Nkosilathi Sibanda

Academy Graduate (Software Engineering)

Digital Futures•  June 2020 - Present

I have recently graduated from the Digital Futures Academy (Software Engineering) and as a result, I have gained an immense amount of software-based knowledge (mainly software design and development approaches such as Test-driven development, JavaScript, and Java) as well as improved, and continue to improve, the various skills I had prior to joining the programme including employability and character development. Digital Futures is a UK technology services and training company. They were established in direct response to the urgent need to improve diversity within the technology sector and to increase the overall level of digital skills within the wider UK economy. Their purpose is to help individuals from all backgrounds to start their careers in technology, create sustainable employment and accelerate the transition to a skills-based economy. They help organisations build high-performing technology teams comprised of the most talented people, irrespective of their background. They do this by focusing on the identification and development of exceptional talent with the aptitude, curiosity, and ambition to become leaders of tomorrow, and in doing so, they will help create a future in which the UK tech workforce is representative of society as a whole.

Kitchen Assistant

Taco Bell•  May 2021 - June 2021

I worked in a very fast-paced and highly volatile environment for long hours per shift, at times with no break. This requires large volumes of concentration and energy as you must move around a lot and carry out a multitude of different tasks (from making trays of food to engaging with customers in the lobby) within short periods of time so instant responses, calmness, and clear constant communication is very important. As a result, I am now a much faster and more confident, as well as accurate, worker in general.

Uber Eats Deliverer

Uber•  August 2018 - May 2021

I collected and delivered various items to many people who are positioned in different locations within the UK. I used a bicycle for transportation so I get a lot of good exercise through continuously riding it, nevertheless, at times, it was very physically demanding due to the long distances that had to be covered within the acceptable time periods along with horrible weather. As a result, my customer engagement, concentration, and navigation skills solidly improved.

Software Engineering Placement

ENSEK•  October 2020 - December 2020

Utilising ASP.Net with .NET Core and .NET framework, using C# and SQL via Visual Studio IDE to develop Web API MVC-based applications as well as Microsoft Azure for accessing, downloading and reviewing ENSEK (a company that builds software solutions for the energy sector)-related data. For e.g. code repositories for the project being worked on by various members of the company. During my time as an ENSEK employee, I was part of a team that was responsible for completing various nontrivial energy-based billing-related Product Backlog Items (PBIs) on a day-to-day basis. They were described via Microsoft Azure, and due to COVID-19, all my team members and I were working from home. For one of the scrum sprints, I was responsible for completing a specific task and through continuous effective communication and collaboration, I completed it on time. As a result, my team members had more time to develop solutions for the other tasks, they successfully did that and tested them before the deadline. I was the newest member and therefore the least experienced in terms of the workload so my understanding was limited, either it would have taken me a long time to complete the task or I would not have been able to do so without their help. This further reinforced the importance of teamwork and reaching out at appropriate times when issues I can’t solve alone arise. Furthermore, I paid close attention to their findings and explanations, this was crucial for personal and professional development as it would enable me to independently solve similar issues next time and potentially aid others who are in the same situation as I was in. I have grown to intensely value practically applying constructive criticism regardless of the magnitude of the error(s) or my feelings concerning the criticism. It is an essential skill that constantly builds me up in many areas of my life and this will surely continue.

Hospitality Staff Member

Berkeley Scott•  October 2017 - March 2020

I have a solid amount of experience in this role and through the recruitment agency Berkeley Scott, I have worked in various places including Jaguar Land Rover and a nursing home under a considerable amount of pressure (many times). Over the years, I have worked numerous times performing various types of hospitality-based tasks for e.g. washing and drying dishes, various kitchenware and utensils as well as cleaning and maintaining the kitchen and equipment used within it. In many instances, they were undertaken in pressure-filled environments so my ability to, in general, operate efficiently and be organised whilst under high pressure for long periods greatly increased due to that. I performed mostly back of house tasks such as being a kitchen porter, however, I have some experience with front of house as well for e.g. serving food and drinks to customers. I'm very familiar with adapting to face-paced environments, staying calm and efficiently prioritizing tasks during hectic periods and long work hours whilst continuously communicating with team members in an appropriate manner. My experience has undoubtedly taught me that diligence and perseverance are vital qualities that need to be continuously exercised from week to week in order to be genuinely successful in undertaking hospitality-based roles. I believe I have those qualities and they have been sharpened throughout my years of service; they would certainly play a strong part in causing me to operate more effectively in the software engineering role.

Community Projects Assistant & Office Worker (Work placement & volunteering)

The Highlife Centre•  March 2017 - July 2017

I assisted full-time staff with detailed community-based projects after I completed a 6-week work placement programme there. I carried out tasks such as community outreach which consisted of advertising the organisation (the services it offers, etc.) and distributing several forms to the public; they were necessary for the completion of a project. Additionally, I worked on other various tasks including creating and developing graphs and tables on Microsoft Excel with the use of customer information acquired via forms and spreadsheets. I was also responsible for office-based duties such as client communication, laminating, photocopying, taking photos, etc. I received 2 certificates for the work placement and TEMP (Transition into Employment Mentoring Programme) I completed as well as a peer mentor achievement award.

Warehouse Operative (Volunteer position)

Coventry Foodbank•  February 2017 - March 2017

I was responsible for storing and transporting crates of items, sorting food, travelling to places to collect various types of equipment and food as well as cleaning the warehouse. My communication and time management skills improved due to time limits set for duties coupled with constant information exchange between me and my co-workers.

Coffee maker & Cleaner (Work experience position)

The Public (Closed down)•  April 2011 - May 2011

Helping to make coffee for customers along with maintaining the cleanliness of the building. Undertaking this built up my work ethic and understanding of good customer service.

Nottingham Trent University

Computer Science, MS•  September 2019 - June 2021

Degree Classification: Distinction All Modules Advanced Software Engineering (Result: Distinction) ·Building programs (mostly OOP type) that cover the multitude of advanced features and programming concepts that are applied via C++, used Visual Studio 2019 as my IDE. ·Producing detailed diagrams (for e.g. class and sequence) on IBM RSA. ·Exploring multiple design patterns and running numerous tests with evaluations. Systems Analysis & Design (Result: High Commendation) ·Designing a new system for a bicycle shop (scenario) by researching different methodologies then selecting an appropriate one to use, gathering system requirements and then creating use case diagrams as well as a class and activity diagram that describes the new system. ·UI, UX and database design including development of a deployment and navigation diagram. Mobile Interactive Systems: High Distinction | Service-Oriented Cloud Tech: Mid Distinction | Research Methods: Distinction | Applied AI: High Commendation | Major Project: Distinction

Coventry University

Computer Science, BS•  September 2015 - May 2019

Degree Classification: 2.2 (extremely close to achieving 2.1) with Honours. Key modules: Programming, Algorithms and Data Structures – 73.5% • Explored different programming techniques along with complexity analysis for algorithms and operations upon data structures including event-driven programming, GUIs and unit testing. Software Engineering – 58.5% • Used modern iterative process models, included techniques for requirements engineering, architecture style and detailed software design with patterns. • Covered implementation and testing as well as overview of project management. Software Quality & Process Management • Building full-stack software product using domain-driven design and agile architecture coupled with many automated tests and version control through VSC and GitHub. • For my project I designed and built a full-stack file sharing website that takes advantage Amazon’s cloud computing services (AWS) and DigitalOcean for deployment via the web. More Relevant Modules: Android Applications Development – 76% | Computer Architecture & Networks – 71.5% | Enterprise Information Systems | Operating Systems, Security & Networks | Real World Project | Data & Information Retrieval | Individual Project