I joined Softwire just over six months ago, after deciding that I needed a change in career. At the time I was looking for a job which would offer me a stimulating and engaging working environment and where I could produce something of which I could be proud. I am pleased to say that this is what I have found.
My previous occupation - working as a medical doctor - had not provided me with any formal programming skills, so when I was taken on it was with the promise of on-the-job training. It is fair to say that Softwire have been good to their word. In my time here I have been involved on several different projects, both web- and GUI-based, and have been exposed to many different programming languages and technologies, including Java, VB, C#, HTML, XML and XSL; the list goes on.
I felt right from the beginning that I was making a useful contribution. I was initially assigned to a large project and, in a relatively short amount of time, became involved in coding some of its core features. Any concerns I had that I would be out of my depth or not know what I was doing were quickly dispelled. I found everyone I worked with to be both helpful and instructive and it wasn't long before I found my feet.
So what is the work actually like? Most of my time I'm actually doing nuts and bolts programming - either the actual coding or design. I also provide first line technical support for a system which Softwire wrote a while back, and this takes up about a day a week and gives me direct customer contact. The working environment is both relaxed and informal, and people are very friendly. There’s also a fair degree of flexibility regarding office hours which is extremely convenient. One of the big attractions for me is that this is a small company – albeit growing fast - which means that you can get to know everyone, and you don't get lost in the system.
Another important aspect of the company is the social life. When I joined I was surprised to find there’s a company holiday every year - this year we’re all going to Budapest. Whilst this is the big social event of the year, there are frequent smaller events such as go-karting, wine-tasting, a summer picnic – and of course numerous pub trips after work.
The bottom line is this. If you want to have a fascinating, well-paid job in a friendly environment - Softwire is a great place to work.
Richard Popple
