How does Łukasz combine work with his undisguised passion for sounds? How long has he been pursuing his interests? And what musical challenges does he still want to take up?

A large dose of dynamic development

Our colleague remembers his first day of work at HL Tech very well. An experienced Senior Frontend Developer was then commissioned to create a trial application. Thanks to the internal library of optimised visual components, he had the application view ready the same afternoon. The next day he could just start developing business criteria into it. As Łukasz himself says, the pace of implementation into the ecosystem is fast owing to advanced work tools that contribute to a great developer experience, characteristic of the organisation in which he works.

He is currently creating a new application to support HL Tech customers in the process of transferring their products. This is a very interesting task with lots of new challenges, carried out using the latest IT solutions.

But is there ‘something’ besides technology that gives Luke’s life the shape of his dreams?

A youthful passion that continues to this day

Łukasz began his incredible adventure with sounds while still in high school. At first he was interested in dance music. When he came across a program on RMF FM radio “Technikum Mechanizacji Muzyki” (“Music mechanisation technique”), he quickly realised that the so-called techno will be one of his favourite genres. He recorded broadcasts on cassettes and listened to them until late in the evening. It filled his life. Over the years, the recordings on the cassettes have degraded, but fortunately everything is archived in .mp3 format and made available on the Internet.

When he reached the age of majority, he began to actively participate in musical events. He supported party promoters by helping to organise events, DJing and preparing graphics for posters/leaflets. He then went a step further by trying his hand at writing record reviews. It quickly turned out that this allowed him to establish relationships with various interesting musicians and label owners. And this, in turn, opened the door for Łukasz to do interviews and write articles. The initiatives he undertook at that time often went beyond the usual patterns, and his activity in both online and traditional media went beyond the country’s borders.

A strong need for further progress

At some point in his life, our specialist realised that if he wanted to discover new cultures and communicate with their representatives, he had to learn a foreign language. It was a time when a strong need for development triggered the motivation to learn English. And, as he himself emphasises, if it weren’t for this internal drive, he wouldn’t be working in our company today.

Travelling to other countries helped develop language skills. During his trips abroad, he also absorbed new, local musical genres. For example, while in Reykjavik, he bought records of the rock band Sigur Ros, which he rediscovered thanks to his stay on the island. While travelling around Argentina, it was no accident that he encountered tango, which he had never been interested in before. He then realised that this music was part of national culture, and not just a product of high society, as it is usually associated with on our continent.

Łukasz also experienced the flamenco atmosphere. He claims that only in Spain these native rhythms, songs and dances are best perceived. The same applies to the musical atmosphere of the Caribbean zone. As Łukasz says, the right vibe can be heard only among palm trees and at temperatures above 30 degrees C!

There are still many sounds to discover

Our colleague emphasises that while working at HL Tech, he has many opportunities to visit the parent company based in Bristol. This, in turn, is a great excuse to visit music stores and buy new records. Moreover, already during the interview for the position of Senior Frontend Developer, he associated Bristol with art and music, such as drum & bass, trip hop or broadly understood dance music, as well as the bands Portishead, Massive Attack and Roni Size & Reprazent. When he goes to Great Britain professionally, visits music and video exchange shops. He spends several hours there searching for various local sounds.

In the near future he plans to go to Brighton, where there are music labels that were responsible for great releases over 20 years ago. He hopes to find CDs there that are no longer available online. Besides, there is always London as the cradle of world dance music. Trips there are inextricably linked to hunting for CDs forgotten by time. We already wish Łukasz many musical fulfillments, hoping for his reports from his next journeys.

The post From a passion for sounds. Let’s discover the story of Łukasz Nowak appeared first on HL Tech.

Ladder to the technological peak

Edyta started her adventure with HL Tech as a manual tester in the mobile team. Within 3.5 years, she climbed the next career ladder: from junior to management positions. Today, she is responsible for implementing and maintaining quality standards related to the software delivery process in design and product teams.

While advancing in the internal structures of the company, she discovered how important it was for her to work with people, accompany them in carrying out various tasks and actively support them.

