Meet Piotr Napiorkowski.
Piotr has recently started as Junior Software Engineer at Inspiretec. We had a chat with him about his transition, “techiness” and leisure time.

What were you doing before you joined Inspiretec?
I joined Inspiretec as a graduate from South Wales University where I studied Computer Games Development for the last three years. Before that, I worked for over four years in the automotive industry as a CNC operator.
What do you enjoy about working in Cardiff?
The weather is always better here in Cardiff (if compared to the Valleys) and I appreciate the location of our Vision Court offices. Having an office on the outskirts of the capital with a good link to a motorway has its advantages. Due to the limited public transport from the Valleys, many people, including myself, commute to work by car. Hence, the strategic localisation of Vision Court plays an important part when considering my employment with Inspiretec.
What inspired you to explore a career in the Tech sector?
I have always considered myself a techy person, but in the beginning, I was more interested in hardware. I studied electronics in college and after graduation, I was able to support myself by fixing PCs, laptops, mobile phones. Nowadays, with almost unlimited access to information and replacement parts, anyone with a good eye and steady hand can do it. That was one of the reasons why I started to lean towards software, where I could put my problem-solving skills to a good use.
What have you enjoyed in your first few weeks?
The first few days felt like a one long “open day” where we were introduced to all sorts of different people and the different products that Inspiretec are providing. But what really caught my attention was the friendliness of people and how approachable they are.
How do you keep your technical knowledge/skills up to date?
YouTube can be a great source of information and it is often my primary choice when I’m looking for some tutorials or tech news/stories. Inspiretec signed me up on Pluralsight, which is also a great platform with tons of tutorials.
Books can also be a good source of knowledge. One of the first books I have read in the field of programming was Design Patterns by Eric Freeman. Next on my radar is Clean Code by Robert Martin.
Do you have any hobbies/how do you relax?
Since I moved to Wales, I’m actively exploring the hills and mountains across the country. In 2012, I took part in the Three Peaks Challenge, where I climbed Pen y Fan, Ben Nevis and Snowdon during one weekend. Since I still live in the Valleys, I tend to visit the Brecon Beacons at least half a dozen times a year. In fact, this year it was the first time that I managed to climb Pen y Fan during a winter season. Sadly, the view was limited due to snow and cloudy weather, but I am planning to do it again — hopefully during a sunnier day. My long-term plans are to get into airborne, paramotoring in particular.
