Cracking the code

It’s National Coding Week, and as workplaces becomes more and more digital and data-focused, coding is becoming an essential skill across many sectors.

It’s fantastic to see coders getting the recognition they deserve, but how do you get a start in the industry? We spoke to three of our software developers at various stages of their career to find out what it takes to succeed in coding.

Gareth is Parallel’s Head of Software, and he’s had over 25 years of experience in software development and technology leadership. Over his years in the industry, he’s seen lots of change, but believes a good coder needs the skills of problem solving and attention to detail. As well as this, they need to have a creative streak.

“If you want to be a good coder, you have to find a new way of looking at a problem, and think outside of the box,” he said. “Although technical skills are vital, creativity for coders is also an underrated skill.”

Parallel’s Product Lead Michael Boland also thinks coding is about problem solving, and the ability to break down a problem into small tasks that you can then complete piece-by-piece.

Michael has had a love of technology since he was very young, starting disassembling, repairing and rebuilding laptops, phones, tablets and games consoles from the tender age of nine.

Michael said: “My interest in hardware led on to a desire to learn more about software, and I started building simple scripts and algorithms in Python. I went on to study computer science at college, and then university, which was invaluable as I got to learn a number of different languages, including C#, PHP, SQL, JavaScript and Kotlin.”

Michael started in a graduate developer role with Parallel after graduating, but soon found that as well as digital skills, he had a talent for liaising with clients about what they wanted and needed from Parallel’s software platforms.

“I found I really enjoyed talking to clients and working with them to ensure that we understand what they want from their software and data, so we can create the best product for them,” he said. “I can use my technical knowledge to translate what our client wants into a software solution that gives them the answers they need.”

Parallel’s Graduate Matthew Page only joined Parallel late last year, so he’s had recent experience of the transition from studying coding to using it in real life. He originally learned coding for data analysis whilst completing a research masters, and although he initially found it very difficult, he soon fell in love with it.

“Since starting in a software development role, I’ve realized that a critical skill for coders is adaptability,” he said. “You never know what issue, bug or problem might come up that you have to solve, and you have to quickly learn new skills in order to find a solution.”

Happy National Coding Week everyone, and if you’re looking for a new role in coding, check out Parallel’s website to see our current opportunities.