My PDMS work experience in software development

Max Dewhirst recently joined PDMS for a week to gain some work experience in software development. 

Max is a sixth form student at St. Ninian’s High School in the Isle of Man who joined our development team for a week's work experience. We caught up with Max to find out how he got on.

Why did you want to do work experience at PDMS?

I wanted to undertake work experience to support with my university application and gain a first-hand insight into the world of work and software development. I’ve already had experience of HTML, CSS, Java Script and C# so it was the perfect opportunity to put those skills into practice. The project I did linked all four together which was good as I hadn’t done that before.

What was your favourite part of the project?

I really enjoyed the coding as I’ve done some coding before, but I was able to work on a different kind of website-based coding called ASP.NET with MVC architecture. Through this project, I coded my own website for a workout planner, which allowed me to learn new skills through practical application. It was an interesting project as it helped me understand how front-end and back-end development links together. 

What was your favourite part of work experience at PDMS? 

I particularly enjoyed meeting the team and understanding how they work. My mentor Josh was very supportive and it was great to get help and support from my colleagues, as well as learning about the projects they are currently working on.

What were you working on? 

I undertook a project to develop my own website using C#, HTML, SQL and JavaScript. I also learned about how the team works as day-to-day developers, including using DevOps, sprint planning and working as a team rather than individual coders. It gave me a realistic experience of what it's like to be a developer and it was useful to see Josh's thought process on how he sets up projects.

What did you learn during your work experience? 

I developed new coding skills and learned about full-stack development. The experience has taught me a lot about the different aspects of software development, from front-end to back-end and the broad scope of work involved. 

It has also opened my eyes to the world of work and showed me what it could be like if I go into this line of work. It will also help me with my personal statement and preparing for university next year. 

It was good to put into practice the things I'm learning at sixth form and about software development by seeing how it operates and using real-world examples.  

What are your plans for after sixth form? 

I am planning on going to university, though I'm not sure which subject yet as there are lots of options to choose from. I'm studying Further Maths, Maths, Physics and Computer Science so I'm hoping to study a maths-related course such as engineering or programming. My work experience has helped me to understand what it's like to work in digital and technology, which I have enjoyed. 

To find out more about working with PDMS, visit our Careers page