What was your last career change?
I joined the University of Ottawa in February 2025 as an intermediate software developer, after several years as a full-stack developer for international projects at MBOA DIGITAL, where I worked primarily with clients such as New Zealand Post and Auckland Transport.
What contributed to your success?
A combination of preparation, open-mindedness, and a passion for continuous learning. I had built up solid technical experience in .NET, Angular, DevOps, and cloud, which allowed me to adapt quickly. But above all, my natural curiosity and taste for collaboration made it easy for me to integrate into this new organization.
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in order to adapt to your new role?
Understanding the specific characteristics of a university environment compared to my previous clients, who were mainly in the private or semi-public sector. This includes the approach to IT governance, internal processes, and delivery pace, which may differ but also offer great opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career change?
Be honest with yourself about what you are looking for, prepare for your transition by strengthening your key skills, and don’t hesitate to ask questions once you are in your new position. Change is also an opportunity to reinvent yourself.
How can colleagues help someone transition into their new responsibilities?
By being available, supportive, and transparent. A simple invitation to a coffee break or a clear explanation of an acronym can make all the difference. Integration also happens through small gestures.
What aspects of your day bring you joy?
Solving a technical problem that seemed insurmountable (recently, setting up various dashboards to monitor the regular use of the Navigator API we are developing), learning a new approach through a code review, or having a rewarding discussion with a colleague. And sometimes, a simple commit that passes all the tests on the first try!
If you were a chocolate bar, which one would you be?
A Kinder Bueno bar: a melt-in-the-mouth centre of curiosity and sweetness, coated in a crunchy shell of rigour and reliability.
What ingredient should never be on a pizza?
Green beans. I don’t really like green beans!
What three items would you bring if you were sent to a desert island?
A solar-powered computer (to code and document the experience), a Swiss Army knife (versatile, like any good developer), and a soccer ball (because you have to have fun and stay in shape!)