Paul, Software Developer
Paul started at CHECK24 in Munich as part of the e-fellows scholarship and now works alongside his studies as a software developer in the CTO task force. In the interview, he discusses his most important learning and reveals what he wants for his professional future.
Hello Paul, please introduce yourself briefly.
Paul:
Hi, I'm Paul, 19 years old, and I'm currently in my 3rd semester of studying computer science at the Technical University of Munich.
After being accepted for the e-fellows scholarship at CHECK24 and thus getting my first insights into the company, I joined the CTO task force as a part-time junior software developer.
What does a typical working day look like for you?
Paul:
A typical working day starts with planning my tasks and, if necessary, coordinating with my colleagues.
I am given a lot of autonomy and creative space in the implementation and planning of the tasks. This allows me to contribute my ideas and fully use my strengths.
Overall, my working day is very varied, as I work on various projects with different teams. This variety enables me to deal with new technologies and concepts continuously.
How did you get into programming?
Paul:
I came to programming mainly through my interest in computer games. I started writing small plug-ins for Minecraft as early as the 6th grade. Furthermore, I was always fascinated by how you could turn your ideas into reality using code.
What has been your most important learning so far?
Paul:
So far, my most crucial learning has been how to collaborate and communicate effectively in a team. An excellent example of this is the project I worked on until recently, where we rewrote a system from PHP to Go. Understanding what decisions went into the old code and the business logic behind it was incredibly important. However, for this to succeed, it is essential to talk to people with years of experience with the old codebase.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
Paul:
I always wanted to be a train driver when I was a child. I was always fascinated by trains as machines - which I think was because I was fascinated by how you could make such a big machine.
Although I work in a completely different field today, I still see a (perhaps overly fair) analogy to it: I have never lost the enthusiasm for technology and the "maker" spirit.
The best thing about CHECK24?
Here I have the opportunity to gain a lot of practical experience alongside my studies and deep insights into everyday working life.
Paul, Software Developer
How can you combine your studies and work?
Paul:
Since the studies are more theoretical, the work offers a good balance. You get to know both sides: Theory and practice. Sometimes, you accidentally apply something at work that you only learned at university shortly before.
Of course, this also motivates you for your studies because you see that some of the things you learn in your studies can be applied in practice. But, of course, this also applies the other way around: once you have experience in programming, many tasks in your studies are more manageable.
I also appreciate the fact that CHECK24 offers me maximum flexibility. Especially when it's very stressful because of university, whether it's an exam period or something similar, I can miss a week and make up for it a week later.
What do you wish for your professional future?
Paul:
In my professional future, I want to develop technically and personally and continue working successfully on challenging and meaningful projects.
In doing so, I could imagine holding a managerial position in the long term as well as lead and advance my projects.