We follow Daniel’s intern journey at WeFi…
Daniel Garza (20) is the very first recipient of the Nicholas Feinstein Technology Internship Scholarship – awarded annually to one of the University of Northern Colorado’s top business and technology students.
Daniel touched down in Cape Town at the beginning of June for two months, to work (and learn) alongside the team at our Stellenbosch-based WeFi Innovation Hub. As he nears the end of his internship, we delve more into the outcomes of the project he’s been working on and what the whole process has taught him about his chosen career path…
Tell us about what you’ve been busy with as your time at the WeFi Innovation Hub nears its close.
Nearing the end of my internship with WeFi, I have been busy with making some last-minute quality of life additions to the applications and also backend refinements to make sure the app is as efficient as it can be with the current technology stack.
The process I have been following at WeFi has been pretty free form. It is basically whenever an issue comes up, you put your mind to solving it. And when issues are not present in your application, that is when you begin to make refinements and do your best to innovate the product in one way or another.
What are some of the outcomes you’ve experienced?
With this project at WeFi, I have experienced both ends of the spectrum when it comes to outcomes. My first live demo of the application was quite rough and it felt like nothing in the project was working as expected. Then, after making some refinements and getting feedback from the team, the second demo went much smoother. Everything seemed to work pretty well on the second demo and that felt great.
What are 5 things you know now that you never knew before about the career path you’ve chosen and work-life in general?
- There is a lot more to software development jobs than just coding. Much of the time is spent gathering requirements and ensuring you have a realistic way to achieve the end goal of the product.
- Communication is key. Whether it’s gathering requirements from the business side or debugging with colleagues, effective communication is essential.
- Testing and releasing a new product takes a while. The amount of time that goes into testing and ensuring the product is stable and secure before release is more than I initially thought.
- It is enjoyable. Applying problem-solving skills in the domain of software development is fun and fulfilling.
- It is important to keep a high-level view of the product you are designing and creating. As a developer, it’s easy to fall into the trap of tunnel vision when focusing on low-level details. Always aligning business goals with the software is crucial to avoid wasting time on features that may not be used.
Read more about Daniel and what he’s learnt and accomplished during his time at WeFi:
Missed Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3 of Daniel’s intern journey? Click here:
Part 1: From Intern to Innovator
Part 2: A New Way of Life
Part 3: The Sky Has No Limit
Part 4: Daniel On CameraPart 3: The Sky Has No Limit
Follow Daniel’s journey with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wefitec/
Click here for more about the Nicholas Feinstein Technology Internship Scholarship, and read how one honouring one young man’s legacy has led to a life-changing opportunity for another.
