Hello! I'm a Computer Science student at the University of Liverpool and I'm doing a Software Development placement at Jamescape for the year. In this blog post, I'll reflect on my first few weeks here.
My journey at Jamescape began with a process of learning and adapting to the company's systems. They had organised a set of well-structured courses for this purpose. What really helped with settling in was the friendly and close-knit culture in the workplace, which played a huge role in making my shift into this new setting incredibly seamless.
After onboarding, I began enhancing my skills as a software developer. Having strong self-motivation played a key role here, as I had full control over how I learned. I spent most of the first week dedicated to learning modern frontend web development using TypeScript, Next.js, and other frameworks and libraries. In my second week I felt ready to tackle a real-world project.
I was tasked with building a stakeholder engagement tool for an upcoming software project. This required a different approach compared to my usual hobby and university projects, where I would often dive straight into coding. Here, I learned the significance of writing a comprehensive software design document first.
This was an unfamiliar step for me, outside of a university setting, but I quickly realised its value in the real world. This document served as a roadmap, helping me visualise the entire project before any code was written and communicate it with the team. It ensured that I considered all the necessary components and some potential challenges before diving into implementation.
Another hurdle I encountered was dealing with external APIs. Initially, it was a bit daunting to read through the documentation for these APIs and figure out how to effectively interface with them. The technical jargon and unfamiliar concepts made it a steep learning curve. However, with persistence and patience, and the help of the team, I gradually got the hang of it.
I started by breaking down the documentation into smaller, manageable sections. I focused on understanding the basic structure of the API requests and responses. As I experimented with small-scale interactions, the pieces began to fall into place.
As I progressed, I became more comfortable navigating the documentation and grasping the nuances of various endpoints. I realised that the key was to not rush and to give myself time to absorb and experiment with the information. Over time, I developed a systematic approach to working with APIs, which not only helped me with the current project but also laid a foundation for future work.
Reflecting on this experience, I see how these challenges have been pivotal in my growth as a Software Developer. My first few weeks here at Jamescape have equipped me with a broader set of skills and a deeper understanding of the development process. They also reinforced the importance of adaptability and continuous learning, which I've found to be essential traits in the ever-evolving landscape of software development. I’m excited about carrying on the rest of my placement here at Jamescape, and I look forward to continuing to work with the rest of our developer team here on all our upcoming software projects.