Graduate Series: Meet Andrew

University taught Andrew Huang how to code. His first months at NextGen taught him how to be a developer. Here’s what Andrew didn’t expect about transitioning from lecture halls to production codebases.

Q: What has been the most surprising aspect of transitioning from university to the professional world?
A: The biggest surprise has been how different the work is. At university, I managed my own projects, but in the workplace, it’s more about troubleshooting and problem-solving to ensure “business as usual” than working towards a final project goal. 

Q: How are you applying the skills or knowledge you gained in school to your role so far?
A: I’ve applied critical thinking to approach problems, along with some technical skills and programming languages I learned in school.

Q: How easy was it to pick up the new skills?
A: JavaScript was relatively easy to pick up, but XML presented more of a challenge.

Q: What challenges have you encountered in your first few weeks, and how have you approached them?
A: The main challenge has been learning new languages and understanding how  ApplyOnline works. Figuring out how everything relates to each other was a bit overwhelming at first, but I’ve been learning through hands-on experience. The team has given me the time and space to explore, and I’ve been assigned tasks that challenge me but are within my capabilities.

Q: What kind of support or mentorship have you found most helpful as a new graduate entering the workforce?
A: Having a good manager has been really beneficial—someone who is approachable, knowledgeable, and able to explain things in a way that makes sense to me. It’s also been helpful to have a buddy for additional support.

Q: How do you see your role evolving, and what are your goals for personal and professional growth in the next year?
A: Based on what I’ve observed from other developers, there’s an opportunity to take on more responsibility, such as technically leading projects and scoping them out. That’s something I’d like to work towards in the period ahead.

Q: What tools, frameworks, or programming languages have you been exposed to in your role that were new to you?
A: I’ve worked with JavaScript, XML, XSLT, and gained deeper knowledge of SQL.

Q: How do you collaborate with other engineers or departments when working on larger codebases or projects?
A: Whenever we run into issues the key is maintaining strong communication—keeping other developers informed when changes are made.

Q: Would you recommend NextGen for graduates?
A: Yes, it’s a great place to work and learn. Everyone is very supportive and understanding, which makes it an ideal environment for growth.