Last week, we welcomed a new addition to our team. Ashley Edge has joined Akoova as a DevOps Support Engineer.
We’re very excited to have her on board and we’re happy that she’s agreed to give a short interview for us to get to know her:
First of all, welcome to Akoova, Ashley! How have you been finding everything so far?
Wonderful so far! Lots to take in and learn on how to do things the Akoova way. Everyone I have spoken to so far has been really welcoming and patient.
What were you up to before you joined us?
I was in Internal IT, helping 700+ employees with all of their computer issues.
What will you be working on in your new role at Akoova?
I will be supporting our clients with their dedicated Magento hosting, including collaborative problem-solving. This will include evolving the codebase, along with building and improving tools for infrastructure changes.
How did you decide to become a developer? What is your favourite thing about the job?
I was made redundant right at the beginning of the pandemic. I used this time to my advantage, hoping to switch careers. After some research, I found that careers based in coding are growing in demand. I started with a 3-week taster coding bootcamp and I was hooked! I love learning and there are so many resources online. I really enjoy creating and fixing broken things. When your code works, the thrill and hit of dopamine is amazing!
You’re clearly very passionate about what you do. What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to get into the industry?
Go for it! If I can do it, you can too. Keep learning and growing your skills. Find a mentor to help you in your journey.
Those are great tips! Have you been learning anything recently yourself?
I am always learning – I love it. In preparation for this role, I have been refreshing my knowledge of Linux and working through the ‘DevOps Engineer’ path on Cloud Academy.
Nice, good for you! Lastly, can you recommend something to read, see, watch, listen to or try? It could be a book, film, band, YouTube video, website, app, art exhibition – anything really.
I am finally getting around to reading Lord of the Rings (currently on The Two Towers). I never read it before. You get so much more world- and character-building from the book. I highly recommend reading the books that some of your favourite films/TV shows are based on!
