On World Programmer's Day, which is celebrated on September 12, we spoke to one of the FCT employees in the digital services unit FCCN who performs these functions. Tiago Pereira has been working in the Internal Services Area since 2020 and tells us more about this profession, its current relevance and future prospects.
"The programmer is not just an executor, but a strategic partner in building a more efficient, competitive and innovative company," he says.
- What do you value most and what motivates you in your role as a programmer?
The feeling of solving problems and seeing an idea come to life. I also enjoy learning all the time, as technology is constantly changing. And, of course, seeing the impact of my work on people and projects is always a huge motivation!
- What made you pursue a career in programming?
It was largely my interest in computer games. When it came to choosing my career path, I reflected on what really made me happy, and at that stage of my life, at the age of 18, games played a key role. So I decided to explore programming as a way of combining my passion for games with a career that would challenge and fulfill me. I'm not in the field of computer game development, but I still play them!
- What's the most interesting project you're currently working on?
I'm currently involved in a project to implement a training management system. This system aims to optimize the administration of employee training, significantly reducing the workload of human resources and optimizing all the associated processes. The main objective is to increase efficiency and make training management more fluid and effective.
- What project are you most proud of having developed at FCCN, FCT's digital services?
The project I'm most proud of having developed was precisely my first: an email subscription system. It was challenging, but seeing the system take shape and be implemented gave me an incredible sense of achievement. The system allows employees to easily manage and customize email signatures, standardizing the company's visual identity.
I'd like to take this opportunity to invite employees of FCCN, FCT's digital services who haven't yet had the chance to use this tool, to visit the Intranet page and access the useful links to find this tool!
- How important/relevant is the role of programmer to an organization?
The role of programmer is essential to the functioning of many organizations, especially in today's digital world. Programmers are responsible for creating, maintaining and optimizing systems and software that support a company's daily operations.
The work of a programmer can have a direct impact on various areas of the company, such as improving the customer experience by making systems faster and easier to use. In addition, the automation of internal processes, which is often implemented by programmers, can reduce operating costs and increase efficiency.
Technological innovation also opens up new business opportunities, allowing the company to offer new products or services, which can increase competitiveness in the market. Therefore, the programmer is not just an executor, but a strategic partner in building a more efficient, competitive and innovative company.
- How important is teamwork for a programmer?
Teamwork is essential for a programmer, not only for the exchange of knowledge, but also for the efficiency that can be achieved by discussing different perspectives. Each programmer brings a specialty and this allows the project to progress more quickly and with fewer errors.
In addition, teamwork makes it easier to solve complex problems, as someone can see a solution that perhaps someone else hasn't thought of. This also promotes an environment where feedback is continuous, improving the quality of the work carried out.
- How do you keep up to date with new technologies and trends in programming?
The field of programming is evolving at a very fast pace, so I'm always on the lookout for various sources. I often subscribe to specific newsletters about languages or areas that interest me, such as artificial intelligence.
I also really enjoy participating in online forums like GitHub and Reddit. There's always someone discussing solutions or problems, and you end up learning a lot.
Another thing I do is follow YouTube channels and podcasts by programmers who share tips and talk about trends. But the best way for me to learn is to get my hands dirty. When a need arises in collaborative projects, I try to understand what's new, how it works and how it can be useful in my work.
- How do you see the future of programming and software development in the coming years?
I see the future of programming and software development as extremely dynamic and full of opportunities. With the continuous advance of artificial intelligence, I believe that many repetitive and simpler tasks will be automated by increasingly sophisticated tools. We are already starting to see this with technologies that generate code automatically and facilitate the development process.
I also believe that programming languages will continue to evolve, becoming more accessible to both experienced programmers and beginners. The growth of low-code and no-code platforms is a good example of this trend, allowing more people to create technological solutions without the need for in-depth technical knowledge.
On the other hand, programmers will continue to be essential, especially in areas such as security, performance optimization and the development of complex solutions that automated tools cannot yet solve on their own.
In summary, I believe that the future will be marked by greater automation and accessibility, but also by new challenges and the need to specialize in more complex and strategic areas within software development.
