“What is my job about” – Junior Data Engineer
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Why and how did you get interested in the tech field?
My interest in tech peaked as a teenager when I had heaps of fun creating electrical projects with my grandpa. So I went to college to study electronics and started taking programming classes. An unexpected passion grew, and programming became a great hobby… and that hobby became an opportunity after I met some great mentors who showed me the amazing world of data! Data today is such a powerful element – it guides decisions, helps us understand people, and allows us to better connect with each other. Working at Spark is proving to be such an incredible experience and my interest grows stronger every day as I’m learning so much! I consider myself really lucky.
What’s your role in Spark now and how did it develop?
My role as a Junior Data Engineer consists mainly of understanding the scripts that feed our data warehouse and creating in-depth documentation for our LIITA platforms. I only started two months ago, so the majority of my time right now is focused on learning the company processes and its data warehouse. However, I’m really looking forward to tackling the responsibilities my team has already outlined for me in my progress plan.
What are the daily challenges you face?
As anyone starting out, there’s a lot to learn… from understanding what the business is about to the common patterns and structure of the team. I feel lucky to be in a collaborative environment that’s in constant communication and regularly shares key learnings and best practices. I’ve had loads of training and it’s made all the difference when it comes to approaching new challenges.
What inspires you?
So many things! My family, my mentors, music… and talking to people who have more experience than me. The ‘aha’ moments I have whenever something I’m building just works get me super excited to try more projects!
What are your tips for being successful in your career?
1) Be proactive in your learning – learning never ends, so everything you can add to your toolkit will become useful in time. 2) Ask questions – as a new employee, you don’t need to know everything, so if you’re unsure just ask and I guarantee someone will help. 3) Make connections and have fun – our company has loads of amazing people and opportunities, so soak it up and make the most of it!