• Leadership is a big challenge. When I took on the role of a manager, I was afraid that managing teams, including delegating responsibilities and holding employees accountable for their performance, would be the most difficult for me – explains Edyta. – And I’m not saying it isn’t so. However, at the same time, the most pleasant thing in my opinion is empathising, being present, offering support tools to those who need it – she adds.

As she pursues her professional career and takes on newer challenges, Edyta can always count on the company’s support. There are situations when you need to change priorities and flexibly approach the hierarchy of tasks.

• I feel that trust in my competences and working in a good, friendly atmosphere help me to be fully effective and satisfied with the duties I perform. In addition, transparency, inclusivity and acceptance of diversity at HL Tech are completely amazing issues – emphasises the manager.

The IT world through woman’s eye and work-life balance

According to Edyta, the technology industry does not have only one, male face. Of course, there are still more men working in this sector, but it is women who are behind many programming achievements, both current and past (many of them were pioneers of computer science!).

• It is mainly women who bring soft skills to the industry, including the ability to communicate openly and intuition – an element of emotional intelligence, which is extremely important in interpersonal contacts – says Edyta.

The manager encourages women not only to fight for their position in the IT world, but also to develop their passions and fill their private lives with various forms of relaxation. There is no success without rest! For this purpose, Edyta, among others, listens to opera music – mainly baroque, goes to the theatre, reads and cooks. To break away from her duties and get a dose of exercise, she also walks her dog.

HL Tech supports Edyta in her pursuit of life-work balance, enabling her to work flexible hours. The manager arranges her calendar in such a way as to obtain two additional days off per month. She uses this time to take a break from her professional duties.

The speaker with a passion for communicating knowledge

As part of developing her skills and gaining further professional experience, Edyta actively participates in conferences, forums and other technological events. One of them was QA Meetup – an informal meeting for testers – organised last year by HL Tech in Warsaw. Our heroine then shared her experience in exploratory testing with the audience.

That event motivated her to get involved in giving lectures and technological lectures, to which she began to regularly receive invitations. She has already appeared as a speaker, among others: in front of the IT community in Lublin, she also appeared at meetings of WarsawQA – Warsaw Quality Assurance Group.

Edyta believes that the knowledge shared at conferences has the power to change reality for better – that is why she does it with undisguised joy and satisfaction.

From education to the technology industry – don’t be afraid of changes!

Before starting her career in the IT industry, Edyta’s fulfillments, among others, as a translator and university lecturer. Her experience in transferring knowledge, excellent expertise of English, analytical thinking, accuracy, thoroughness and attention to details allowed her to easily find her place in another professional environment. But why in IT?

• At some point in my life I felt the need for new challenges and further development. My motivation was to accidentally read an article about women in their 40s trying their hand at IT. This inspired me to change! I prepared to take up a new profession in a methodical way. First, I verified my predispositions using the Gallup test, then, among others, I participated in various thematic webinars and tester meetups. Before I received the position at HL Tech, I attended a bootcamp where I met wonderful instructors and mentors, who supported me in looking for my first job.

Edyta greatly appreciates the assistance she received on her career change path from more experienced people she met. She also has some advice for women who want to change their career path and apply for a job in the IT industry.

• The IT industry is complex and the entry level is certainly high. But women, especially mothers, have competences and skills that will help them. These are flexibility, the ability to respond to changes in contexts, and continuous improvement. I would advise women to be more assertive, communicate better and focus on their strengths – says the leader.

It also emphasises the great importance of theoretical and practical preparation for changing the industry.

• For women who are thinking about a developer position, I would suggest signing up, for example, for a free course on the basics of programming. I will add that it is also worth creating an account on GitHub and implementing trial projects there – adds Edyta.

In addition to practical skills, it is also worth developing self-confidence, methodical approach and the ability to manage projects or your own time. Other women can help with all of these! In the IT world, women’s support projects are developing extremely dynamically. Women should talk to each other and exchange experiences – then their path to success will certainly be less bumpy.

The post A successful woman in the IT world. Discover the story of Edyta Basiak appeared first on HL Tech.

Why does Krzysiek connect his life with the IT industry? What is his passion? What are his plans for fulfillment in 2024? This – and much more! – reveals in this material.

