements the solution and incorporate flexibility in my thinking.

Another point I encountered once I started working was the importance of the ability of reading code. Whilst studying, usually I had to write code from scratch to complete the task. Furthermore, the applications I had to deal with were not very large. However, I have now realised how important it is to be able to read code that others have written in order to change or use it. Also, I have been exposed to applications which are larger than what I have encountered in the past, therefore the ability to efficiently read and understand it is fundamental.

Tools such as Docker, Kubernetes and Circle CI are just a few examples of new technology I’ve learned and put into practice during my time at Capco so far. Furthermore, I’ve also had the chance to complete an extensive course in the front-end library, React, covering both basic and complex concepts that are used in it.

Ultimately, I’ve recognised that learning does not end after education. These skills not only allow me to contribute to a variety of work, but also develop my career and give me exposure to a diverse range of technologies. Putting the skills I learned at university into practice requires acquiring new knowledge, making the experience much more fulfilling.