Jonas Lesy - Java developer

Three years ago, I started at Formica as a freshly graduated Java Developer. Since then I got the chance to work on different projects as an Enterprise Content Management consultant. My daily job mainly consists of back-end-development.

But at Formica, we get the chance to branch out into other aspects like some front-end development, hardware engineering or database administration. This flexibility is what I like in my job, and one of the reasons why I started at Formica. You get the opportunity to really specialize in something, but you can also discover new technologies if you want and be a jack-of-all-trades.

I, for example, chose to improve my knowledge of the CMS Magnolia and was encouraged to get my certificate. This was important for my personal development, but I also wanted to assure clients that their project is in good hands with me.

My projects as a Java Developer at Formica

Starting off as a Java Developer, I never expected to work on such diverse projects. My first project was Tele Ticket Service, where we provided a Magnolia website integrated with a ticketing system. I started the project in a team but after a while, I got to work independently. While my colleagues were always approachable for questions, I learned to give myself direction and organize my own work. This gave me the right baggage to kick off my next project, Greenyard.

Greenyard wanted a web content management system, based upon Magnolia, for their corporate website. The development team was highly involved in every phase of the project. This gave me a better view on how a project is approached in its whole, instead of only writing ‘code’. In this project, I introduced a colleague to Magnolia and supported him in his learning process which gave me a lot of satisfaction. When the website was finished, we also got to give training to the employees of Greenyard. I really enjoy giving training or workshops; it brings variation to my job and it gives me the opportunity to see my work ‘in action’.

“The Greenyard project really taught me that loving what you do gives you the energy to push your own boundaries and keep growing, on a professional and personal level. “

Now I’m working on Worldsteel, a challenging project with an integrated intranet, extranet and website with users all over the world. This is a solo project for me where I get the responsibility to maintain the majority of the communication with the client. I like that Formica gives us the opportunity to be independent and take things in our own hands. I believe that the Worldsteel project will give me the basis to take up new responsibilities in my career.

Working at Formica

When I left school I still had this cliché image in my head of a developer. Alone in a cubicle, working from 9 to 5. But this image could not be further from the truth. In both our offices and most of our clients’ offices we have an open space and everyone in our team gets along very well. We help each other out when necessary and I love to participate in as many team activities as possible to improve the team spirit.

The time that I don’t spend with my colleagues, you can find me competing in paintball matches or studying for my master’s degree. I'm sharpening my knowledge by pursuing a Master's degree in Applied Informatics, and if it helps me to better cater to our clients’ needs that’s a nice bonus!

Do you want to join Jonas as a Java Developer at Formica? Click here to apply.