Success is achieved in small steps

Even at a young age, Krzysiek was able to effectively solve problems in exact sciences. He participated in mathematical competitions and olympiads, and was accompanied by a computer while working on intellectual tasks. Interest in searching for programming errors and the desire to fix them naturally led Krzysztof towards IT education and taking up work in the IT industry. Working at HL Tech gives him stability, but also poses a challenge for development. His advice: on the path of personal development, it is good to focus on achievable goals and the small steps method. Individual successes then combine into overall satisfaction.

Amateur cycling — a passion developed since childhood

A childhood enthusiast of cycling adventures effectively integrated learning with physical activities, and the two-wheeler was the best way to spend free time and explore new places. However, the real adventure with cycling began after graduation, about ten years ago, when Krzysiek decided to take care of his physical condition. He quickly realized that cycling is not only about participating in races, but above all, proper preparation for them. Therefore, there are useful, among others: knowledge of dietetics, motivation and awareness of one’s own capabilities, not only physical but also mental.

The next stages of friendship with a bicycle

Our friend developed amateur cycling by participating in MTB marathons – a mountain biking discipline that involves racing on a long, endurance route. It’s no wonder that his first professional bike was a mountain bike! Although he was not ranked high among cyclists at that time, being surrounded by people who shared the same passion motivated him to continue riding.
After a few years, Krzysiek replaced his mountain bike with a road bike. This was mainly due to practical reasons, because this bike is lighter, faster and more flexible, and it is also easier to take care of its equipment and maintenance.

Cycling sport— way to relax

For Krzysztof, sport is an important part of life. It is a source of active rest, relaxation after work, energy and endorphins. The reason he chose cycling is prosaic… To practice this sport, you only need a bicycle. And although you can ride in a team, you can also develop this passion on your own. Krzysiek sometimes leaves the house and travels up to 100 km to relax and experience the charm of the surrounding landscapes.

To ride, you have to ride

The author of cycling success currently covers routes of approximately 10,000 km per year. He participated, among others: in the Amateur Grand Prix race from the “Rallies for Fun” series, which covered almost 140 km (!). He also traveled from Białołęka around Kampinos, got to know northern Warsaw thoroughly, and also visited Grodzisk Mazowiecki to visit his family.
His journeys are accompanied by various feelings and emotions; at the beginning joy, at the end tiredness and thoughts of possible resignation and returning home. However, he has a solution: he rations his energy resources and motivates himself more to complete the planned journey. He is inspired by cyclists who are able to overcome many difficulties on the way to sports satisfaction.

Dreams for the near future

Krzysiek admits that the most important element in sports is having fun. During his expeditions, he not only experiences the satisfaction of overcoming his own weaknesses, but also meets many people who are as passionate about cycling as he is. They include both bicycle marathon runners and people who sometimes just like to go for a spin on two wheels.

Krzysztof believes that everyone can complete any planned route at their own pace. He himself constantly shares his passion with his daughter so that they can conquer various routes together. He is also planning a bicycle trip to the seaside for 2024. And what next? Time will tell where he will go – and we are still rooting for each journey to be successful!

The post Life is a journey. Get to know the path of Krzysztof Kaczorowski appeared first on HL Tech.

QA and testers, on a daily basis scattered in different development teams, during the 2-day conference had the opportunity to meet and share knowledge and experience. During the conference we had the opportunity to listen to several presentations on Contract testing, Chaos engineering and expand our knowledge on the tools used in the company, both internally produced and external – such as Tosca, HeadSpin. 💻

During the second day of the conference, in three parallel workshop sessions we learned how to put into practice the skills related to Security testing or how important the Accessibility aspect is in the development of modern applications. There were also workshops on Playwright, API testing, or a soft-skill session focused on group work. See you at the next conference! 👋

The post QA conference in Bristol was unforgettable! 🎉 appeared first on HL Tech.

We’ve chosen Igor’s story of joining the world of programming as our first, as it’s just as inspiring, as it is unconventional! So get your coffee or tea at the ready, and let’s begin.

