Jhosimar Aguacia joins Columbia Road

Hi Jhosimar, How did you get good at what you do?

I have a bachelor's degree in Sound Engineering and a master's degree in Acoustics and Audio Technology with a minor in Software Engineering. It may seem like sound and acoustics don't have too much in common with software development, but having a degree in a subject other than software engineering has helped me to address problems from different perspectives. The most valuable piece of knowledge I got from university did not come from the courses I took. Instead, it is more about the development of critical thinking and a unique problem-solving mindset.

In addition to what I learned in the university, I had to teach myself how to be a software developer. Therefore, I have spent a lot of time reading blogs, books, as well as taking some online courses on platforms like edX, Pluralsight, Frontendmasters, Udemy, and Coursera.

Where have you earned your spurs?

After graduation, I got a job as a web software developer. The software was mainly focused on Geographical Information Systems (GIS), which taught me invaluable knowledge in JS, HTML, CSS, C#, Databases, GIS, among many other technologies. After three years, I moved from Colombia to Finland to pursue my master's degree. While doing my master's studies, I worked as a teaching assistant for a software engineering course, which allowed me to deepen my knowledge. I also worked one summer as a researcher in the Acoustic department and another year as a researcher in the Computer science (CS) department. As a researcher, I had the chance to write some C++ code for the acoustic department and work on a "spatial audio" project. I also researched the role of the Scrum Master in software projects in the CS department.

After I graduated as a master's student, I worked for one year at Aalto University. At Aalto, I was developing a learning management system known as A+. In this job, I had the opportunity to start coding again. During the year I spent at Aalto, I had to learn several new technologies. I also learned about e-learning and the role of technology in education.

Why Columbia Road?

I chose Columbia Road because I wanted to work in a team of talented people whose expertise is not limited to software development. Working at Columbia road is an excellent opportunity for me to get involved in projects that require a multidisciplinary team where everyone is willing to share thoughts, knowledge, and experiences. I get to develop my knowledge in new areas such as design, marketing, and sales.

At Columbia Road, we get to work with different technologies and a diverse range of projects. I like the fact that I get to help our clients while acquiring new skills and growing both personally and professionally.

Ville, what will make our clients love Jhosimar?

“Jhosimar is a person who is always willing to learn about new technologies and new ways of doing things. He strives for high-quality software and likes to experiment with code, and therefore, every piece of software he writes includes a small experiment. He also enjoys solving complex problems. And most of the time, he solves the problem in more than one way so that he can make more thoughtful decisions about what works better for specific scenarios,” says Ville Loppinen, General Manager at Columbia Road.

What makes your heart beat a little faster?

Some of the things I enjoy doing are fixing things and giving new use to old items. I like playing with electronics and programming microcontrollers. I also enjoy hiking, going to the gym, riding my bike around the city, dancing, kayaking, and spending time with friends.

Furthermore, I have to say that there are many things that I enjoy doing, but I always try to adapt myself to the places where I am and to the people who surround me. Like Bruce Lee once said, “Be water my friend” meaning that you need to adapt to the situations and environment where you are. That goes for work, hobbies, family, and any other aspect in life.

How would you fancy working alongside Jhosimar at Columbia Road? We're constantly looking for new skilful and nice people to join our crew! Take a peek at our open positions 👇