Junior Programmer Challenge Completed!

Last month, we had the pleasure of welcoming Jamie, a bright and eager student, who completed a week of work experience with us.

Although Jamie had only done some basic coding exercises in Python at school, his experience with us took him on an exciting learning journey, where he was introduced to a full development stack and ultimately challenged to complete a series of tasks  we use when assessing potential junior programmer hires.

Why We Believe in the Junior Programmer Challenge

A Junior Programmer Challenge is crucial for Yozu to assess the technical and problem-solving skills of potential new hires. It ensures candidates possess fundamental coding abilities, logical thinking, and adaptability—key traits in a busy software agency.

By simulating real-world tasks, the challenge helps identify individuals who can write clean, efficient code and troubleshoot effectively. It also evaluates their ability to learn, collaborate, and handle pressure. Beyond technical skills, it highlights creativity and passion for development. This process ensures Yozu hires the best talent that can innovate and deliver high-quality software solutions efficiently.

The Challenge Begins: Learning a Full Development Stack

Jamie’s week started with self-driven learning, where he was introduced to the basics of HTML, CSS, Ruby, Rails, and Hotwire. These technologies were new to him, but he approached the challenge with enthusiasm and determination.

His first task was to build an eCommerce application. This application allowed users to create products, list their details, and upload product images. To complete this, Jamie had to understand and apply key programming concepts, including the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture, HTML to display content, and Ruby to create dynamic sections.

He also had to dive into CSS to style the entire interface and ensure it was user-friendly.

Building More Complex Applications: Quotes Management

After successfully completing the eCommerce application, Jamie moved on to a second project—a more dynamic application designed to manage quotes. This app was built using the latest Hotwire features in Ruby on Rails, which allowed Jamie to create a highly reactive interface. By utilising Turbo Frames and Turbo Streams, he was able to offer a seamless user experience, with real-time updates and minimal page reloads.

Through this project, Jamie gained valuable experience with building dynamic, real-time applications, something that is essential for modern web development.

The Junior Developer Task: Putting It All Together

For the final two days of his work experience, Jamie was challenged with our Junior Developer Task. This task involves creating an application called “Today I Have,” which allows users to track what they have achieved or learned each day. To complete the challenge, Jamie had to apply everything he had learned during the week, including Ruby, Rails, HTML, and CSS, and take his skills to the next level.

The task required Jamie to do independent research and implement features like authentication, authorisation, and validations—critical aspects of secure web development. Despite these being new concepts for him, Jamie was able to successfully integrate these features into his application and deliver a fully functional product.

A Job Well Done

By the end of the week, Jamie had not only completed the junior programmer challenge but also developed a solid understanding of key web development technologies and best practices. He showed incredible adaptability, problem-solving skills, and a willingness to learn—traits that are essential for any developer.

Jamie’s experience with us was a valuable learning opportunity for both him and our team. We were impressed by his dedication and the speed at which he absorbed new concepts.

We’re excited to see where his coding journey will take him next!