KING'S COLLEGE LONDON MASTER’S GRADUATE JOINS QOMPLY
Technology Intern Programme at Qomply
22 Nov 2023
Bo Xu joined Qomply’s Intern Programme having recently graduated from King's College London with a Master's degree in Computational Finance. Discussing his reasoning behind choosing Qomply, Bo emphasises the importance of the new skills he's gained while working within the FinTech sector.
Why Qomply?
I have been passionate about finance since high school, where I read a history book on how different dynasties handled their finances. It opened my eyes to the profound impact of finance on people's lives despite seeming to be distant from daily life. After my study in Information and Computer Science and a further pursuit in MSc in Computational Finance, I discovered my passion for fintech, and I was determined that I want to dive deeper in this field.
Then I came across Qomply, an innovative and thriving fintech company. I did a little research and discovered its flexible and diverse work environment, so you get the chance to learn lots of new things. Also, I saw Qomply's commitment to financial innovation and its efforts to enhance existing solutions and increase efficiency which aligns with my values and career goals.
When did you start coding and what is your coding background?
My journey in coding began during my Bachelor's degree programme when I majored in Information and Computer Science. This programme provided me with a comprehensive education in programming, covering areas such as data structures, algorithms, object-oriented programming, big data, web development, software engineering, and machine learning. Additionally, I had the chance to participate in several research projects and events focused on data mining and data analysis, which further solidified my programming skills.
What have you learnt during the internship so far?
To date, I have just been here for three weeks, but I've gained invaluable experience in various aspects of front-end and back-end development, database management, and version control—all within a commercial setting. The scale of the projects here is significantly larger than I had encountered in school. Working on projects with hundreds of thousands of lines of code and managing databases with tens of millions of rows has been an eye-opening and exhilarating experience.
I've also had the opportunity to expand my horizons beyond programming. Our director, Michelle actively encourages us to engage with clients and learn about aspects of the business beyond our immediate roles, such as business development, event organising, and marketing. This has been both an enjoyable and meaningful learning experience.
What is your favourite part of the internship?
My favourite aspect of the internship at Qomply is the immense learning opportunity it provides. In just three weeks, I've absorbed a wealth of knowledge in commercial software engineering—a far more engaging and concentrated experience than what I encountered in school. The challenges are substantial, but they are also incredibly interesting.
Moreover, the supportive and relaxed working environment at Qomply has been instrumental in my growth. I once made a mistake that could have disrupted a new release, and initially I was so worried. However, our director Michelle reassured me, emphasising that making mistakes is part of the learning journey. Our Senior Developer Yi promptly scheduled a video call with me to rectify the error and reassured me that it was okay. I think the tolerance for mistakes and the willingness to help colleagues learn and grow are invaluable qualities for a working environment, because it allows us to learn from our mistakes and grow.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy a variety of hobbies that keep me engaged and balanced. I love reading novels and cooking, which serve as my leisure activities. To stay active and maintain my energy levels, I regularly engage in activities such as running, swimming, and cycling. Additionally, I have a keen interest in exploring new experiences and skills. Whether it's spending time with friends to try new activities, visiting new places, tasting different cuisines, or watching new shows. Sometimes, I also enjoy spending time on self-improvement by taking online courses that interest me.
