EPAM Empowers LATAM JavaScript Engineers to Achieve Success

From creating easy-to-use and captivating front ends for enterprise applications to developing web applications that enable businesses to get closer to their customers, EPAM relies on JavaScript to create new products and improve levels of efficiency, using JavaScript to engineer the future of software solutions. While having the right tech and the best tools are essential to achieving this objective, our team members make it happen.

We spoke with LATAM Digital Engagement Practice members Julian Calvo and Jose Alvarez about their professional journeys and how EPAM has empowered them to grow and succeed.

Stories of reinvention

There are multiple parallels in Julian and José's stories. For starters, neither of them began their careers as software engineers nor had any idea that joining a leading software engineering and consulting company was in their future.

Julian started as a veterinary student, and José started in electronics. However, they both had a passion for development, which led them to engineering careers.

The first hurdle for Julian was learning a whole new skill set. He turned to SENA, a higher learning institution in Colombia. While he felt a bit lost before discovering the tech world, getting started in coding gave him a new lease on life and helped him achieve better levels of motivation and a desire to grow.

José did not learn much coding as a student. Still, he wanted to follow his dreams, learn what he thought the industry needed and pivot in his career. This decision led to an incredible journey of professional evolution and high-impact projects.

The EPAM difference

Julian and Jose agree that EPAM is the best place for IT professionals to learn and grow. "When I joined EPAM, I understood the level I had to achieve to be part of a global team,” shares Julian. “Thankfully, despite being fully remote, I have never felt alone; I have always felt like I had people to help me."

When asked about his favorite perk of being an EPAMer, Julian did not hesitate. “The EPAM Learn platform is a great perk because it gives you direction and all the tools to be a great developer. When I started using it, I found things to improve, and then code reviews went much smoother. If I have a challenge, I look it up on the Learn platform and find the resources I need to figure it out. Plus, having the chance to learn from developers all over the planet is a huge bonus. Everybody has the highest skill level out there, and even with new technologies appearing, such as artificial intelligence, we all learn and evolve together.”

José highlights the number of projects, their impact on the world and the opportunity to develop partnerships as EPAM’s key differentiators. “The community is great!” adds José. “Everybody is willing to help and give advice. That speaks to a great culture of growth.”

José says one of the highlights of his experience becoming a Sitecore engineer is that when the opportunity arose, all his teammates shared knowledge with him, helped clear his doubts and empowered him to add another technology to his arsenal.

Taking the stage

Recently, Julian and José have represented EPAM’s innovation in JavaScript and acted as brand ambassadors at important events.

For Julián, it was a homecoming of sorts, as he returned to SENA, his alma mater, to inspire the young students of the institution and share his story of professional success. 

"Quite frankly, sometimes I still wonder how I got here. I was not someone who started in tech; I started from the bottom, and when returning to the institution where I learned my craft, it was important to represent the company that allowed me to grow and helped me develop my skills. EPAM has been crucial in this journey, supporting me in both the personal and professional side of things," he states.

For José, the Internet of Things (IoT) is one of his biggest hobbies. One day, a friend needed help, so José started working to hook LEDs to Microsoft Teams as a favor. It was a simple project, when he jumped on a call, MS teams would send a signal to a lamp outside of his office, which will turn on, telling his kids not to go in, and the light would turn off as soon as the call was over.   r. The project was so captivating and engaging for the audience that Jose was invited back as a speaker for EPAM events. Furthermore, he had the opportunity to integrate all his knowledge and be one of the key speakers of JS Conf, one of the most prestigious events in the front-end development community. And while nerves and a bit of impostor syndrome were tangible, he quickly overcame them and realized that he is, in fact, one of the best out there, thanks to the support of his colleagues and the knowledge he has acquired at EPAM.

When asked for closing thoughts and advice for aspiring JavaScript developers, Julian stated, “Learn a second, or even a third language, and be open to all of the possibilities for growth that a company like EPAM offers.” José puts special emphasis on not just reaching out to supportive people when you need assistance but also being the person who provides assistance and help to people who need a little bit of direction to grow.

Want to be like our JavaScript experts and participate in projects with a global impact? Visit us at www.epam.com/careers and apply for a role that matches your skills.