Meet the Technologist: Luke Cioffi
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Diligent. I have a sharp eye for detail, and I am always looking for ways to improve. I make sure to examine problems from every angle, from the broadest ideas to the most precise points. Even in my personal projects, I am constantly looking for ways to update and improve upon older works.
Versatile. I consider myself to be a jack-of-all-trades in a variety of fields, and I take pride in my multifaceted skillset. Beyond my professional knowledge, I continue to exercise my creative skills when it comes to art and music, as well as occasionally fiction writing.
Humorous. The dream of doing stand-up comedy, short-lived as it may be, lives on in my heart and mind. Nothing brightens my day quite like making someone laugh, so I do my best to spread that positivity in the best way that I know how.
What were you doing before you joined Strategio?
In truth, I was struggling to start my career. It had been several months since I graduated from Iona University and I was falling behind. While I was confident in my foundational skills, I came to understand that there was still so much for me to learn. Namely, I had no hands-on experience with AWS or Cloud engineering, which everyone is asking for these days. After months of toiling through interviews and rejections, I found Strategio.
What are you most excited about this year?
On a macro level, I’m excited to jumpstart my career and become a stronger, more well-rounded technologist. On a micro level, however, I’m more excited to gain some hands-on experience with sought-after technologies such as AWS.
What made you decide to get into tech?
What initially drew me to the field of technology was my passion for game design. Even from a young age, I would pull my favorite games apart and put them back together with cheat devices and fan-made mods. My brothers and I would talk for hours, discussing what we liked about a game we had recently played, and what we would change about them if we were in charge. That passion and drive to be a developer pushed me through my first college-level programming course, and before I knew it, I was using those skills and languages in areas where I didn’t even know they could be applied. As soon as the world of technology revealed itself to me, I knew it was where I belonged.
What do you like to do during your spare time?
The life of a technologist is a lot of computers and desks, so I try to get out and active as much as possible. I stay fit at the gym, lifting weights and riding bikes, and I also take that time to remove myself from the screen-filled world I live in.
I’m also, of course, a huge nerd. Comic books, puzzles, and games of all genres; these things are my bread and butter. I have my own game projects that I love to build and tinker with, some of which you can view and play on my itch.io page.
What is your favorite cultural value at Strategio?
“Fail fast and learn” is a favorite of mine, and it beautifully reflects the struggle of a programmer. After all, the best way to improve a program or a piece of code is to try to run it and see where it fails. We absorb this idea that there’s a great unavoidable shame to failure in all its forms, and I personally struggled with that stigma for years, but there doesn’t have to be. Failure, above all else, is an essential part of learning and the key to a deeper understanding of the world.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Most of my family comes from Italy, yet I’ve never visited the country myself. From the books I’ve read and photos I’ve seen, as well as from the firsthand accounts of my parents and grandparents, it’s a beautiful country filled with rich history and culture, and I would love to visit it when the time comes.
What’s your favorite restaurant?
Since moving to Florida last summer, I’ve been hooked on an Italian restaurant in Boynton Beach called Josie’s. I hate to sound like I’m advertising for them, but their “Shrimp Bada-Bing” is unlike anything I’ve had before.
(Video) What are you looking forward to learning/gaining during the Strategio Simulator?
“So, first and foremost, I’m looking forward to making connections and meeting people from the industry. That’s a big part of it for me, just putting myself out there, shaking hands and learning about the culture of the industry. On a more technical level, I’m excited to learn AWS and gain a more thorough understanding of the SDLC and the various forms it can take. I’m also eager to actually put my Linux skills to work. When I was learning Linux in college I had no real reference point for the industry so I was always thinking ‘Man, when am I gonna use this?’, and I just did, today! So, that’s exciting.”
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