S1E3 Distinguished Engineer Annie Vella's wild career journey and finding joy as a reluctant manager
Aug 27, 2024
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Annie Vella, a distinguished engineer at Westpac New Zealand, shares her remarkable career journey. She discusses the challenges of gender in tech, emphasizing resilience and confidence. Annie reflects on her transitions between technical and managerial roles, highlighting the importance of adaptability and continuous learning. The conversation also dives into how AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping software engineering, alongside the rising trend of prompt engineering, underscoring the need for evolving skills in the tech industry.
Annie Vella's diverse career path highlights the necessity of adaptability and resilience in navigating various roles within the tech industry.
Her transition from individual contributor to manager demonstrates the importance of empathy and constructive feedback in effective leadership.
The discussion about AI's impact on software engineering emphasizes the need for continuous skill development in an evolving technological landscape.
Deep dives
Early Inspiration in Software Engineering
Annie Vella’s journey into software engineering began at a young age when her parents introduced her to a Commodore 64. Rather than playing games, she was captivated by programming and the ability to create simple animations and sounds. This early interaction sparked a passion for coding that persisted despite a lack of formal computer science education in her school years. Her determination led her to pursue math and computer science at university, overcoming early discouragement from her teacher about her abilities in a male-dominated field.
Challenges and Learning in Early Career
After her university studies, Annie navigated a challenging job market in the early 2000s, eventually landing a position as a GIS integration consultant. This role provided her with valuable pre-sales experience, teaching her to be confident in front of customers while addressing their needs. She also encountered significant pressure while managing a project for the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, which brought her into the spotlight early in her career. These experiences instilled resilience and adaptability, key traits that would define her professional journey.
Transition from Development to Management
Annie’s transition to management began during her tenure at a company experiencing a lull in work, where she proactively created her own projects. This initiative led her to assume a leadership role without an official title, showcasing her natural leadership qualities. Eventually, she accepted a formal management position, grappling with the challenges of managing peers and friends. Through her management experiences, she learned the importance of empathy and providing constructive feedback while fostering a positive work environment.
Adaptation to Remote Work and New Innovations
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Annie leveraged her experience in remote work to help her company adjust to the new normal. As an engineering manager, she implemented strategies to maintain productivity and communication among teams that were accustomed to in-person collaboration. This period also sparked her interest in the impact of artificial intelligence on software engineering, particularly through tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot. She expressed a keen awareness of how these advancements could reshape the role of software engineers, highlighting both exciting possibilities and concerns about skill retention.
Current Focus and Future Aspirations
In her current role at Westpac New Zealand, Annie is applying her extensive background in software engineering and management to digital transformation projects. She is particularly focused on understanding how AI tools will influence the software development landscape and the necessary skills required for future engineers. Her ongoing academic pursuit of a Master's degree reflects her commitment to staying at the forefront of these changes. By investigating topics like prompt engineering, she aims to contribute valuable insights that will prepare the next generation of software engineers for a rapidly evolving industry.
Annie Vella, a distinguished engineer at Westpac New Zealand, joins the podcast to talk about her incredibly varied career journey, repeatedly ending up working alongside her husband, and riding the manager to individual contributor pendulum.
08:00 Working in Different Domains and Embracing Change
20:00 Transitioning into Management Roles
25:00 The Value of Embracing Change and New Opportunities
35:30 Transitioning to Engineering Manager Roles
46:00 The Impact of AI Tools on Software Engineers
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