Erik Gulliksen

What's my job about?

Released works to make property managers’ lives easier by bringing tasks together in an easy-to-manage way. My Squad (team) and I manage the properties and are responsible for the app’s supplier’s insurance, document management, maintenance, inspections and compliance. I also help plan the details of what the new features will look like and discuss ideas for how these features will be implemented. I work on a range of different bugs and features. Some of these features were, adding a dropdown button and styling that button on one of the pages of the app, and making an automated test to ensure that a service I had made works as expected.

It was always when developing software that I engaged most thoroughly with my work as a chemical engineer. Whether I was modeling a storage tank for a gelatine cooker or building a program to validate water sampling data in python, I loved the challenge of using a computer to solve complex problems which no human can do alone. I fondly recall the exhilarating joy of getting my teeth stuck into a problem and coming out to the other end with a satisfying solution. 

What's my background?

I grew up in sunny Hawkes Bay with five siblings on a property with plenty of fruit trees and a miniature horse. In my high school years, critical thinking and learning about problem-solving became interesting. I pursued this interest by focusing on maths, physics and chemistry. 

Moving to Christchurch to complete a degree in chemical engineering, I was exposed to programming in my first year. I only ever went to the first few lectures of my first-year introductory paper to programming since I quickly found out that I learned better by working directly on problems. I loved the feeling of problem-solving and building something with ongoing usefulness when programming. A concussion caused me to postpone my studies for a few years and I filled some of this time working as a water sampler in Hawkes Bay. 

After coming back to Christchurch and finishing my degree, I become an engineer in a gelatine manufacturing plant. It was after this job that I learned about a 3-month software development introductory course called Dev Academy and decided to give it a go. Diving into more detail about all the parts that come together to make a web application work was super engaging and I’m still working on a personal app I started during this course. It was then that I decided to pursue a career in software development. Released hosted Hawkes Bay’s Dev Academy students and after the completion of the course, I was offered a job and have been here for three months.

Could someone with a different background do my job?

I absolutely think that just about anyone can thrive as a software developer. I always say that the only requirement is that you must enjoy it. If you find you always want to learn more about programming, then you will do great.

What's the coolest thing about my job?

Something that always gives me a thrill is getting my teeth stuck into a challenging project. Whether that be building something new in an app or fixing a bug, it’s rewarding to see your code turn into something new and useful; something which you built and can now be used and enjoyed by others. I love the challenge of wrestling with the code to get it to do what I want, as it almost feels like a game to me.

What are the limitations of my job?

It’s a reality that I don’t get enough sun or exercise in my job. There is something to be said about having a physically exhausting job that requires outdoor labour which is beneficial for your mental and physical health. It’s in my best interest to use my free time exercising and engaging in outdoor activities. 

3 pieces of advice for a student...

Study or work abroad if you can, even if just for a semester or over the summer. Get lots of sleep. Don’t neglect your personal life. Prioritize yourself over grades.