Meet Alex, a talented Software Engineer at VGW. He shares his unique journey from aspiring Hollywood Filmmaker to science student and finding his true passion in coding.
“I had a circuitous path to software engineering. I originally went to school for film production and moved to Los Angeles after graduation. Eager to make my mark in Hollywood, I explored various roles in a short period of time, including director for a music documentary series, videographer for a YouTube beauty influencer, and cinematographer/video editor for a documentary production company.
My journey took a turn when I decided to return to school to study ecology with dreams of becoming a scientist. While I enjoyed the coursework and research, I ultimately realized that academia was not the right fit for me. However, I had gotten my first taste of programming in a statistics course using R (a free, open source statistical programming language) for data analysis, which set me on the path to becoming a software engineer.
Transitioning to Software Engineering
After being exposed to programming, I was immediately captivated by the gratification that came with solving complex technical challenges. Motivated by this newfound passion, I enrolled in computer science courses, delved into web development, and embarked on personal projects to hone my skills. Eventually, I built up the skills and portfolio needed to apply for software engineering roles.
Finding My Place at VGW
Following several significant career changes, I was looking for a supportive team where I could grow my skills, learn from experienced engineers, work with cutting-edge tools and technologies, and make a meaningful impact early on. During the interview process, I sensed an immediate connection with the VGW team and knew that this was the opportunity I had been searching for. With enthusiasm, I hit the ground running as soon as I became a part of the VGW family as an Associate Software Engineer.
From Associate to Project Leader
When I joined the team a few years ago I learned by doing; I dived straight into the code and was contributing to production-ready games within my first few weeks. Since then my work at VGW has allowed me to gain a deep understanding of building resilient, scalable, software systems with event-driven patterns. I’m now confidently leading major projects through inception, planning, architectural design, and successful development, largely due to the capabilities I’ve gained along the way.
At VGW, I have been lucky enough to contribute to several big impact projects that enabled me to showcase my leadership skills while working collaboratively with others. My journey from film production to software engineering has been quite the adventure, full of adaptation, determination, and personal growth. Thanks to VGW’s incredible opportunities, I’ve been able to refine my skills and contribute to exciting projects. As I move forward, I’m genuinely excited about expanding my expertise, diving into new technologies, and leaving a meaningful mark in the ever-evolving realm of software engineering.”
