Stefanie, Working Student Software Development
Stefanie started as a Deutschlandstipendiat at CHECK24 and has been a working software development student for one and a half years. In the interview, you can learn more about the Deutschlandstipendium process and the exciting tasks that await her as a working student.
Hello Stefanie, please introduce yourself briefly.
Stefanie:
I'm Stefanie, and I'm currently writing my master's thesis in computer science in the field of IT security. In the meantime, I have been a working student in software development for product credits for one and a half years.
You started as a German scholarship holder at CHECK24. Tell us more about your path to becoming a working student!
Stefanie:
Through the Deutschlandstipendium, half of the student funding comes from the federal government and half from private donors. CHECK24 invited me to a meeting as the scholarship provider so that I could first learn more about the company. I also already met some people there and got a first impression of the corporate culture. In a conversation about a potential working student position, they were very open to my interests. I was placed with a team whose tasks coincided nicely with my professional interests. After the first day of getting to know the team, I was able to start right away.
Why would you recommend CHECK24 to computer science students for a student job?
Stefanie:
Responsible and exciting activities await you at CHECK24. As a working student, you don't get the "leftover" tasks here but are directly involved in exciting projects. I was able to develop and publish features right from the start. You have the chance to go through the entire development process, from problem definition to solution design to implementation, and then see your own features live in the production system. My team has been very helpful during this process, and I always have a contact person for questions and challenges.
In addition, CHECK24 shows a lot of understanding for your studies. Flexibility in working hours during exam periods and my semester abroad was no problem.
Overall, my working student job at CHECK24 was a fantastic introduction to software development.
How do you feel about the professional and personal development at CHECK24?
Stefanie:
One of the most valuable opportunities for professional development is working with experienced colleagues. Here, I have the chance to look over my teammates' shoulders and thus learn how experienced developers approach problems. In addition, I get valuable feedback on my implementation proposals in discussions and code reviews. My first own project was supervised by a developer on the team who took time daily to discuss the project's status.
In personal development, I also received a lot of support at CHECK24. There were regular feedback sessions with the team lead, where I had the opportunity to discuss questions about career entry, career planning, and personal goals.
Did you doubt whether the IT industry would be right for you? The image of the "male domain" often still prevails.
Stefanie:
Software development can seem complex and overwhelming at first. The demands on software developers seem extensive and, most importantly, very dynamic because the industry is fast-paced.
However, I enjoy analyzing problems, coming up with solutions and implementing them - and in software development, I get to do just that. The dynamic nature also means that the activities never become monotonous and there is always something new to learn. In backend development, I'm now in a fascinating field with many exciting prospects, and I'm looking forward to expanding my knowledge and getting involved in upcoming projects.
And finally, tell us, why should more women work in IT?
Stefanie:
The IT industry is enormous and offers very diverse career opportunities. There are many attractive entry-level opportunities for anyone who finds IT exciting and has curiosity and fun with technology.