From Law to… programming

A young Igor graduated fresh out of university with a degree in Law and International Relations; not what you’d expect, right? And he pursued his first career path in this field. However, he would soon realise that the high paced lifestyle and the pursuit of financial gain that came with working in legal world, just didn’t align with his views on life, and success. He took a leap of faith and decided to change his career path completely.

His choice fell to development. In order to learn programming quietly and, importantly to him, independently, he moved abroad to work as a labourer to ensure financial security for the duration of his studies. Such a change allowed him to appreciate what he had in life, and what he wanted to acheieve- while also opening him up to meeting people outside his bubble, as he aptly puts it.

At your own pace

Igor started to learn programming. He systematically expanded his skills, chosing to devote six hours a day to his craft, with only a year later completing his studies. Having mastered the basics, he began his job search. Igor mentally prepared himself with the prospect of going back to manual work should his programming skills need further honing, but he needn’t have worried- he found the HL Tech team.

A passion that impacts on all of life

A complete 180 in career path is not the only unique story our colleague can share. As an advocate for self- development and living life according to your values, Igor is a strong believer of meditation, influenced by East Asian culture. For years, he has dedicated two hours a day to his inner thoughts, even helping him to further his professional abilites. As he says: “Meditation helped me a lot in learning programming. It strengthened my confidence in myself and in my ability to achieve these skills.” He puts emphasis on the practices focus on the here and now, being able to take your mind away from analysing the past, or planning the future.

He adds, “You simply – sit down and observe the sensations in the body carefully. You accept everything that comes. At work, in everyday life, school or university, we all react to external stimuli, so being able to listen to yourself and what comes from within is a very good way to balance and take care of your own needs. Meditation therefore teaches us to accept the changes or challenges we face in everyday life, because every situation, the pleasant and the difficult, will pass one day, just like those sensations in the body.”

Direction -> Asia

An important part of Igor’s life is travelling- he spends time travelling around Asia, with one of his most notable destinations visited being North Korea. He spent a lot of time in preparation for this trip; to see a country with a completely different reality, through the gaze of a Westerner. Igor set about the task by keeping a conscious attitude to learn and discover their world respectfully, without a sense of superiority.

Emotions on a stave

A man of many talents, Igor has also co-founded a musical ensemble, that created the soundtrack for Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis. Their goal was to envoke the feelings and emotions of the films narrative, paired with the challenge of not having the films dialogue to rely on. Despite his success, music is an element of Igor’s life he thoughtfully left behind, feeling he could no longer devote enough time to it. In accordance with his own life philosophy, appreciating what he had achieved and accepting the end, gave Igor peace of mind. Thus closing the stage in his life related to music, at least for the time being.

In harmony with yourself

Igor emphasises that both professional and physical activities are keys to success. His regular exercise and meditation deepen his inner peace, and reinforce his decision from all those years ago. His example can serve as a good model that with the right attitude and an open mind for change, both living in harmony, and developing oneself, is not only possible – but is also incredibly rewarding.

The post How to change your life while staying true to yourself. Story of Igor Południkiewicz appeared first on HL Tech.

Before landing a job in IT, Joanna went through a fascinating career path. Her fondness for chemistry and biology as well as meticulous nature led her towards a biotechnology degree. She finalized five years of studies with a position at one of the leading cosmetic companies. Nevertheless, she had this feeling that it was not exactly IT. At the same time, her closer and further entourage started to talk more about stories from the digital technologies world. That is where Joanna got an idea for a new personal growth challenge – #ThatsTheSpirIT.

FROM THE LAB TO WARSAW SPIRE

She enrolled on a postgraduate course, however the studies quickly started to interfere with her business duties. Hence, she decided to bet everything on one card. She quit her job as a microbiologist to focus on her goal, which was to finish the course.
Was it worth it?

“Already during the first semester, from lecture to lecture, learning JAVA and how testing works, I knew I was at the right place. I simply enjoyed it!” – she explains.

Her studies took two semesters, and already during the second one she started job hunting for a tester position. “I quit my work at the lab in February and in November I already had my first job here at HL Tech .” – she continues.

