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##About me: A junior developer with project management skills
I am a full stack Ruby developer looking for my first developer role.
For me, software is the art of the possible. It allows us to do things we could not even dream a generation ago. Software is currently the most powerful agent of change in the world. Applied thoughtfully, it has the power to make a positive difference.
Since 2002 I’ve worked in several small companies with talented developers on interesting projects. I’ve been involved in project management, agile, business analysis, testing, support. I’ve worked alongside colleagues to create fantastic solutions that have made a difference to people’s lives.
Regarding coding, I’ve always looked on from the outside. I have consistently provided developers with functional plans that led to great end products. Until now, there was a line I did not cross when it came to coding. I joined Makers Academy because I want to make software. This course has confirmed my interest in development. I love the challenge, the constant learning, the team work and the sense of achievement.
I am currently looking for a junior developer role to further my coding abilities, broaden my skill set and understand the product creation process from the developers point of view.
My goal is to apply my new skills within a team to create something technically outstanding and functionally beautiful that will, in some small way, make the world a better place.
I’m a strong communicator. In previous roles I’ve presented to executives, run workshops, led focus groups, organised agile teams, run seminars. I’ve worked with employees and clients at all levels of business. I have a talent for understanding technical issues and formulating technical solutions and then communicating these to non-technical managers or clients in a way that they can buy into.
During the course, I enjoyed leading team retrospectives to help the team reflect and learn from our sprints.
I write well. Here is a blog I wrote about my time at Maker’s Academy https://simon-at-makers.ghost.io/
I really like working with clients. Previously I have worked as a business analyst and account manager. I am excellent and building a rapport with people that use a product. I can turn vague ideas and problems into actionable user stories, and enjoy using these to guide my development process. I’m good at discussing projects with clients and understanding their real issues, beyond what they describe.
I am a strong team player. Leaders like having me in their teams because I am positive, supportive and get results. Teams like to be led by me because I am clear thinking, a good planner and fair. I have a high degree of emotional intelligence. I am fascinated with psychology and perception. I find this useful when working in a team. It allows me to relate to my team mates and engage constructively.
I have extensive agile experience. I am certified as a product owner and scrum master. I have led agile teams. I set up a remote agile team from scratch. I am a believer in the effectiveness of Agile, having seen this first hand. In my next role I am keen to work in an Agile team, develop my understand and application of the Agile method and contribute to the Agile community.
Maker’s Academy emphasizes the importance of community. To support the Maker’s community, I organised regular hardware meet ups for enthusiasts to get together and build prototypes. We’ve had a series of well attended and entertaining workshops.
| Project title | Description | Development timeframe | Technologies | Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cube | A hardware project to create an LED cube that is beautful, interactive and fun. | 10 days | Django, Linux, Python, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Websockets | |
| Makers BnB | A web app using ruby, erb, psql, datamapper and html/CSS hosted on Heroku. | 5 days | ruby, erb, psql, datamapper, html/CSS hosted on Heroku | Rspec, Capybara |
Makers Academy (November 2016 to February 2017)
Student
Maker’s Academy is Europe’s number one developer boot camp. I joined this 16-week super-intensive course to learn Ruby and JavaScript as well as best practices such as test driven development, pair programming, XP values and software craftsmanship.
Makers has been a hugely rewarding, life -affirming and enjoyable experience. I can now create basic Ruby, Rails and JavaScript programs, self-learn, and have a good understanding of object oriented design principles, test driven development and source control.
Alkemygold Ltd - educational consultancy (November 2013 to October 2016)
Project manager
Alkemygold is the market leader in A level performance reports for schools. For this project, I designed, tested and piloted a new suite of reports for GCSE.
Technically, this involved data modelling, report design, Excel prototyping, and writing up detailed specifications for the software team.
On the business management side, I answered to the CEO and was responsible for finding and managing pilot participants, organising focus groups, liaising with educational consultants, promoting at conferences, organising the testing team and agreeing specifications with the software team.
This project has been a great success for the company, opening a large new revenue stream. Already after six months the company has hit their one year sales target.
Condaal Ltd (January 2012 to November 2013)
Business owner
Ran a software accelerator competition looking for companies to partner on software projects. Delivered a high-quality care home management system for a client.
Alkemygold Ltd - educational consultancy (June 2003 to December 2011)
Deputy CEO
In 2003 I joined my father in his new educational consultancy business that he started in 2001. At first it was just the two of us. Today the business has grown to 35 employees, healthy profits and a turnover above £3m.
Over the years I had a wide range of roles and responsibilities. The largest of these was software and product development which has been a key driver in the continued growth of the company. This is where I grew to love software development and project management.
A 16-week intensive development boot camp, emphasizing:
- Pair-programming
- Test Driven Development
- Object Oriented Design
- Agile
- Ruby, JavaScript, HTML, CSS,
- Optometry, BSc (Hons), 2.2
- Biology A
- Chemistry A
- Mathematics A
- Physics A
- General Studies B
Scrum master – Level 1 Scrum.org
Product Owner – Level 1 Scrum.org
Prince 2 – foundation University of Westminster
Prince 2 - practitioner University of Westminster
Scrum – Practitioner APMG
Communicate with impact Impact Factory
Creative Suite Training Academy Class
####Social justice I am the secretary of my local SVP charity, providing practical support such as visiting the elderly, sick and housebound. This is a grass roots way to support my local community.
I have read several books focussed on social justice including The Spirit Level, Pathologies of Power, Capital in the 21st Century, The Idea of Justice.
####Hardware At Makers Academy I set up a Hardware Meetup group to meet every couple of weeks. I’m keen to learn about hardware and this was a great way to start. My final project at Makers Academy was a hardware project creating an interactive LED cube.
####Reading I enjoy reading non-fiction literature that gives a long view of human existence and tries to make some sense of this (Homo Sapiens, Guns, Germs and Steel, Collapse, Capital in the 21 Century, Homo Deus) and books that investigate the current human social, political and psychological condition (The Spirit Level, Pathologies of Power). I also like science fiction and fantasy.
I'm fascinated with human perception and the differences between how we perceive the world. I've read books on this (Thinking, fast and slow, Man and His Symbols) and have also read a number of papers on the vividness of visual imagery and how this relates to the way we learn. At Makers Academy I carried out a short survey to understand the visual imagery of my cohort and tried to correlate this with my paired programming experiences.
####Exercise I enjoy cycling, running, Pilates and walking the dog with my wife.