Drew Parker‘s career began as a research assistant in a geographic research laboratory. With this position he developed an appreciation for Python, which he used for automating his tasks. This early taste for programming led to a developing career in QA. Parker is now a student in DigitalCrafts’ immersive full-stack web development program, and is nearing graduation. Next on his list to learn? SEO and API development.
This experienced engineer has the background, and now the training, to make an impact in your company. Snatch him up to help this geography master uncover a new path.
What program are you currently enrolled in?
DigitalCrafts 16-week full-stack immersive program.
What is your previous education?
I have a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Geography (GIS) from the University of Georgia.
What was your work experience before aspiring to become a web developer?
While obtaining my Master’s, I worked in a Geographic research laboratory as a Research Assistant. I’d use GIS applications to create geographic data and maps from satellite imagery, aerial photos, and GPS data. Learning Python helped me to automate a lot of these tasks and sparked a major interest in coding. I went to become a software Quality Assurance Engineer after graduating, and continued to develop my interest and skill in programming. My final position as a QA Engineer was with SketchUp in Boulder, CO, a major player in the Building Information Modeling (BIM) domain.
What technology and tools are essential to you as a developer?
I usually lean heavily on the browser’s developer console to debug my code and dial in my styling. I doubt I’d be as effective without it honestly. Additionally, a great code editor with a quality linter is essential for keeping yourself honest while writing code. I suppose I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a command-line interface. I wouldn’t trade anything for my skills in the Terminal.
How do you stay informed & on top of emerging trends?
Medium and Quora are my top sites for staying informed on how this industry trends. I also really enjoy attending well organized Ruby and Javascript Meetups; the presentations are always of the utmost quality with topics covering emerging trends and technologies.
After DigitalCrafts, what’s next on your list to learn?
There’s a lot of tech that I can’t wait to learn, but the short list would be: API development, search engine optimization, and mobile development with React Native.
Are you interested in working for a startup, agency, mid-sized company, or a corporate giant?
Honestly, I’m not overly concerned with what size or type of company I work for as long as there is a culture of respect and inclusion and one that fosters professional growth.
Interested in looking at Drew’s credentials? Check out his website, GitHub, and LinkedIn.
