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How does a sandwich course student evolve at AntsRoute? Thibault shares his experience

27 April 2022 | 4 min read

Thibault joined AntsRoute in July 2021 to carry out a sandwich course in IT development. He joined the technical team in charge of maintaining and developing the features of our route optimization tool. Today, we introduce you to him to learn more about his experience and his greatest successes. 🚀

Before joining AntsRoute, what course did you follow?

I studied at the Faculty of Science and Technologies in Nancy where I got my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. I am currently completing my Master’s degree in Software Engineering at AntsRoute.

Why did you join AntsRoute?

In the framework of the Master’s degree in Software Engineering, we have to do a one-year sandwich course or an internship of at least 5 months in a company. Among the factors that could make me choose one business over another, the product was definitely at the top of the list.
During my research, I discovered AntsRoute and its route optimization tool. I was quickly impressed by this software, so complete and yet so easy to use. I therefore sent my spontaneous application for a sandwich course in development.
Following my application, I had interviews with members of the technical team. Each of them looked very happy with their jobs and passionate about the system they were developing. In short, I was sure that I would not be bored at AntsRoute. After several months within the company, I do not regret my choice at all!

How was your integration into the team?

Although the sandwich course requires a working rhythm different from that of other employees, I was quickly integrated into the team. The staff gave me a warm welcome. Everyone was very friendly. This successful integration helped me to get to work quickly.
When I joined AntsRoute, the technical manager was there to show me the offices and to introduce me to the members of the departments. During the first few days, Cedric, Full-Stack Developer within the company, gave me a complete presentation of the project and the technologies the team uses. I was quite impressed by the tool and its power.
Plus, the team explained to me how the sprints work, i.e. the projects on which several developers work. I started implementing features quite early on, like a regular employee! I was quickly gotten into the swing of things.

Tell us about your role as a developer at AntsRoute?

As a developer, my role is to participate in the maintenance and continuous improvement of the software and the mobile application by adding new features requested by our users. In addition to coding, I am regularly asked to carry out tests on features developed by my colleagues.
It is necessary to maintain “clean” and well-structured code so that the developers who will join the team in the future can continue to update the software without major difficulties.

What is your typical day at AntsRoute?

I spend most of my time developing new features, fixing bugs and communicating with other developers for help or advice.
My #1 priority was to learn a lot, and fast! To do this, I read up on new methods, techniques and technologies every day to improve myself and acquire real expertise in the world of software development. Since I joined AntsRoute, I have acquired so much knowledge!
There are also weekly meetings with the technical team where we can discuss any problems that may have occurred and think about the next steps.
The best thing about AntsRoute: your feedback matters. We can share our ideas.
As developers, our work can sometimes seem somewhat abstract, as we don’t necessarily get feedback on what we have developed. However, at AntsRoute, we have real proximity with the support team, especially with Léa Brice, our Customer Success Manager. Our daily exchanges enable us to get positive feedback from customers on the features that have been implemented.

What qualities should a developer have?

In an environment where technologies are always evolving, a good developer must be interested and always aware of the latest innovations in order to offer customers quality services.
In order to fix bugs and other problems, a developer needs to have a good analytical mind.
In addition, a developer must have some technical skills. For example, they must be proficient in programming languages such as: Java, TypeScript, SQL, HTML, etc.
Team spirit is a quality not to be overlooked because a developer, even a freelancer, will necessarily have to work with other people at some point.
Finally, as a developer, you should always take into account the expectations of future users of the platform.

What is your greatest achievement as a developer?

Every feature or bug fixed is a real achievement! I don’t really have a preference in terms of features developed, they are all a success in their own right… I would make specific reference to the first “big” feature I added to the software which is the calculation of the theoretical cost of routes, a simple but very efficient feature.

To conclude, any advice for future talents joining the AntsRoute team?

Don’t hesitate to join us! In a few weeks, you can quickly learn the technologies we use here. The software is extensive, but I’m sure you’ll adapt quickly. 😉