Cal’s path from a hands-on upbringing to a career in software engineering is a fascinating journey of discovery and design. With experiences ranging from bike building to startup development, his story reflects a deep commitment to learning and innovation. Keep reading!

Can you share a bit about your background?

I’ve always been a tinkerer, fascinated by how things work, which naturally led me to software engineering, though my path here was unconventional. Growing up in a rural area, I spent my days outdoors, fixing bikes, and taking apart chainsaws in my dad’s shed. These formative experiences cultivated my problem-solving skills and curiosity.

I initially went to university for Motorsport Engineering but dropped out in my third year. While it wasn’t the right fit, I picked up valuable lessons in precision and an engineering mindset. After university, I immersed myself in climbing, which sharpened my problem-visualisation skills. A pivotal moment came when I took a bicycle frame-building course at The Bicycle Academy. It was here that Andrew Denham and his team introduced me to the depth of design thinking, and I realised how closely intertwined design and development are.

This led me to nearly eight years at Mason Cycles, where I worked closely with founders Dom and Julie Mason. At Mason, I learned a great deal about international trade, e-commerce, and the importance of user-centric design. Dom is a genius designer with a unique knack for product-thinking from concept to manufacture, just knowing what people want, what experiences will give them joy. Julie has a talent for learning on the job, super fast, and context switching without ever dropping the ball. Through necessity, we spent a lot of time becoming experts in international trade, e-commerce, logistics, and GDPR compliance! I also worked with Jasper from Built-by-Buffalo on the Mason website, and his problem-solving abilities and understanding of systems inspired my interest in software engineering.

In 2022, after my partner Chloe and I returned from a cycling trip where we learned she was pregnant, I knew I needed to find a flexible job that allowed me to prioritise family time. Inspired by Jasper’s work, I completed Codecademy’s Full-Stack Engineering course. With help from my friend Adam Ellingford, I connected with Nick Kuh at ASquared. After a casual interview, I was given my first tech test, which led to my current role as a Software Engineer at ASquared. Here, I’m part of a talented team, working on startup projects that demand a blend of design thinking and solid development principles.

Did you come up through a “traditional” techie route or has your career taken twists and turns along the way?

I don’t think so – then again I don’t know anyone with a CS degree, either! Absolutely, my route has been serpentinous but I also feel like I’m still doing the same thing I’ve always done.

Reflecting on your career, is there a specific moment that stands out as pivotal or defining?

I’d say that it has been continual journey of exploring and understanding, but there were moments of realisation and good omens. One would be the decision to dorp out of uni – for me it was a difficult but ultimately correct choice. Then it would be the entire time working at Mason, in particular spinning up the entire Spree e-commerce site locally. It was my first exposure to Docker, Ruby on Rails, and seeing how a production site looks.

More recently, it would be building the Safer Seas and Rivers app and building Novella, an e-learning authoring tool which pushed the ASquared team to, successfully, innovate and build something impactful, fast. Lastly, watching Dr Elizabeth Churchill speaking at UX Brighton. She is phenomenal.

What piece of advice would you give your younger self as you embarked on your professional journey?

Know that the things you love doing now, you’ll probably always love, so keep at it.

Looking ahead, what’s your big prediction for the tech landscape in 2024?

With AI and streaming/generative UI being a thing, I’m hoping that ‘human’ parts of tech development are better defined, I’d like to see cool interface approaches I’ve not seen before. I guess I’m hoping for a shake up in human-computer interaction.

Considering your involvement in Silicon Brighton and community-building, what does the concept of ‘community’ mean to you personally? How important is it in the tech industry?

I give full credit of my career success to my personal network. For example, I met Pete Goodman through my running club and I owe so much to him. He always had time to hear out all my novice questions when I was learning to code, and he and Dan Wallman kindly put me up to speak at TechNative. I also owe Adam Ellingford for taking a chance and putting me in touch with Nick Kuh.

My point is, these people have thrown me ropes but I met them under chance circumstances. Help sometimes comes from the unexpected, and you never know who may be able to help, too. So one community means to me is a space where you can help someone. I’d say that community and helping each other should underpin everything!

How do you balance staying updated with the latest industry trends while ensuring continuous personal and professional growth? Any specific resources or practices you find particularly valuable?

Outside of work I try to keep my learning fun, so I’ll focus on more creative things like animations. Professionally, I’d say that Frontend Masters is the best platform for learning skills that are actually appropriate to professional engineering. But, I have a wonderful 2y.o at home, hobbies etc so my available time to study is limited! I’d say that time spent on all those other things means more to me than professional growth ever will.

As someone who has contributed significantly to the community, how do you see mentorship playing a role in the development of the next generation of tech professionals?

I believe that there is a place for everyone in tech. As a mentor I only hope I can help someone to believe enough in themselves to see that.

Is there any additional wisdom, experience, or anecdotes you’d like to share with our audience?

“You are what you believe in. You become that which you believe you can become.” – Bhagavad Gita

Anything else you would like to promote to our community?

Just a massive THANK YOU to everyone I’ve mentioned here and to my team at ASquared. You rock!

If you’d like to be featured in a blog post on our website, simply fill out this form or reach out to us directly – contact@siliconbrighton.com.