Becoming a software engineer takes aptitude, passion, and really good training. At SkillStorm, we look beyond technical skills for a logical way of thinking. When interviewing people, we’re considering their problem-solving strategies. We know people will be successful if they can not only think logically but also think outside of the box and solve problems differently than other people would.
We hire people with a very strong technical aptitude and pick up things quickly. So, during training, when I present difficult concepts to them, they might have questions, but they can generally comprehend it much faster than the average person.
HOW WE TRAIN
Our style of training at SkillStorm is immersive and focused on delivering the highest quality software engineers to our clients. This ensures the success of both our associates and our clients. Having a well-qualified training staff is vital.
As the leader of Pega training, my background is important to the credibility of the program. I’ve been working in Pega for about seven years and have taught and performed client work. I think it is beneficial to our associates, that I have both perspectives.
For someone who has only trained Pega, but never performed client work, they can’t bring real-world experience. The academy world is a very small box, so when an associate from our program is with a client, they’re better prepared than had they just completed Pega training on their own.
TEAMWORK IS IMPORTANT
There are many skills of focus during SkillStorm’s training, but learning to work in a team is vital.
Over the course of the eight to twelve weeks, the class really gets to know each other. They depend on each other, and they work together to help each other succeed. I think that directly translates to the corporate world. We have meaningful group discussions on each topic to make sure that everyone understands it. We’ll demonstrate the exercises, take the time to discuss difficult concepts, and will really drill down on some of the things that a person could not get by just doing the course online.
REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE
This is an intensive class that requires full focus and effort. Students work in teams, and they get to work on use cases with real-life examples that directly translate to the business world. We create a high-stress environment that emulates corporate requirements that are time sensitive and high profile. We also may change the requirements mid-project, to make it as real as possible, so associates get the benefit of a real corporate project, and our clients receive a prepared consultant.
When we implement projects for our associates, we typically divide them into small groups and let them choose their business scenario so that they have a passion for it when they’re developing it. Regardless of the business scenario, whether it be an insurance app or a travel cruise booking, they all have fundamentally the same components.
Associates must design a data model and have use cases, requirements and service level agreements. All the projects have a user interface, decisioning and business logic. It is a great learning experience for our associates and that generally translates into any industry, regardless of the business scenario.
WHO’S A GOOD FIT?
While there’s a wide array of people that will be successful in our training program and as a software engineer, it starts with a love for technology. A person could have a military background, an MBA, or a degree in psychology, but still have that passion for technology. People who spend their spare time tinkering around in technology are the type of people who thrive at SkillStorm.
If this sounds like you and you’re interested in learning more about our training programs, we’d love to tell you more about how we can accelerate your tech career!