Calum Borders
Software Engineer
Bio
🎌 From Japanophile to Aspiring Dev: My Coding Odyssey 🧑🏻💻
I wasn't always coding! My love affair with Japan started in Primary school. I quickly needed to know more. This fascination led me to delve deeper into high school, where I mastered two Japanese writing systems, Hiragana and Katakana. Then, I encountered Kanji, which some may see as daunting. I saw it as exciting and a challenge, which I am still tackling to this day. Learning Kanji perfectly matches my passion for continuous learning, or kaizen, as many Japanese firms would say.
Fast-forward to Tokyo—living the dream and surrounded by tech innovation. After securing a spot at the University of Manchester, I finally landed in Tokyo. Fueled by my goal of speaking Japanese fluently, after six months of nonstop talking to anyone who would entertain me, I could finally immerse myself in Japanese society and the vibrant tech scene. From trains delivering sushi to my table to captivating 3D billboards, Japan sparked a new passion.
Back in the UK, from festivals to code, the magic of seeing a Dev's creations come to life. Returning to complete my dissertation through the challenges of COVID-19, I graduated and started working at UK festivals. Working in the EPOS team, I rose to Project Manager, gaining valuable tech knowledge and people skills. I wanted to know more. Seeing the use of the developer's code on large-scale events ignited a passion to learn more about software development.
Determined to become a software developer, I enrolled at Northcoders, where I leveraged my language-learning skills to conquer new coding challenges. Here, I came to grips with the industry's ever-changing nature. My experience with learning Japanese taught me valuable learning strategies, helping me break down technologies and understand syntax. Now, my confidence is at its peak, and I am ready to approach new challenges.
My goal? Right now, to join an inclusive, innovative, and progressive team that values tech and soft skills to reach its goals. My ultimate dream goal? To combine my love of Japan and coding into a fulfilling career that makes a positive impact. This could mean bridging a gap between tech worlds on a global scale, allowing me to continuously improve and use my communication skills. So, if you're looking for an inquisitive software developer with a superb work ethic and some questionable skills in Karaoke (in Japanese, of course!), drop me a message!
Technical Skills
- Languages: JavaScript, TypeScript using Node.js and browsers as an environment
- Methodologies: Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Model View Controller (MVC)
- Testing: Test Driven Development (TDD), Jest, Supertest
- Back-End: Express.js, SQL, Postgres SQL, Firebase
- Front-End: HTML, CSS, React, React Native, Axios, accessibility tools such as Lighthouse, Expo, NextJS
- Other: Paired programming, technical communication, Regex, Agile and SCRUM methodologies
Skills And Expertise
- Japanese Language
- Project Management
- Learning quickly under high pressure
- Communication skills
- Working efficiently in a team
Hobbies And Interests
- PC Gaming
- Japanese Culture and Language
- Sewing and clothes design
- Coding with friends
My Values
I am very open and honest, and I believe everyone has the right to be heard on any matter. I have always been an incredibly inquisitive person. Whenever I have had an issue, question, or doubt why something is, you can be sure I will ask why. If you ask any of my school teachers, I'm sure they would agree. I don't see the point in being confused when people and resources are available everywhere to quench the thirst for inquisitiveness.
I have experienced many hardships in life, just as I am sure many others have. I believe it is important to learn from life's lessons and move forward with new knowledge in hopes of being prepared for future events or becoming wise enough to prevent them from happening again. With this in mind, although sometimes with extreme difficulty, I think it is essential to look at one's life in detail and try to think about the question "What if" as much as possible in all aspects of life.
As you can probably tell, I am a big fan of communication. I think it is important in all aspects of life, from personal to work. Effective communication not only helps get a task done but also helps each other understand thoughts and feelings regarding whatever situation. Through good communication, problems can become easier to solve and help ensure everyone is happy, and thus, in my opinion, produce better results for everyone.
Although I love to talk and interact with people, I also respect when they don't. Everyone is different, and I believe that everyone feels comfortable communicating with themselves or others in the right situation, time, and place. Respecting people's differences and communication methods is very important and a hard skill to learn. I hope that as my life continues, I can continue to develop my communication skills and help not only myself but also others.
I aim to work in an environment where these values shine through. Clear and respectful communication is very important to achieve. I would hope that all workplaces strive for this value to develop a trusting team that can work under trust and provide outstanding results.