For this week’s installment of Inside NetMotion, we spoke to Janhavi Dudhat and Nadia Bernard, two talented co-op students working at NetMotion’s office in Victoria, BC with very hands-on roles as Tools and Automation Developers. When they’re not at NetMotion, Janhavi and Nadia are both students at the University of Victoria, and will be graduating with Computer Science and Computer Engineering degrees, respectively.
For any non-Canadian readers out there, a co-op is fairly similar to an internship, except it is a paid position that typically lasts between four and eight months. Janhavi is reaching the end of her co-op as she approaches her 8th month, while Nadia, who joined us in May, is currently in the 4th month of her co-op term. As Tools and Automation Developers, Janhavi and Nadia’s roles allow them to work together to ensure that the performance and user experience of any NetMotion dashboard is never impaired, regardless of the circumstances. They do this through a rigorous series of QA processes and performance testing, as well as by integrating and automating existing tools wherever possible.
Here’s an example. If one of NetMotion’s Mobile IQ users reaches the maximum number of devices for a single account, Janhavi and Nadia test the software to make sure that the MIQ dashboards still function properly and load in the same amount of time without detriment to usability.
The perfect opportunity
Janhavi and Nadia both discovered NetMotion through the university’s online careers portal. What first drew them to the company – from amongst a sea of job postings – was the hands-on experience offered by these roles. They were eager to find an opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge and actually test what they’ve spent so much time studying.
Another aspect of the co-op with NetMotion that appealed to them was the chance to combine both QA and development experience. As a student trying to determine what aspect of the field to focus on, they knew that finding a co-op with multiple responsibilities would give them a 2-for-1; exposure to the realities of software development and quality control.
After applying for their roles and undergoing the initial interview process, Janhavi and Nadia felt even more confident that they’d made the right decision. They both say that NetMotion’s culture was immediately obvious in the interview, and it was clear that the role was a perfect fit that would challenge their skillsets.
The interview was the part that really made me realize, ‘Yep, I want this job’.
Nadia Bernard
Personal and professional growth
NetMotion truly values the fresh perspectives and energy that co-op students bring. For Janhavi and Nadia, this has translated into a very positive experience where they have had many opportunities to put their knowledge to good use. The hands-on, technical nature of their positions has given them confidence to begin their careers at full throttle after they graduate. Reflecting on their time at NetMotion, they emphasize the value of being part of a supportive team where questions are welcome and expected, and where the pace of work allows for personal growth.
Our team gave us responsibilities that we could handle. They still pushed us, but they struck a good balance. I wanted projects that would give me the most out of this experience, and I got my wish.
Janhavi Dudhat
This isn’t to say that the co-ops knew exactly what they were getting into. In hindsight, they were both surprised at the amount of soft skills they developed along the way. The members of their team are in constant communication with each other, motivating Janhavi and Nadia to be far more open to receiving and providing feedback, asking questions and sharing ideas. Working in a team may be a rarity in academia, but NetMotion expects its team members to be engaged, sharing their ideas and skills inside a very flat hierarchy. What they discovered was a highly organized team, with meetings at the beginning, middle, and end of each week, discussing goals, giving status updates and project progress. This level of transparency and accountability is something they realized is very valuable in any team they join in the future.
Fortunately, it wasn’t all work and no play. Janhavi and Nadia were able to get together with their team (socially distancing when necessary!) for organized fun group activities. They particularly enjoyed learning how to pot plants and paint, and may have discovered new hobbies.
Adapting to change
Speaking of social distancing, just like every other student in the world, Janhavi and Nadia had not expected such a drastic change to their university experience. The pandemic forced them to complete their co-ops – and degrees – from home, which obviously came with a new set of challenges. Getting to know the team and just maintaining somewhat of a routine was difficult at first, but they adjusted quickly and ultimately thrived.
Everyone on the team has been very friendly and always ready to help. It was tough communicating in chats all the time because you have no idea how they’re receiving your messages. I ended up scheduling ‘coffee breaks’ with different team members to try and get to know them better.
Nadia Bernard
So, what’s next?
Janhavi will be completing her co-op at the end of August. She looks forward to taking everything she has learned at NetMotion and applying it to her last two semesters of Computer Science. She is excited to further enhance her skills and eventually work for a software company.
Nadia has completed all of her Computer Engineering courses at the University of Victoria and will be graduating after she completes her co-op at NetMotion in December! She is eager to learn more about QA and development, and dive deeper into her role.
Janhavi and Nadia, we are very happy to have you as a part of the NetMotion team, even if it’s only temporary. We wish you the best of success in all of your future endeavors.
If you’re interested in gaining job experience with NetMotion, check out the latest roles here. You can also sign up for alerts, to be notified whenever a new role becomes available. Alternatively, you can chat with your co-op coordinator about possible opportunities!
