How did you become interested in tech?
When I was a young kid, my dad used to challenge me to do quizzes. Unbeknown to me, they were IQ tests – building my inner computer. When I was in junior high school, I started using computers. I enjoyed playing games on them, but also setting them up and reinstalling operating systems. By the time I reached senior high, I joined a computer club and entered the Indonesian Computer Olympics, where I came in third place for the entire city region.
How long have you been working with tech?
I started working as an intern in 2010 while at University in Semarang, a coastal town in Indonesia. Once graduated, I had a spell as a freelancer before joining a large software provider, working on server apps and ATM software for banks. After six years at the company, I moved to a Singaporean start-up, where I developed the API system for a chatbot admin portal. They were located in Batam, like Data Ductus, which I joined in 2021.
What does a typical day at work involve?
We do a lot of coding in Java, which is great in my position as a software engineer. We’re both maintaining and developing network service orchestration systems, which means we cover everything from bug fixes to solving new requirement challenges. Development is sandwiched between stand-ups, which we have every morning and late afternoon since our team is spread across Europe and Asia. It’s part of a global delivery to a global client base.
What’s most interesting about your job?
It’s never the same thing twice. There’s always a new challenge – especially for someone relatively new to the company as myself. We’re given the time to explore and find solutions to challenges, whether we solve them individually or as a group. It’s the type of environment that helps you thrive as a software engineer.
What advice would you give to somebody interested in pursuing a career like yours?
Firstly, never stop learning and never underestimate yourself and your capabilities. Secondly, choose the technical area in which you want to work, and focus on getting better and better at it. Thirdly, don’t give up, your dream job is out there. And finally, don’t hold back. We can use our skills to make a difference to society – to make it a better place, together.
What do you do when you’re not crunching code?
We’re still under fairly strict Covid restrictions here in Indonesia, which means staying indoors when possible. Me and my mum spend a lot of time together, I still enjoy gaming, and I dedicate time to learning – there’s always something new and interesting in our field.