Meet the Technologist: Joelchrist Abreu
Hello.
My name is Joelchrist Abreu, a software engineer based in New York.
Describe yourself in 3 words
Patient: I like to practice patience when working with others, or working with new technology. It’s a great way to keep the stress low. I find when I have to learn something a lot faster it's almost always a stressful experience.
Empathetic: Listening is a necessary skill in life. It’s directly tied with empathy. I know there is life outside of work, and that people have to sometimes deal with issues.
Optimistic: Nobody likes a debbie downer. I like to bring positive energy into everything I do in life. And hopefully, my energy can positively affect others.
Why did you join Strategio’s Simulator?
Well, I saw an opportunity to learn and grow. In my previous Bootcamp, I had the opportunity to use cloud services such as AWS, but I simply did not have the time to fully explore it. Being with Strategio allows me to expand on this, but also learn more about cloud architecture and learn Python alongside Java.
What were you doing before you joined Strategio?
Before joining Strategio, I was doing a lot. I used to produce music using Ableton as my Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). I mainly produced Dubstep and Drum and Bass, although I used to experiment with other genres. I also pursued a degree in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and graduated in 2019. A couple of years later, I attended Hack Reactor (HR), a software engineering immersive which has taught me more than just the fundamentals. I am forever thankful to HR, for its amazing curriculum and community. Of course, after graduating from HR, I dived into the job search, in its way, it was pretty dreadful. Studying data structures and algorithms while applying and networking all while keeping my head afloat in New York City. I kept it up until I scrolled by Strategio on LinkedIn.
What are you most excited about this year?
Traveling has been a persistent thought in my mind. Although I love the motherland (Dominican Republic), I think it’s time to see different places. A destination I had in mind was Montego Bay, Jamaica. I thought it would be a great start after a 2-year absence from traveling.
What made you decide to get into tech?
I have always had software engineering as a thought when I was growing up, although I pursued a career in Psychology, I never really thought it called to me. I was always in limbo about what I truly wanted to do. That changed when I attended a gender studies class with an ex-software engineer as my professor.
His background interested me, after class, I asked him about it. He told me about his experience with A.I. and why he switched to Psychology. I then asked him how I can pursue a career in software engineering. Essentially there are three routes, continue with college, attend a BootCamp, or learn the material myself. I decided to pursue the second option, just because it was interesting and it seemed like a challenge.
After a year, I decided to attend HR, a 3-month software engineering immersive. I was tasked with learning the fundamentals of programming with Javascript right before the immersive started. It was here that I truly realized that this was my calling.
What do you like to do during your spare time?
Aside from software development, I do have things I like to do and things that I would like to reintroduce to my life. Right now, I enjoy playing video games. Elden Ring is my favorite game this year, I enjoy it even if my character dies from giant fiery arrows being shot at me. I also love to walk my dog on hiking trails. I want to reintroduce is my passion for music production, I enjoyed composing Hip-hop, Dubstep, and Drum and Bass.
What is your favorite cultural value at Strategio?
Fail fast and learn is my favorite Strategio value. There are tons of points in my engineering journey where I have failed and I would have to learn the shortcomings. Some are small and some are huge. When I first entered HR as a student, I had to take a leave because my programming essentials were not polished enough to comfortably continue with the immersive. It was discouraging and struck my ego, but I didn't let it bring me down. So instead of moping around, I doubled down on learning the fundamentals of programming. Ultimately, I returned and successfully graduated from the program.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I do have a list of places I want to travel to. The top contender would have to be Japan. There are foods that I want to try. For example, bluefin tuna, and omurice. I am into fashion, and I would love to buy some pieces from the country. Springtime would be a good time to travel over there because that is when cherry blossoms bloom.
What’s your favorite restaurant?
At the moment, Black Tap Burgers & Fries would have to be my favorite. The Norman burger is the best burger on the menu in my opinion. If you're a fan of blue cheese, that would be your pick. The burgers are well put together and have a really great savory taste. They also have huge smoothies, so big that they just garnish them with a slice of birthday cake. I stay away from those for damage control.
What are you looking forward to learning/gaining during the Strategio Simulator?
Check out my answer below!
I hope this introduction helped you get to know me on a deeper level. Follow me for more DevOps content!
