07.07.2023
3min read
In the Shape offices at Islands Brygge we find many talented and spirited developers and designer working on many different projects. And one of them is iOS developer Oliver Nielsen, who’s been on quite a journey from intern to student and now full-time developer, and frequent flyer at the many Shape events and gatherings throughout the year.
iOS developer wasn’t the obvious career choice for Oliver but having software development in high school helped pave the way for a career.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do or be. But software development was the only thing I really enjoyed in school, so I decided to continue on that path.”
After high school the path quickly took him to Copenhagen University and then finally KEA (Copenhagen School of Design and Technology) where computer science was the study of choice. One of the big selling points of this particular education was the 10-week internship that gave Oliver the chance to try out the job and learn by doing. This is where the journey at Shape began six and a half years ago.
“I chose Shape because they work on so many different projects, so it’s hard to get stuck with same old boring task. There are always new challenges.”
And the many challenges are one of the reasons why Oliver decided to stick around during his time as a student and when that ended, he jumped aboard the Shape train and became a full-time developer.
From fixing bugs to leading projects
Oliver started out by fixing bugs on various project but quickly began to develop elements from scratch and is now the platform lead on the latest Bolius project, which was launched in August 2021.
“I’m responsible for the iOS code. I know the ins and outs of this project and have the full overview, which is how I like it, and something I would love to do more of in the future.”
Because if you ask Oliver, the most satisfying and fun projects to be a part of are the ones where he’s a part of them from the start.
“This is when I have the full overview, and I like seeing the development and help the customer reach the goal they have set for the project.”
So, what’s Oliver’s favourite part of the job as a developer?
Hold on to your hats, this may get nerdy…
“I enjoy making the code clean. And that takes time to perfect. Generally, if you stick to best practices then you get a good result. The good old methods have been tested and used many times, and they work.”
Because a good idea’s not always a good idea.
“You can easily end up with a bad code if you don’t follow the proper steps. Then it becomes hard to read and that’s a problem. I like simplicity.”
And making the code easy to read is one of Oliver’s strong suits along with his sharp overview and ability to get the job done.
More than just colleagues
Oliver has been a part of Shape for a long time now, and he’s therefore one of the go-tos for many people in the office, and he’s always generous with a helping hand or with sharing his fondness for death metal – a fondness not everyone shares.
But that certainly doesn’t stop Oliver from spending much time with colleagues outside of work.
“Most of my free time is spent with my friends, and my colleagues are my friends.”
Games, movies, and food are just some of things that Shapers enjoy doing together while there are many clubs and other events that everyone can participate in.
“Shape’s really good at finding good people. I don’t consider myself a people person, but there’s just something about the people that work here. Even in school we had sort of the same interests, but that wasn’t enough. People here are just genuinely good people.”
Fun facts
Something you perhaps didn’t know about Oliver – he’s very fond of superhero movies. Especially Marvel and the DC Universe, which also reflects his home décor. An Ironman bust has a prominent placement on the table and smaller superhero trinkets are exhibited in a glass cabinet.
But who’s the favourite superhero, you may wonder?
“Batman.”
And the favourite Batman?
“That’s a hard one. Kevin Conroy.”
Come join us
“You should join Shape if you want to be challenged. I learned so much by working during my education. And of course, because it’s a great place to be both during and after the workday’s over.”
Could Shape be the place to start your journey?
