Each month we are profiling one of our Web Services team members. This month we hear all about Ishdeep!
How did you enter this career?
My story begins from the early high school days. Coding was something that came naturally to me that I can relate to. We input something, some processing happens, and we get a result. Combining those small lab programs to create an integrated project motivated me, and it grew from there. I decided to do my bachelor’s studies in Computer Science. I could see computers’ adoption and requirement in almost every domain. It was a fun feeling of getting output for your simple program.
My interest grew when I started working with a Technology Consulting firm Infosys. Working on real-life data and visualizing and its impact to solve problems makes me excited. I desired to learn more about how businesses use technology to solve these problems; hence I did a master’s in Technology Innovation Management from Carleton University.
Universities and I share a unique bond. I even got my first job at Carleton University.
Where else have you worked?
After my bachelor’s in computer science, I began my career in India working for a technology consulting company ‘Infosys’. I worked as a software engineer for almost 1.5 years. After that, I worked with small start-ups in digital marketing for some real estate and eCommerce clients for almost a year.
Then I came to Canada to pursue my master during the studies I worked as a research assistant for Global Cybersecurity Resources for 6 months. After that, I was working as a proctor at Carleton university for the McIntyre centre.
After graduation I got my first job working with the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering as a software support technician. Then I got the opportunity to work with ITS Web Services.
What are some of the technologies you have used along the way?
I have been fascinated by software. I’ve always wanted to learn about the entire software development lifecycle and I have been exposed to various part of the software lifecycle, from the backend database to the frontend.
I have also worked with proprietary and open-source tools like SAP Business Objects, Tableau, orange, git etc. Recently I have been working with python, mongo dB, SQL, WordPress, React and typescript as well
What are the best things about your job?
The working environment is amazing, everyone is lovely and caring. We collaborate on many projects and everyone goes above and beyond to help each other. I even get to work with the latest technology, we discuss new ideas and how we can implement them.
Do you have some exciting projects you are working on right now?
Recently I have been working in text mining, discovering underlying patterns using topic modelling and visualization of the dataset and I have created a full-stack web application for self-assessment of projects.
Currently, I am involved in creating a powerful WordPress theme, where we are using a hybrid approach using WordPress and React to render blocks on the frontend.
What music are you listening at the moment?
I have diverse taste in music and listen to music in various languages like Punjabi, Hindi and English, depending on the environment and my mood.
From contemporary to classics, I love to listen to hip-hop, trance and pop music especially when I am driving. I like the old school albums of Backstreet boys, Green Day etc. and even new artists like Drake, A P Dhillon etc.
What are you reading at the moment?
Generally I like to read about new technology and its impact on various industries and businesses, especially on the finance world.
Medium and Yahoo Finance are my generally go-to places for new articles and news.
What do you do outside of work to amuse yourself?
I am a slave to my tongue, I love to experiment with food. I can travel 100 km early in the morning for a nice breakfast!
I am a sports person as well. I love to play soccer, badminton, table tennis and even poker whenever I get a chance. I used to play a lot of video games but now I don’t have enough time. I also like to watch tv shows and documentaries sometimes.
What exciting plans do you have coming up in the next year?
I want to get my M2 and M license soon so that I can enjoy nature while riding motorbikes. I also want to travel explore Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on the east coast. I might plan some camping trips this summer :-) And I want to learn how to play golf.