Want to know what it’s really like to work as a Graduate Developer in our team? We asked our talented Graduate, Daphne Yu, to share her experience as a developer in the NGIS Graduate Program, particularly what her day-to-day working life looks like.
 

What does a typical day look like for you at NGIS? 

On a typical work (from home) day, I wake up just before my daily 9am standup meeting with the team. We discuss what we are currently working on and if we’re facing any challenges, and if we have discovered any new or fun tech—it’s a pretty chill meeting led by our manager, Aaron. 

At the moment, I am fully allocated to working on a sustainable sourcing project solution for a prominent NGIS client. I typically start my morning by looking at our storyboard, which is where we keep track of all the project work items, and pick something to start working on. This may involve coding, fixing a bug or generating a new feature. 

For lunch, if all the Graduate Developers are in the office we go to Good Fortune in Victoria Park. If we have a new member join the team, lunch is on the company! This is a great opportunity for our team to just relax and hang out away from the office for an hour. 

In the afternoon, I might have a meeting with the client to show them what we are currently working on. On a less frequent basis we have a longer planning and review meeting with the client that might involve them asking for an application with specific requirements. It is then our job to break that down into work tickets and commence building. 

When you deliver a finished application to the client and they love it, it’s the best feeling ever!
 

(Image: team lunch at Good Fortune!) 
 

What did you study in university and why? 

Once I graduated High School in Taiwan, I moved with my family to Australia. I had no idea what I wanted to study at University. 

In the end, I chose computer science and software engineering because I thought it was cool being able to create things. I soon discovered with an engineering course that I had to complete engineering ethics and physics—which I really didn’t enjoy; so I decided to just stick with computer science. 

During my studies I worked part-time in IT support at BGC. I also sat on the Coders For Causes Committee—a student-run coding club that develops and delivers web applications to not-for-profit organisations. I eventually graduated from UWA in 2019 with a Bachelor of Computer Science and Data Science. 
 

Which project has been your favourite to work on so far? 

I love working on projects where I get to solve problems and continuously improve my coding skills; which is something I have been able to do on the sustainable sourcing project solution I am working on with the team. This project involves building and maintaining a solution that will have a positive impact on the environment. It’s a nice feeling knowing you are working on something meaningful.
 

What has been your favourite moment at NGIS? 

Every time my code has worked!

What are the best lessons you have learned so far? 

I have learned so much this past year at NGIS. My mentor and manager, Aaron, is an amazing teacher and leader; when you’re stuck he doesn’t just write the code for you, he guides you through solving the problem. 

One lesson I have learned since joining the NGIS Graduate Program is that you can’t just rely on what you were taught at University. Working across different projects, with different technologies means you need to be continuously learning.

What is your advice for graduates who want to work in this industry? 

If you want to work as a web developer, I would first suggest looking at job descriptions you are interested in and try to master some of the core skills. One great way to do this is by making a side project. The second is to attend networking events. From coding workshops to career fairs, you never know who you will meet. In fact, I got my job at NGIS through a connection I made at a tech event. Lastly, in this field, you really have to enjoy coding. It’s something you will be doing a lot!