– How did you find out about the PortaOne Education center? Why did you decide to join our course?
I saw an ad at the university, and then a groupmate told me about the center. He took a basic course and Become a Developer program as well, and by that time was already working at PortaOne.
I learned about databases, computer networks, and SQL in my second year of university. But I then found it so tedious that I decided never to return to this topic. I was more into development. In my third year I was already working as an administrator in the company which provided taxi services. It turned out not as terrible as I initially thought. So I decided to join the Education Center. My aim was to acquire knowledge, not to get a job. Now, looking back, I realize that we were pumped with knowledge practically from scratch to the level of an excellent technician.
– What do you most remember about your studies?
As strange as it may seem, the most interesting was the assignments, both in the labs and in mashups as a summary of every topic. They were always very interesting and often humorous. I liked it, when there was something hidden in the tasks. You sort out the script and find a poem or some kind of funny phrase.
– What is the most important thing that you learned?
Oh, hard to say. Everything seems to be now important and necessary for work. I would emphasize on skills to work with the system and to find options for solving problems in a short period of time.
I also learned to interact with people. In the classroom and in the workshops we were often divided into groups and the performance of the overall task very much depended on how effectively we communicated and how well we passed or shared the information. Now these skills are very useful when communicating with colleagues in our team and other departments.
– Finish the sentence: If it wasn’t for VoIP LAB, …
I definitely would not work with Linux. I think that I would leave the field of IT for economy (I was 90% sure of that). The Education Center made me realize there was a chance to enter the IT sphere.
– Did you consider any other job offers after completing the course, aside from PortaOne?
Generally, we acquired good knowledge so we could enter the job market and look at other job offers. But by the time the course was over, I didn’t want to look for any options. I had enough information about the company, met my future colleagues. I liked the fact that all guys cooperated, there was no division between management and employees. For a year I worked very hard, lots of new information, new experience, plus I had to finish university. But I can say that my deep involvement in work paid off. I was promoted to a position of a Middle Support Engineer, and I got new interesting tasks and responsibilities. I never thought before that I would enjoy my work so much! Now I am getting a kick out of my work.
– Your best memory about the training.
Probably the best is the ceremony of receiving certificates. Mine was with distinction. And I didn’t know about it. It made me happier than the Bachelor’s degree at the university.
– What can you advise to our students?
However difficult it is, do not give up and do not quit halfway. If there is a stalemate, take a well-deserved break and come back when your tension eased off . Don’t let yourself burn out!
I had moments when I wanted to leave. I couldn’t wrap my head around some topic. So I decided to give it a break and not to be too demanding to myself. I took an online course on a completely different topic and a week later I felt better. I got back and realized everything fell into place.
So, when you feel you’ve got enough, it’s high time to have a vacation. Do it and you’ll get back full of energy and love to your colleague. I know it firsthand
