Article summary
Five new makers have joined Atomic’s Grand Rapids office as part of the Atomic Accelerator—a professional development program for newly-graduated developers. I asked each to tell me a little about themselves and to share their first impressions of Atomic Object and the Accelerator program.
Molly Alger
Molly recently earned her B.S. in computer science from Grand Valley State University. She’s on the team building the BatterySteward mobile app for Flow-Rite. Read Molly’s bio.
My favorite part about working at Atomic is the people. There are so many intelligent people here, and they’re not just willing to share their knowledge–they’re excited to. I feel so supported that I can turn to anyone for help with a problem, get help, and probably learn more about the topic than the original scope of my question. I also appreciate that in the Accelerator program, there’s not only a focus on improving our technical skills through professional development, but on our soft skills as well.
Lydia Cupery
Lydia just graduated from Calvin College with a B.S. in computer science and a minor in business. She’s working on a project for Steelcase. Read Lydia’s bio.
I appreciate how much I have been able to learn over such a short time, mainly due to the experienced developers I pair with. One of my fears going into the software industry was that I would become pigeon-holed into one technology. I’ve enjoyed learning about a very wide variety of things even in my first four weeks (Xamarin, GraphQL, TypeScript, React, Redux, supply chain theory…). It motivates me to think how much more comfortable I will be with these (and other) technologies and business practices by the end of the Accelerator program.
Aaron King
Aaron holds a B.S. in symbolic systems from Stanford University. He’s working on a project for Steelcase. Read Aaron’s bio.
Cell One has really focused on individualizing our curricula, so that each of us can grow as developers and consultants in our own way. We still work together and study many of the same subjects, but the emphasis on personalized growth is a very unique opportunity. I’m also really enjoying my coworkers. Everyone at Atomic is very passionate about what they do, and they’re excited to share their skills and knowledge with each other. This means that the job never gets boring because we’re always challenging ourselves and each other, and actively learning in the process.
Laura Robb
Laura graduated from Michigan State University this winter with a B.S. in computer science. She’s currently on the team building the inQuizIT web app for the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District. Read Laura’s bio.
The people at Atomic Object are amazing. Everyone has been very nice since Day One, and in my first six months here I have been able to form some really excellent friendships. Feeling welcome where I work is incredibly important to me, and I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to find that at Atomic. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by how thoroughly the value mantras are practiced within the company.
Gage Vander Clay
Gage just graduated from Grand Valley State University with a B.S. in computer science and a minor in mathematics. He’s joined the NexGen Inquiry team. Read Gage’s bio.
My favorite part about working at Atomic is everyone’s eagerness to teach and help me grow as a software developer. Whenever I have trouble solving an issue, there is always someone who is willing to help me work through the problem. And the Accelerator program has made me think about the path I want to take in my career and the actions I’ll need to take.