Software Engineer
BART WULLAERT
Objectiver since September, 2019.
November, 2020 – After getting my degree, I wanted to develop further as a programmer. I have studied Automation Engineering Technology/Technician and many of my subjects were related to that field of study, which motivated me. I knew of Objective International before I applied for my current position. I had met some of the employees at several job fairs and the Fablab demo with the M&M’s was something that made a big impression on me. After further research, I noticed that Objective could offer me a good starting position, as well as, the possibility to work abroad.
Being able to play a role in a medium-sized SME with a “family culture” and exponential growth, was also a big plus for me.
In my first weeks at Objective, I was put through an extensive training program, which covered the key topics of the software package. This was a very good approach to get to know the software before I could start the “real” job. The training was not only instructive, but it was also a good way to get acquainted with all the other new employees.
The first weeks being on the job, these were actually a sequel to the training. I learned new things all the time so the tasks were not repetitive or boring. My job has a lot of variety and is certainly not repetitivedue to the scope of my position. After the general training, further training on procedures (Agile working) in the job followed.
Every day I have a stand-up meeting with my squad where we keep each other informed about who is doing what and which things still need to be done. Tickets from clients are distributed and followed up within the team. The intention is to work on this independently and when being stuck we can always go to the Technical Lead for project specific questions or to the other team members for general technical questions. Every two weeks (per sprint) there is also a larger meeting. The good and bad points of the sprint are discussed. Depending on the projects I’m working on, I sometimes spend a day at the customer’s site. There I mainly take care of the technical support, such as the follow-up of customizations.
What I really like about working at Objective is the atmosphere. You can never predict in advance, but it is an important factor for me when choosing a workplace. The atmosphere is like family and after working hours there are a lot of activities which are organized (and not obligated). During the lunchbreak, we all eat together, which is a great opportunity to get to know the colleagues of the other teams better. The company is welcoming. The six weeks of training I received are a good example of that. You don’t often see that at other companies. Even after the training, you are not put under a heavy workload. You get the necessary freedom to sort things out for yourself and get constructive feedback on mistakes. There is also a certain flexibility in the work you can do. I have already noticed among colleagues that it is possible to continue to grow to another position and that the wishes of the employees are taken into account. Plus, you can decide for yourself per agile ticket what you want to do, an advantage of agile work.
