Der Blog, der Technologie erlebbar macht.

Der Blog, der Technologie erlebbar macht.

Kevin Van Ryckegem: Upclose Personal

Dsc02017#NetAcad Team at Wings for Life #worldrun

Name: Kevin Van Ryckegem
Age: 20
Where do you live? Brussels, Belgium but I’m currently doing my internship in Salzburg, Austria.
Education: Software Engineering at the University College of Brussels (HUB)
Graduated: 2014

What languages do you speak? Dutch: Native speaker, French: Native speaker, English: Excellent, German: Basics

Facebook :: Linkedin

How do you study and learn? How do you motivate yourself?

I’ve programmed my first application when I was 14. Programming really is a hobby to me, I don’t see it as a job, which is why I am already motivated before having to work! I learn a lot by myself from trying out things and making my own websites(/applications). I try frameworks and components and from each mistake I make, I learn a lot. One important part of programming is being able to search for solutions on the internet, you can only learn this from experience. Asking people is not how you learn programming, but searching the web is my way to get better.

What did you find fascinating about Wings for Life World Run and what is your motivation to take part in it?

The event is big-scaled and international, which always makes it interesting. The opportunity to make new connections and learn about the technical aspect from the event is great. It is great to be so close to this project for which a lot of people have worked hard.

Why are you interested in connecting and working with people from different countries and backgrounds in an international team?

It is interesting to see how other cultures work the same kind of job. We can learn from each other. Having international connections is important for the future too.

What are some of the challenges you expect to face as an entrepreneur?

Conforming to deadlines and being flexible. It is important to be able to finish everything in a fast time-frame, so that focus can be set on the next tasks(without losing accuracy, of course) . This way the company runs in a faster and better pace. Next to that, applications made should be flexible and dynamic, even if the company requests one specific thing at the first time, you have to be really open for change (because a lot of companies will want change at one time or another, whether it is a complete redesign of the application or an expansion, you must be flexible).

What are your hobbies?
– I’ve been playing piano for 10 years and had a lot of concerts, also together with an orchestra. You need to be very precise and flexible, for a solo concert or a concert with orchestra. Flexible, if you make a mistake you need to be able to continue playing the next parts without stopping. This is the same kind of passion I have for my work, I want everything to be perfect.
– Next to that, programming definitely is more a hobby for me than a job, which is why I’m extra motivated to do well.
– Swimming and jogging are also hobbies of mine.

What are your goals?
Being good at my job and getting better every day by learning something new every day.

Who are the persons who support you most? What did they help you to achieve?
For IT, my programming teacher is certainly the person who has helped me the most. Next to that, a lot of people on the internet with great answers are greatly appreciated. They helped motivate me to continue searching for more and more, giving me opportunities to gain even more experience and fix my problems when I was a beginner.

What was the wisest thing anyone ever told you and what did it lead to?
Most of the problems already have solutions. Searching on the internet gives you a wide range of solutions for most problems. It leads to the fact that even if you do not know how to make something, you can try it on your own. If you run (and you probably will the first time) into a problem, simply search for the answer on the internet. Once fixed, you will have learnt a lot from your mistake. This is a great way to get a lot of experience in a short time-frame.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AND VALUES

How was your experience at the Wings For Life Global Race Control Centre?
It is really interesting to be here. I’ve met a lot of important people. The thing I have noticed the most, and which I actually think every healthy company should have, is that the employees are motivated. They do not need to be motivated, because they are all excited for the event and they all want to work hard. Everybody has a different reason to be excited for this project.

Do you have friends from a country other than your own?
Yes, I have friends all around the world. Thanks to the internet I can keep contact with all of them. International connections are very important to me. I met a lot of people from different countries during my foreign exchange. I learnt that there can be a lot of culture differences.

Have you ever worked in a “non mother tongue/second language” environment?
I’m currently doing my foreign internship in Salzburg. Some parts of the internship are in German, but the dialects are really hard to understand, after 2 months it’s much easier to understand the dialects. I’m now able to understand what most people say in German, in Austria.

How do you look at failure or mistakes and is this how the society in your home country or work culture looks at it?
There is always a way to fix a failure or mistake. If this isn’t the case, as long as you tried your best it is okay. Making mistakes is the way to learn more things. I believe most people in Belgium have the same thinking.

How to build trust? What would you do to try to encourage someone you have begun to work with to trust you?
Never be late and always do at least (or if possible, do better than) what is expected from you.

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