| Personal details |
|---|
| Degree: | Computational Science |
|
| School(s): | School of Computer Science |
| Year of Graduation: | Jun-1995 |
| LinkedIn: | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukecampbell1 |
| National of: | United Kingdom |
| Employment details |
|---|
| Organisation: | Planet Software Limited, Douglas, Isle of Man |
| Job title: | Java Developer |
| Occupational Sector: | IT/Computer Programming |
| What has been your route to getting your current position? |
|---|
| I've had a fairly varied career. I started off working for a Scottish Software House, and moved on to working for one of Scotland's best known web design agencies. From there, I spent a few years being an IT Contractor, I then worked for 6 and a half years for PokerStars. Currently, I'm now working for a company that provides APIs and Internet services to Vets. |
| What does your job involve ? |
|---|
| I'm designing, building, supporting and improving on REST based APIs using https://swagger.io. It involves dealing with external and internal customers alike, and it's a lot of fun! |
| What are the best bits of your job ? |
|---|
| Using swagger.io is great fun. It's not an exaggeration to say that it's changed the way that I look at things, and I love the fact that I'm able to add new functionality quickly and simply, with the documentation that's automatically up to date with the software! |
| Why were you successful? |
|---|
| It's certainly worth attending as many events as you possibly can, particularly networking events. I'd suggest also, if time allows, that you aim to become a contributor to some open source projects, and it's also an excellent way of making a difference and improving your skill set. |
| What skills/ knowledge from your degree have you found particularly helpful in this role? |
|---|
| I'd say that, in general, my approach to development has been shaped by my education in my degree - there isn't one particular area! |
| What advice would you give to students wishing to follow the same path? |
|---|
| Finding a workplace that's fun, friendly and encourages good team work is of vital importance. You can make the difference, and I believe that teams that socialise together are much more likely to succeed when the chips are down. |
