Matt

University: Loughborough University

Degree: Information Technology Management for Business

Graduate Opportunity: Software Development

My Background

My degree married the technical skills of a Computer Science degree to the world of business. It was therefore important for me to continue this dual-momentum into my career and Atos offered the perfect opportunity to do that.

Atos really seemed to stand out to me at the graduate careers fair. The opportunity to work on a broad array of projects for different real-world clients, particularly those in the public sector, represented an unparalleled opportunity within the industry. With Atos being a leader in Cloud technologies with Canopy, Big Data and cyber security, it’s a really attractive company for many tech graduates.

From a graduate perspective, you gain a significant level of exposure around the organisation. You’ll notice very quickly once entering the company that you are treated as a highly valued member of the team, with high levels of responsibility available within your business area. Throughout your graduate journey you will encounter numerous opportunities to network and work alongside top executives within the organisation, including Heads of Departments and Client Executives. All you have to do is put your name forward.

At the same time, you enjoy access to the graduate community, giving you that extra layer of exposure to people at the same stage of their career. There are regular social events organised by the community and you have a great chance to learn about your professional self and how you can operate in a team.

My job summed up

I work as a Software Developer for the public sector transition team, blanket upgrading users from their current operating systems to our Gold Build of Windows 10. This encompasses building infrastructure for migration environments and scripting test commands. In the past, I have also been involved in development and testing cycles for web applications, analysis of front-end security by ensuring that password databases cannot be reverse engineered through SQL injection, and writing whitepapers for emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain.

Within Atos, there is the chance to get involved with a wide range of side-projects and initiatives to provide you with even more opportunity to learn and broaden your workload. I am involved within a variety of STEMNET activities: I maintain a website for a charity school build and have given a TED talk on Blockchain.

A day in my life

0900-1100

Even as a Software Developer, checking emails first thing in the morning is paramount, to ensure that client requirements have not shifted overnight. Sometimes I receive requests from senior stakeholders for hot fixes, and these need to be dealt with first thing before I switch over to my calendar for the day.

1100-1300

If I am on a client site, the team will all go for a coffee to plan out our timeframes based upon any fluctuating client requirements. There may also be a few client meetings spread throughout this period, including live walkthroughs of solutions and wireframe design and process mapping to ensure the understanding between the client and development team is not distorted.

1300-1500

Here’s where I really delve into the development work, focusing on the key feature for delivery for the day. Usually this is relayed by the Project Manager; however, the flexibility of the agile environment we work within dictates that developers are permitted to flex their coding muscles and try new things, as long as they fall in line with the project’s scope. A considerable amount of testing is then conducted to ensure the cycle is ready before progressing to deployment.

1500-1700

Traditionally, the team come together to discuss the day’s progress. This is invaluable for looking back on your achievements and establishing a roadmap of next steps and priorities. I then spend some time planning out the next day to ensure that development is streamlined and time is not wasted messaging the Project Manager for the timelines for each deliverable. I’ll round off by committing any changes I made during the day to the master code base, removing conflicts and ensuring seamless integration.

1700 till late …

There will always be time to commit to side-projects and GIA initiatives at the end of the day. In the past I have used this time to prepare for my TED Talk, work on different projects for the Graduate Committee or develop my knowledge in areas of technology I do not interact with in my day job. I have used this slot to gain knowledge of the emerging programming language Go!, expanded my knowledge of delivering solutions using Node.js and discovered overarching technologies such as AI. It’s important to stay ahead of the curve, as you never know where the ever-changing needs of Atos’ clients will go, and you can prepare in advance for your next role through the Atos e-learning platform.