Did you learn anything interning at Moneris that helped you in the final year of your program?
In general there’s a certain feeling as an intern where you realize you’ve really grown as an individual but it’s often hard to put words to exactly what it is. For me personally it’s probably learning to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations because it’s important to have the confidence to know that you can excel at any level both inside and outside of your profession.
As a developer, the biggest breakthrough for me was in how to excel in large team-based software projects and it translated very well in my last year as I made an effort to work with professors and peers on various projects at UofT. Not only did it result in a more rewarding experience in my last year, getting a glimpse at where the software industry is headed pushed me to try new courses in computer security and machine learning.
Tell us about the projects you’re working on now. What are you most excited by?
I’m currently working on an authentication element for one of our terminals, as well as beginning to understand the code base for existing projects such as the merchant admin tools and virtual terminal. As I get more familiar with these projects I’ll be responsible for maintaining and adding enhancements such as functional changes and visual refreshes. I’m most excited by the responsibility in maintaining some of the tools and API’s used by hundreds of merchants, I think this sense of responsibility will go a long way in making my skills much sharper.
Last time we spoke, you mentioned being able to work with many different departments as being a big positive while you were an intern. Is that still the case?
Absolutely. For me a big bonus was the communication skills I gained working with the different departments. Communication skills are often an underappreciated asset for a developer but I’ve found it’s crucial to be able to communicate to a wide variety of audiences who may not have the same technical expertise as you. In fact I liked it so much I got into teaching as a TA in my final year!
What’s interesting about doing software development for a payment processor?
As a developer, the landscape is constantly changing so it is not only important to understand today’s trends in payments but also how we can leverage technology to create new solutions as new businesses and industries open up everyday. There is also an emphasis on security and reliability in your work which gives you a genuine real world responsibility in the code you write.
For students looking to enter the payments industry, especially as Developers, what’s best part of being at Moneris?
Being Canada’s largest payment processor there is a winning culture here where we are constantly innovating and looking for ways to make payments a better experience for merchants and customers. As a recent graduate it’s perfect because I know students are often looking for places where they are encouraged to innovate and have a voice in a community setting.
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