{"id":11165,"date":"2022-09-13T10:47:25","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T09:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exa.net.uk\/?p=11165"},"modified":"2024-03-20T16:03:00","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T16:03:00","slug":"national-programmers-day-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edit.exa.net.uk\/news\/business-news\/national-programmers-day-22\/","title":{"rendered":"National Programmers Day 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cI heard about people \u201cbeing able to program computers\u201d as a child, and the idea stuck with me. Some googling eventually led me to try Visual Basic 6 on the library computers in secondary school.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael, Research & Development Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cMy older brother would often come into my room and do some web development whilst I was playing games, and show me the things he was working on. That was what first sparked my interest in the field.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArran, Junior Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cI picked the subject at GCSE and had a great time, so I also picked it at A level with my other subjects. At some point I realised that computer science was the subject that I enjoyed most and wanted to do for work.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsaac, Research & Development Placement Student<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tA lot of people from different backgrounds want to learn programming, but don\u2019t know which course to choose. Which qualifications do you have?\n<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cI went through GCSE and A-Level Computing, followed by a BSc in Computer Science at the University of Bradford. I think it\u2019s important people know that formal computer science qualifications aren\u2019t everything, though, as I\u2019ve learned a lot more from years of exploring tech than from formal study.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael, Research & Development Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cActually very few. I did A levels in Maths and Computing, but mostly taught myself programming. I even tried a degree but it doesn\u2019t compare to real world workplace experience, like I have with Exa.\"\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArran, Junior Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cThe most useful information I\u2019ve learnt about computer science has been at Exa. But I also have a GCSE in Maths, a GCSE in Computer Science, an A-level in Computer Science, and I\u2019m studying for my degree in Computer Science.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsaac, Research & Development Placement Student<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhat\u2019s the best thing about your career?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cThe engineering process - finding and implementing the simplest solution for a potentially complex set of requirements.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael, Research & Development Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cIt depends on what I\u2019m developing. Generally speaking, it\u2019s the satisfaction when everything works exactly how you want, but my personal favourite thing is doing web development, and having someone describe what they want then seeing what you make, and that reaction of \u201cYes, that looks perfect!\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArran, Junior Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cFor me, it\u2019s fixing issues. Who doesn\u2019t like fixing issues? Finding a problem and fixing it for someone is great!\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsaac, Research & Development Placement Student<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhich coding languages do you use most often?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cGo - or Golang, Python, TypeScript, and SQL.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael, Research & Development Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cHTML and CSS for web development, as well as Javascript. Usually we use Python here at Exa, but we\u2019re introducing Go too. I also have PHP and SQL experience.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArran, Junior Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cPython, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, SQL.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsaac, Research & Development Placement Student<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhich is your favourite coding language and why?\n<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cGo, for its simplicity and how satisfying its concurrency model is to work with.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael, Research & Development Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cProbably Python for its familiarity, I\u2019ve used it since I was doing my GCSEs.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArran, Junior Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cPython, you never forget your first experience with coding.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsaac, Research & Development Placement Student<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tHave you worked on anything at Exa that you\u2019re really proud of?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cI\u2019m quite proud of the work I put towards our continuous integration\/quality assurance processes.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael, Research & Development Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cOur new System Access service which helps our ISO27001 efforts. It\u2019s the first project I\u2019ve built from absolute scratch and I\u2019m very happy with its positive reception.\u201d \t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArran, Junior Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cI\u2019ve only made one system, but I am pretty happy with how the Router Configurator turned out.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsaac, Research & Development Placement Student<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhat advice would you give to someone starting out in programming?<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cFind a project and work on it incrementally. It doesn\u2019t have to be anything clever or fancy to begin with - that can come later. There\u2019s a menagerie of things that are adjacent to \u201cwriting code\u201d that you\u2019ll benefit from knowing about, so read as much as you can and don\u2019t be afraid to explore!\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael, Research & Development Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cLike many things in life, the hardest part of learning to code is getting started. I personally learned through online resources, such as codecademy<\/a>, which teach you the very basics. After you have the basics nailed, come up with a project (or try to replicate something that already exists) and stick with it as best you can.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArran, Junior Engineer<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\u201cFind out what you like about programming. If you're not enjoying it then move around, there is a lot to do and try in the world of computer science. Personally, I really like the automation and fixing stuff side of computer science, so what are your favourite parts?\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIsaac, Research & Development Placement Student<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOur team comes from a range of backgrounds with a wealth of experience, and we\u2019re eager to develop the next generation of tech professionals. That\u2019s why The Exa Foundation<\/a> works with schools to promote digital skills and further understanding of information technology.<\/p>\n
The Exa Foundation is hosting a Careers in Technology event for schools and college groups in October. The event aims to dispel some myths about people working in tech by sharing real career and study experiences. If you\u2019d like to know more about the events, or would like to book, please visit the The Exa Foundation<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tKeep up to date with our news<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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