Joe Phang Rahmansyah, or Joe, as his colleagues know him, felt something was amiss during his programmers’ course in the local polytechnic.
Then an awkward and reserved young undergraduate studying computer science, he felt that he would not have sufficient skills as a developer or a programmer to make it in a tech company.
With skilled tech expertise in such short supply, there was no doubt that Joe would be snapped up quickly by a startup or a large tech corporation. Instead of diving straight to work, he applied to Glints Academy with his friends at the end of 2018.
“Glints Academy was able to bridge the gap between what was taught in school and technical applications in real life,”
Joe Phang Rahmansyah
Photo: Joe Phang Rahmansyah
With Binar Academy, a tech education provider in Indonesia, as the tech trainers, Glints provides courses in frontend, backend and the React Native mobile app framework. Glints wanted to address the lack of a skilled tech workforce in Southeast Asia.
“I first heard about Glints Academy from my friends near the end of 2018,” says Joe, who adds that he dreams of working overseas one day. “We decided to register for the program and thankfully we made it in,” says Joe.
Life after graduation
Joe enrolled in the React Native course in 2019 and graduated four months later, becoming what Glints calls a “hubber”.
A Hubber is a graduate of Glints Academy and part of the talent pool of Glints TalentHub, its offshoring solution aimed at filling tech roles in Singapore firms.
In just two weeks after graduation, he was hired as an entry-level programmer by his current employer DTAL Technologies.
DTAL is Singapore-based enterprise that assists companies in building tech platforms. Joe is also DTAL’s first offshore hire through Glints.
He is now a full stack developer at DTAL, assisting in both frontend and backend operations. He initially began in DTAL as a backend developer but was groomed and given the opportunity to run frontend activities.
His current role requires him to liaise with clients, providing technical consultations and answering their queries. Having to do so means building his confidence to speak up, while conducting product demonstrations and answering any audience questions.
Joe credits his superiors at DTAL for giving him the chance to hone his public speaking skills, allowing him to shed his quiet and shy exterior and come out of his shell.
“It took me a while to adjust but I’ve learnt how to overcome my anxiety issues. In terms of technical skills, I’ve learnt a lot from coding to various technical methodologies, from planning to implementation,” says Joe.
Finding meaning through his work
His proudest achievement at DTAL is one where they are helping teachers and therapists in their interaction with special needs students.
“We are making a web portal, linking teachers and therapists to facilitate them in making notes and reports for students. This allows improved alignment between teachers, therapists and parents,” he says.
Joe greatly enjoys working with his team, who are fair and professional team players, he says.
He also thrives on the fast-paced environment, and is constantly upgrading his skills. For instance, he is learning the basics of AI, with DTAL offering to invest in his development by funding his training.
He has come a long way since his graduation from Glints Academy. He is thankful for the experience at the Academy as it has helped him become the skilled professional he is today.
“Glints Academy was able to bridge the gap between what was taught in school and technical applications in real life,” says Joe.
Want to find out more about offshore tech talent? Visit Glints today!