She has found the job offer on one of the employment web boards. Joanna put her application forward and shortly after she was in an elevator going to the 34th floor of Warsaw Spire for her recruitment interview. During the meeting she has completed several tasks and tests and after a couple of days Asia received a phone call with an invitation to the second stage of recruitment, which you already know how it went for her 😊

DIRECTION: AUTOMATION

She started to build her experience as a manual tester. Currently, she works on writing automated tests – beginning with e2e tests in Selenium and Java, going all the way to mobile app’s tests in Kotlin.

It is at Hl Tech where she has gained considerable skills and got to learn all the nuances, all of which gave her solid fundamentals for further growth.

“At this company a person is never left all alone, there is a strong will for information exchange, discussions about how something could be improved and developed.” – she explains.
“I really enjoy working with people as much as learning from them, drive each other further. […] I have loads of ideas, which I can confront within a team. […] I get really hyped through improvement, which means not only doing things according to set procedures already in place, but also through the search for new solutions, often out of the box.” – Asia concludes.

We are proud that it is within our ranks Joanna got to taste the IT and, more importantly, she is continuously able to develop herself in both terms – industry specialization and personal challenges she decides to face!

Fingers crossed for the upcoming years together!

The post From biotechnology to software testing appeared first on HL Tech.

How much in common these two subjects have, the IT business and road trips, is best known to our Digital Product Manager, Magdalena.

Interest from an early age

“I had my first driving lessons when I was in elementary school. It was not a motorcycle, but a twenty-year-old motorbike borrowed from my brother. Years later, the subject came back thanks to my husband who bought a motorcycle for himself. It was an impulse for me as well, because I have the need to always try something new. Keeping up the momentum, I passed my driving test and bought my own motorcycle. ” – This is how Magda tells us about the beginnings of her passion.

Relaxation and time saving

Every ride is a reason for joy, however the most relaxing is a solo trip, whose destination is to be discovered while it lasts. “It reminds me of the feeling of freedom and relaxation. […] I am not driven towards automotive communities, I prefer to solely experience emotions raised through motorcycle riding and all the surroundings.” – she explains. Moreover, Magda prefers roads, which do not have heavy traffic and not necessarily in touristic regions. She is more interested in the real, natural view of Poland.

Currently, Magda is a mother of two, and due to the limited time she rides only occasionally and for pleasure. However, she recalls that in the past she also used a motorcycle to ride to work. “I was getting on the motorcycle on Friday at 4 pm – 5 pm during peak hours. At that time, driving through the whole city by car to my hometown, 100 km away from Warsaw, it would have taken me 3.5-4 hours. I was touring it all, avoiding all that traffic. As a result, it was taking me 1.5 hours to return home. ” – Magda mentions.

Challenges on the road and behind the desk

Could these two hobbies, IT and motorcycles, be compared? “Just as at work, you could never be too experienced on a motorcycle.” – she explains. Magda is continuously learning new things, new challenges appear regularly, which she gladly takes on.

Every hobby improves us and brings balance in our everyday life. That is why we wish Magda plenty of fascinating motorcycle road trips!

The post Passion: Moto appeared first on HL Tech.

Passion as a way to explore the world

In the running, he found a method not only for work-life balance, but also for … exploring new places .. Many of us associate sightseeing with lazy walks, but it isn’t in Michał’s style 😊
“I take a small backpack, camera, phone, and water bottle, and instead of walking, I jog slowly. This way you can visit a city in one rather than two or three days.”- says Michał.

Run, Michał, run!

Butsightseeing is not the only opportunity to run! Every year, Michał takes part in at least three running competitions or events ata distance of 5 -10 km. And apart from that – one could list endlessly – weekly Park Run, regular training at least 5 times a week… As he recalls himself, during such events it is not competition that plays the main role, it is just the “icing on the cake” – it’s nice to be in the top 10, or even on the podium from time to time. Above all, it is about a certain kind of work-life balance and the possibility to detach yourself from your work desk.

Runners from Łódź can find Michał in one of his favorite places – Łagiewnicki Forest.
Asked about his achievements, Michał focuses mainly on beating times for given distances.
His current records are:
5km – 17min53s
10km- 37min6s
#That’sthespirIT

We keep our fingers crossed for our colleague and wish him new live records!

The post Passion: Running appeared first on HL Tech.

