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As a student navigating the world of college with the end in sight, no topic was scarier to me and my peers than how what I’ve learned these past few years in school would translate into real-world challenges in my future career. Little did I know that my journey from university to a full-time software engineer at RapDev would provide a perfect answer.
My studies began at the ripe age of sixteen, doing PSEO (a program allowing students to take college courses in highschool for credit) at the University of Northwestern. With a curiosity for technology that had been there since I was very young, I pursued a degree in computer science and breezed through my studies, thanks in part to the opportunities provided by the PSEO program and also thanks to the experience and skills I developed at RapDev.
Intrigued by the work RapDev did, I was introduced to a few employees and then put through the interview process and landed myself my first ever internship over the summer during my junior year of college. From the very first day on the job, even though I had almost no idea what I was doing, I was hooked. The culture, the people, and the sheer excitement of tackling real-world challenges and problems, such as building out Datadog integrations and crafting Slack bots, were unlike anything I had encountered in other companies or experienced in the controlled environments of school. And eventually, with help and guidance from my peers, I was able to add so many life and work skills to my repertoire. Suddenly, the concepts I had learned in class and on my own took on a whole new meaning when applied to actual projects at RapDev. It was like connecting the dots between theory and practice, and it made all the difference.
After this first internship, the time I had was so great I came back the next summer for a repeat and equally as amazing experience, followed by a part time gig during my final semester at school to continue what I learned and contribute to the team. When graduation day arrived, I was eager to dive straight into my career. Armed with my new degree and all my previous experience, I made the leap to full-time at RapDev. The transition was seamless, thanks to the solid foundation I had built during my time as an intern and part-time engineer.
Because of my time with RapDev, I’ve found that I have grown substantially. What began as a mere curiosity during my collegiate days has blossomed into a full-fledged passion for software engineering. With each passing internship and every project I tackled, I not only honed my technical skills but also cultivated a deeper understanding of teamwork, innovation, and resilience. This journey has been more to me than just a career path – it’s been a personal transformation and I cannot recommend RapDev highly enough.
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