Meet our Academy Consultants – Daniel Anderson
Read how Daniel transitioned from training at the Ten10 Academy to working in Data Services as we interview him after his first year working in tech
Once our Academy Consultants have completed their training, they’re deployed into tech teams like yours across the UK. We provide the support and guidance they need to become an integral part of your team, whether that’s by supporting your existing software developers with large solutions or taking on smaller, individual projects.
Daniel Anderson joined the Ten10 Academy in 2022. After a full year working in tech, we caught up with him to chat about what he’s working on and how he’s transitioned from training in the Academy to working for a client in the Defence sector.
Take us through your client work – what teams have you worked with and what projects have you worked on?
I’m currently working as a Junior Solutions Developer in the Data Services team at an international defence engineering company. When I first started (between the training provided), my manager tasked me with a small project to accelerate their reporting. I created a script using PL/SQL to extract data from an Excel document into a table in Oracle, transform that data, attach information from another source, then store it in a table which would then be used by my manager.
My first full project which I’m still working on is to update a previously made workflow in CoraSequence to the newest version whilst removing unnecessary components highlighted in the Discovery phase. During this project I am working alongside a subject matter expert and another junior developer who I regularly conduct code reviews, review documentation and provide constructive feedback with. I also have provided support to the client’s testers during the Testing phase of the project.
How do you feel you’ve transitioned from the Ten10 Academy to your client work?
After my training, I’ve found the transition into client work very smooth. I was initially anxious about the role and opportunity that had been offered to me, as I was the first Academy Consultant to be placed in my client’s Data Services team. Thankfully, the Account Manager, Kaly Tudor, and my Managing Principal Consultant, Emma Hargreaves, were more than happy to answer the questions I had. They supported me throughout the whole process. The Ten10 Academy Team also helped a large amount in preparing me for what to expect and making sure everything went smoothly.
What technology, tools, frameworks, and processes have you gained experience with?
The tool I’ve been using most is CoraSequence – a workflow management tool. I have also been working on improving my PL/SQL skills using the sandbox area provided to me and my training courses. My other experience has been in reviewing documentation and providing support to testers who completed initial testing on the project I am working on, which will continue once further development is completed. I have also worked with Virtual Machines (VMs), which I’d never used before joining my client.
What parts of the Ten10 Academy training have been most useful in your work?
The professional skills training came in very helpful as I came to the Academy from a hospitality background. I was also part of the Development specialist training, which was run by Peter Russell. Although I’m not currently using the language we looked at during the training, the computational thinking skills I learned have been very helpful. Peter also provided me with some useful documents and websites to look at which were relevant to the role I was stepping into with my client.
What is a normal working day or week?
A normal working day for me involves checking what emails I have received after the previous day’s work. I may attend a project meeting, depending on what day it is. I would then begin working on any development I’d been tasked with or fixing any bugs depending on what stage the project is in. During this time, I may jump into a call with the other junior developer so we can help each other if we have any blockers. During the Testing phase I was usually called or messaged by the testers who would provide observations or request some clarification on certain aspects of the product.
How has your client supported your development?
Throughout my time with my client, I’ve been offered multiple opportunities to improve. Within the first few months, I was given access to a huge amount of documentation and I was placed on multiple training courses. The first one I attended was a CoraSequence training course where I learnt the basics of the tool and what it was used for. I then attended a PL/SQL course and later an intermediate course, both of which were provided by my client. I recently attended another CoraSequence course which covered more advanced aspects of the tool. During the whole time I’ve been working, I’ve had support from my manager and an SME who I often message for advice.
What support have you received from Ten10 during your work?
Since I’ve joined my client I have received a lot of support from Ten10. I often receive messages from members of the Academy Team asking me how things are going and if I need anything. They were especially helpful at the end of last year when my father had some serious health issues – they messaged me regularly, checking that my father and I were doing well. They also sent me a little care package to keep me positive. I regularly attend a fortnightly catchup meeting with Emma, Kaly and other Academy Consultants where we discuss what we have been working on and any issues that have arisen. There is also a fortnightly catchup meeting between all Ten10 consultants currently placed on the same client where we answer a question of the week and discuss what work we have completed on our different projects.