Interview with Amanpreet Kaur
Amanpreet Kaur is a third-year-student at the international bachelor’s programme in Software Engineering and Management.
One of the most important things I’ve learned at the programme is how to update yourself and how to change direction while you are working on a project
Interested in the management perspective
Amanpreet Kaur is from Punjab in the north of India. Her background is within electronics and she wanted to combine that knowledge with an education in Software Engineering and Management in Sweden. One reason was that this specific programme at University of Gothenburg has tight connections with industry – and Sweden is also known for the high density of companies within electronics. Amanpreet had been teaching in digital subjects before she came to Sweden and she was already familiar with C-programming and the mathematics connected to the digital area.
The education here is more like being in the industry
Amanpreet is very satisfied with the way the programme is structured:
‘One of the most important things I’ve learned at the programme is how to update yourself and how to change direction while you are working on a project, says Amanpreet. ‘The education here is not like an ordinary university education – it is more like being in the industry. Since I have experience from the industry in electronics I can compare. And I’ve learnt things at this programme that no one can teach you: How to work with other people and to collaborate with people from different cultures. It is amazing.'
Amanpreet will soon be writing her summer thesis and thinks she will get new connections with industry that way. During her three years at the programme she has met many guest lecturers which and that has already resulted in several contacts with industry.
Learn a lot from meeting people from real life
‘I think we learn so much more from meeting these people from real life’, Amanpreet says. ‘Right now I am just about to finish a course in leadership and team management, but I think I've been given a broader perspective just by listening to our guest lecturers. If you have them in front of you, you can ask all kinds of questions: “Does this work or not?” and “How did you solve the problem in the end?”
Amanpreet's class followed a full course where around ten lectures were held by people from Volvo IT, Ericsson, and Sigma One of the lectures was held by a former master student from Software Engineering and he was describing the way he is using the Erlang programming language in his work. The programme has also been visited by Joe Armstrong, the designer and implementer of Erlang programming language and also by Francesco Cesarini, the founder of Erlang Solutions Ltd. Among many other interesting people from the industry.
The programme is adjusting to global change
‘There are not many programmes like this, since it is adjusting to an IT area affected by global change, says Amanpreet. ‘The traditional way of working in industry is changing and the programme is in line with that. And we are getting used to work across the barriers of language. I really like the blend of international people at this programme.'
After her graduation next year, Amanpreet would prefer to work with either technical writing (‘I would very much like to work as a technical writer for Sigma Kudos for example’, says Amanpreet), with software architecture, or as a change agent. A change agent is a person needed when you introduce something new in a company, new technology or new ways of working, where you need somebody to take responsibility for the implementation, who will initiate the whole process and who also is responsible for how the change is spread through the organization.
Amanpreet says that one of the best things with the programme is that you don’t have to choose any specific area during your education. When you have finished you can work with whatever you want within Software Engineering.
‘And when you are starting at this programme – don’t get scared, we are all in it together’, says Amanpreet. ‘We deal with everything and find solutions. The teachers and senior staff are so nice and they will help you. It is hard and many things to learn and be aware of – but it is not impossible.’
Text: Catharina Jerkbrant