Name

Matei Ioan Marina

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Role

Lead Software Developer

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Favourite quote

"Be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend" - Bruce Lee

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‍What do you do at STC INSISO?

I am involved in several projects where we are building customised software applications for our clients. My main responsibilities focus on the full development cycle: gathering requirements from clients to create user stories, development work, testing, deployment, and more. I am also getting more involved with managing junior members of the development team and taking a lead role in client communications on certain projects.

What experience did you have to get this job?

I made a career change about 7 years ago when I started learning the Python programming language on my own at home, while working in Sainsbury's. I then joined a one-and-a-half-year Master's programme in Information Technology at the University of Aberdeen. Upon completion of the Master's programme, I joined STC INSISO (Insiso before its merge with STC Global) about 5 years ago and this has been my first and only job in the industry so far, and the place where I gained my current experience and developed my skills in software development.

What do you like about working at STC INSISO?

I enjoy being part of our team, we have good team dynamics and a great mixture of skills. I particularly like the challenging environment of working with different clients and gaining experience by translating their requirements into technical implementations. I also enjoy the business domain knowledge that I get from working on software applications provided for a certain industry or service.

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What’s your background?

My relevant academic background is my Master's degree in Information Technology that I completed in 2017 at the University of Aberdeen. I previously worked for Sainsbury's in Aberdeen for over 3 years.

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What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

I enjoy working out which I try to do most days - jogging outside, pull-ups, push-ups, etc. I also enjoy swimming and playing football. Besides sports, I enjoy listening to music, reading and hanging out with friends.

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What advice would you give to aspiring software developers?

Practice makes perfect and never give up or stress out when hitting an obstacle; there is always a way round it.