Alex Penrose, Graduate Software Engineer, reflects on his first year at MSP

What do you hope to achieve in your next year at MSP?
I hope to continue developing my software skills further, learning more about programming and about the other products we develop at MSP. I also would like to spend more time mentoring students at local schools and encouraging and educating them about careers available in STEM. I appreciated those that helped me develop my career and would like to do the same for others with the same interests.

Why did you join MSP?
I always wanted to join a company that wrote software with a close tie to the engineering world. I loved both computing and engineering at school and wanted to be involved in both as much as possible in my career. During my Computer Science (Game Engineering) degree at Newcastle University, MSP really stood out to me at the careers events I visited. I was lucky enough to secure a 3-month summer placement and throughout this time got to know the people at MSP and was made to feel very welcome. I also gained an insight into what it means to have a job in software engineering and the learning I would acquire on the job. I made it my goal to apply for a software development role at the company after graduating.

Did you always think you would go into software development? How did you become interested in it?
Throughout school I knew little about software development or that careers even existed in the field. I enjoyed studying maths, science and engineering and by the time I got to high school I was spending all my spare time gaming. I found playing video games motivated me to want to learn how to code and understand how computers work in more detail. There weren’t any opportunities when I was at school to develop my programming skills. There was the option to study IT, with a great teacher I might add, but little to no programming aspect involved on the course. I only started programming in my first year of University and my interest in software development developed from there.

What’s your advice for people interested in entering the industry?
There are always ways to get involved if you put yourself out there and are willing to learn. If you’re in school and are interested in software development, I’d recommend taking any computer science, maths or physics related courses you can. Also, research software engineering for more information about the different types available and get in touch with local software companies for practical experience; they aren’t always advertising a position for someone with little to no experience, but you don’t get anywhere if you don’t try! My advice would be to ask if they’d consider you for some work experience and take it from there; businesses want people that show interest and use their initiative.

If you weren’t in software development, what job would you be doing right now?
I’d probably be teaching computer science or another STEM-related subject. When I was asked to become a STEM ambassador and mentor for MSP I was thrilled as this opportunity suits me down to the ground.

View MSP's open vacancies here.