"I’d get on my scooter with a big smile every day"

Abdil had known what he wanted for a long time. His passion for IT – and his witty and outgoing personality – attracted him to delaware. “I wanted to explore the world of consultancy. The opportunity to start in Ghent was a no-brainer for me. And then it turned out that I could commute using my scooter, which was a bonus,” he says.

New programming languages

In just three months, Abdil built a planning board application. “The new thing for me was that I had to build it as a web component. The entire code had to be reusable to another project and therefore usable everywhere. That’s why I first did three weeks of research to learn how web components work and choose the best one for my application.” Abdil emphasizes how his supervisor, Gilles, took him on a journey to learn how to use new skills. “For example, I learned to work with TypeScript and React, programming languages I had never worked with before but needed to use all the time at delaware.” 

Young and dynamic 

It was immediately clear that the Mobile, Web & IoT team was a great fit for Abdil. “The team is incredibly dynamic. It’s all young people who understand each other very well.” 

And it works both ways. “New, young influences really add value to our team,” says Gilles, who took Abdil under his wing during his three-month internship. “Brains that haven’t yet been shaped by delaware look at what we do with fresh eyes and without prejudice,” he laughs. 

This is an integral part of the culture of the Mobile, Web & IoT team, says Gilles. “We’re determined to spread knowledge and build experience. We want to push our people to the next level. This is something our trainees really appreciate. They start as a blank slate and gain a lot of experience in a short space of time.”

Personality 

At a comprehensive introductory meeting, it’s decided which team will be the best fit for an intern. “It’s based more on personality than skills,” explains Gilles. Enthusiasm is also an important factor, and in Abdil’s case it was there in abundance. “There was an immediate click, and Abdil quickly became an important part of the team,” concludes Gilles. “And when he brought in baklava on Eid al-Fitr, we were completely sold.”