I’m Carlo, a nerdy coder and a fan of video games and anime. In addition to my previous hobbies, I’ve recently taken up golf and occasionally visit the office gym after work. Lately, I’ve also discovered a new passion for assembling and painting Gundam models and “GK” resin figures with an airbrush. This new hobby has taken up a lot of my time. Perhaps this love for creating things is what sparked my interest in programming.
From a young age, I’ve been fascinated by games and computers. During high school, I spent time reading MikroBitti and developing my interest in technology. I was particularly drawn to games, but I wasn’t coding yet. My first encounter with coding came when I got my hands on a graphing calculator during the transition from middle school to high school, and I coded a text-based adventure game.
After high school, I went to vocational school to study automation, but soon realized it wasn’t the right field for me. However, my background made it easy to shift to a higher education path in information technology. I lived in Lahti at the time and discovered there were computer science programs available at the local university of applied sciences. I got into the program and specialized in programming. In the last year of my studies, I worked for the consulting company Enfo Oy, initially as an intern and later full-time. At that time, it was quite common for companies to offer job opportunities through work trials. I worked there for half a year before joining Koud.
My journey to Koud
So how did I end up at Koud as a software developer nearly six years ago? I’ve known Juho, one of Koud’s founders, for a long time from online communities. We talked a lot on Discord, and eventually, our conversations expanded to work-related topics. When three friends started Koud, they asked about my skills. Since my expertise in C# and Unity aligned with their plans, they asked if I’d be interested in moving to Tampere to work with them. The city attracted me both because of its size and opportunities, and I already knew two of the founders and had several friends living there. So, Tampere felt like a great place to settle.
I was initially hired for a specific project, and I’m still working on that project today. GolfGameBook is a long-term project where I work as an app developer. I help the client implement features, both during the planning phase and the actual development, using the Unity platform with C#. The work is varied: sometimes we implement new features for the app, and other times we collaborate with backend developers on server integrations. A key focus is improving the app’s performance, memory usage, and stability. Additionally, my tasks include the classic software job of hunting down bugs.
The benefits of consulting and working at Koud
I’ve enjoyed consulting because the work is straightforward. The goals and tasks are well defined when working on a project for a client. Working at Koud has been great because of the solid community of software experts, including Go backend developers. There’s a wealth of knowledge among the team, and it’s easy to discuss any topic or technology. It’s also helpful that the company started with a programming team, and in a small company like this, it’s easier to have discussions with leadership. The owners have a deep understanding of various technologies and tools. One of the great benefits of working at Koud is the flexibility, such as the truly available remote work options. It’s also been fantastic to see employee suggestions implemented, such as bike benefits and game nights.
This blog post kicks off a new series: Employee Stories. Carlo has had a long and varied journey to become a software developer. His story shows how important it is to follow your passions and be open to new opportunities. Carlo has found his place at Koud, where he can combine his technical skills and creativity in his daily work.
Thank you for reading Carlo’s story. We hope it inspires you to find your place in the workforce. If you want to hear more employee stories or are interested in joining our team, don’t hesitate to reach out!