Programming vs. cycling

Some say programming is like riding a bike – once you’ve learned it, you never forget how to do it. As Grzegorz claims, there are many more similarities between these activities.

First of all, there is an element of rivalry. A strive for perfection in both, sport and IT:
“I have this personality trait – I like when everything is buttoned up. I always do my best to polish my code to the highest standards. This also translates into bike races. An ambition, this need to be at the top of the leaderboard, continuous growth towards perfection.” – says Grzegorz.

On the other side we have a work-life balance. Sport helps him reset the mind. As he continues: “When you’re on a trail there’s no time to think about anything else. I concentrate on the route, hoops and picking the optimal path.”

In the beginning was… the MTB

So when this affair has begun? “I always had a bike.” – Grzegorz recalls.
At first, it was simply for recreational purposes. Short distances, trips with friends. Afterwards, first employment and bike commute to work. That’s when he met another cycling enthusiast with whom he trained. Together they were taking part in such events as Mazovia MTB Marathon and Poland Bike. The aim of such competitions is to get through the trail as fast as you can. Better results guarantee promotion to higher tier, where first one is for the quickest contenders. In regard to the Mazovia MTB Marathon, there were twelve of them and Grzegorz reached as high as second tier!

Obviously, such this kind of passion requires equipment. Shortly after his first competition, Grzegorz purchased a professional MTB bike. Today, he owns two and plans to acquire a third one – a race bike adapted to longer, road routes.

No empty runs

Grzegorz suspended his adventure with competitions when his colleague suffered from injury. That’s when he went on to riding just for himself, which meant an average of 250 km a week! Monday to Friday, commuting to and from work equals approximately 175km. Above that, once a week he goes for a much longer trail, which normally rounds up to an additional 70-80km. He plans his trips carefully by combining forest paths, sand segments, some roots and other obstacles normally seen at bike marathons.

Kilometers for a good cause

He also has adequate “company” motivation – Grzegorz is a leader of Activy challenge, where he achieves impressive records on a regular basis. Taking part in it brings an extra good to society – every kilometer equals 1 pln donated to charity organisations.

Occasionally, he also goes for a rides with his friends. Those are usually much shorter and easier routes than those he’s used to. So, what’s next with competitions? Grzegorz considers his comeback and notes it would be beneficial to have a colleague to train and pump up those kilometers.

If this post awakens a bit of healthy rivalry and you’re passionate about bikes just like Grzegorz, don’t forget to let us know in the comments!

To wrap it up, we wish him plenty of new trails to discover and further participation in competitions!

The post Passion: Bicycle appeared first on HL Tech.

More than just a beverage

Tea drinking does not start with the moment you bring a cup to your mouth and it does not end with the last drop of the brew. As Marcin refers, he treats this activity as a certain ceremony, which requires time for preparation and consumption at ease. It is a ritual that provides him a dose of meditation and relaxation.

What is the origin of this peculiar penchant? Marcin studied at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology. Both the specificity of the school and his long time interest of the Japan culture impacted his passion. The Japanese tea ceremony is more than 800 years old making it the most developed in the world. Although Marcin preferred coffee for many years, tea is his favourite hot drink nowadays. One of the reasons is fact it brings him back good memories of student times.

Through the practice and dedicated events participation, Marcin acquired admirable knowledge of the subject. He still likes to attend various tea events because it gives him a perfect opportunity to meet people he shares passion with and – obviously – to try new tastes.

Tea mindfulness

Tea brewing process requires peace of mind and concentration. Therefore, this is perfect occasion for taking someone’s mind off the reality. There are many ways of meditating but they all lead to one goal: mindfulness. Depending on the relaxation method, we can focus on breath, physical sense or view in front of the eyes. Nevertheless, the aim is to give oneself a moment of rest from thoughts – both, negative and positive. This moment of pensiveness represents for Marcin time of prepering his favourite brew. Succeeding steps, performed with meticulous precision and crowned with that moment of relaxation, ensure the feeling of balance during the day.

A recipe for any season

During warm, summer months he chooses green tea brewed from unseasoned leafs. By contrast, in autumn and winter he goes for herbs which are seasoned, darker and more warming up.

The post Passion: Tea appeared first on HL Tech.