The Center of Innovation program at the College of Applied Science at UC aims to show seniors that their choices for employment upon graduation is not limited to Fifth Third, Kroger’s, and Great American Insurance (not that there’s anything wrong with those fine companies). The program also aims to show them that, in a region full of marketing, design, and business talent, there is serious need for young technology talent with an entrepreneurial bent. For those who might want to take the plunge, the program also outlines business skills and resources they’ll need to complement their technology skills.
This is a great thing, and kudos and support goes to Andy Erickson and Dr. Hazem Said for their work so far.
This past Tuesday I gave a short talk to students in the Innovation Seminar series in CAS at UC about what’ it’s like to work in a startup from a coder’s point of view. I talked about transitioning from a cubicle farm job to a startup environment, the nature and pace of working in a startup, and the tons and tons of learning that is inevitable.
You won’t get a lot from these slides without the narrative, but I post all my talks here so I thought I’d post this one.
Cross-posted on my Cincinnati blog.
4 Comments to 'Coding In A Startup'
November 26, 2009
Gerard,
Thank you for speaking to the group Tuesday. You provided a real-life perspective of all the responsibilities – which I translate as opportunities – of the technologist in a startup. Having you as part of the community gives our regional efforts credibility.
Andy
November 26, 2009
I think your talk gave me the push to move toward working for a startup. I am very dedicated to continuous learning and I would have probably ended up working for a consultancy like Tata or Cardinal Solutions. Thank you for your valuable insight. I too hope to make a difference in Cincinnati.
November 30, 2009
Thank you Gerard for coming out to speak to our students. Enabling students to have direct interactions with people like you is very valuable to their education.
Thank you.
November 30, 2009
Thanks for all your comments.
James, you asked about other consumer internet startups in town. SparkPeople is a good one. They’re one of the leading fitness destinations online. They have an interesting history as well.