Bobby Ross joins the CaseBlocks team

Find out more about the newest addition to the CaseBlocks team as we catch up with Bobby and find out how he’s getting on.

After joining the CaseBlocks team two weeks ago, it’s time for us to catch up with our newest Junior Developer, Bobby Ross, and find out how he’s been getting on…

HI BOBBY, CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…

My name is Bobby, I’m 31, married and I’m a huge geek. Before I joined EmergeAdapt I worked in a number of different roles in the financial services industry, most recently for a large insurance company based in the centre of Glasgow.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT?

Software development has always been something I was interested in, I would experiment with some code on my own but found that I needed more guidance so I started to look into doing a computer science degree. By this point, I was a grown up with responsibilities so I couldn’t commit to a 4-year university degree so I started to look into alternatives and that’s when I found CodeClan.

WHAT IS CODECLAN?

CodeClan is Scotland’s first digital skills academy designed to teach students how to code through a 16-week project based course. The course focuses on teaching you the fundamentals of software development such as Test Driven Development, Object Oriented Programming and software design as well as giving you an introduction to popular programming languages such as Ruby, Java and Javascript.

DID YOU ENJOY YOUR TIME AT CODECLAN?

I can’t speak highly enough about my time at Codeclan, I was with a great group of students and we covered so much in such a short period of time. It’s really hands on and intense but it’s such an effective way of learning. The project-based nature of the course lets you experience what it’s like working both on your own and as part of a group, teaching you to collaborate on group projects so that you can leave CodeClan with the knowledge and practical experience to help you get your first job in the tech industry.

AFTER GRADUATING FROM CODECLAN, WHY DID YOU WANT TO JOIN THE CASEBLOCKS TEAM?

When I finished the course the most important thing for me was finding a company and position where I would get to experience loads of different technologies and learn from experienced and passionate developers.

Luckily, I found out about CaseBlocks through a friend at CodeClan, she had spotted the advert whilst looking for a position in Edinburgh and thought it would be a great opportunity for any students looking for work in Glasgow. After speaking with Paul, Euan and Ijonas, it quickly became apparent that EmergeAdapt has so much variety, it’s the perfect place to start my career in tech.

SO HOW WERE YOUR FIRST 2 WEEKS AS A JUNIOR DEVELOPER?

The first two weeks have been great. Coming from a completely different industry I was nervous as to how I would adapt but I’m really enjoying it so far. There is a huge amount to learn, when I first saw the codebase for CaseBlocks it was an eye opener! But I’m here to learn and looking back on the last two weeks seeing all the new things I’ve learned already makes me sure I have come to the right place! The team have been great, naturally I have a lot of questions but no matter how busy they are they have taken time out to help me which I’m really grateful for.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

The first few days were spent setting up my Mac with all the tools needed to get things up and running, then I spent a few days with the team looking at the codebase and user interface for CaseBlocks while getting up to speed with how the system works and how we use it for each of our clients.

In my second week, I got to spend time getting familiar with the clients whose projects I’ll be working on and contributed to some of the product features we will be implementing in the coming weeks! There’s so much to learn and it’s going to be a real challenge but that’s what excites me!

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF THE CASEBLOCKS TEAM?

At the risk of sounding cliché there are so many things I am excited about, as I mentioned earlier the range of different technologies I will be using, gaining practical experience developing a product, learning from experienced developers but also seeing how the business works, from pitching a sale through to launching the product and engaging with clients, I want to experience it all!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO NEW PEOPLE JOINING THE TEAM?

I think the most important thing is to ask as many questions as possible, you can’t learn from the questions you don’t ask. The team are really approachable and are always willing to chat about anything software related. I think it’s also important to give your opinion, we are a growing team and everyone’s opinion is welcome.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT BEHIND A LAPTOP, WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

Away from the office, it’s more of the same – I’m a huge gamer and tech geek! The week before I started at EmergeAdapt I queued up at midnight for a new games console launch! I also love to read and I’m currently working my way through the Game of Thrones series (only 1 book to go!) and going out long walks in the country with my wife and Riley (our cocker spaniel).

It’s been great catching up with you Bobby and we’re thrilled to have you on board!

Ready for some more news? Well, rumour has it there’s going to be another new addition to the team soon so keep your eyes peeled for our next announcement!