Finture Heroes – od retailu do programowania
What is it like to change your chosen path to programming after over twenty years of a career in retail? How, while constantly learning new things, do you still find time for family, not to mention training and charity events? Marek Lukoszek – now a Junior Programmer at Finture – shares with us his fascinating journey into programming and what drives him every day.
Rozmawiamy zdalnie, bo – jak rozumiem – czekasz w kawiarni na córkę?
With varying success, so to speak. The biggest ordeal was probably after the biology exam. She took the extended biology exam because she wants to get into psychology, and biology is essential there. I explained to her that a lot depends on how she performs compared to others. She might have 30%, but if everyone else has 20%, she'll still be the best. Well, we'll see how it goes. Psychology actually offers various paths. It doesn't have to be strictly a therapist or psychologist; it could also be, for example, in HR.
Apparently, 60% of people with a psychology degree don't stay in the profession.
Well, yes. I actually finished philosophy first... I completed my studies completely randomly. In reality, philosophy doesn't provide a specific profession unless I stayed at the university or taught ethics in school.
Finture Heroes: Od filozofii do pierwszej pracy w IT
So why philosophy?
To były pierwsze studia, które wybrałem po liceum. Wszyscy pytali mnie wtedy: „co ty będziesz potem robił?”. Mimo to przez pięć lat jeździłem na Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach. Na czwartym roku zacząłem jeszcze studium informatyczne, ale go nie skończyłem, bo w ostatnim semestrze dostałem pracę w Uposie (dzisiejsze Exorigo-Upos). Był 1999 rok – miałem mniej czasu, więc nie podszedłem już do obrony ani egzaminów.
Już wtedy miałem styczność z programowaniem, głównie w Turbo Pascalu i trochę w C++. Z Turbo Pascala zawsze miałem piątkę i byłem w czołówce grupy, a samo programowanie sprawiało mi dużą przyjemność. To doświadczenie na pewno miało wpływ na to, gdzie jestem dziś i czego się uczę.
So, you joined Upos, still known as Exorigo-Upos at that time, as a programmer?
No. I joined the sales department in a position that was called something like "Sales and Marketing Specialist," if I remember correctly. That was twenty-four years ago.
Finture Heroes: Długa droga przez retail
You worked at Exorigo-Upos for a long time.
W Uposie pracowałem do 2010 roku – łącznie jedenaście lat. Zaczynałem jako referent, później zostałem kierownikiem działu eksportu, a na końcu dyrektorem handlowym. Gdy firmy zaczęły się łączyć, współpracowałem m.in. z Marcinem Fadrowskim i Witkiem Rydzewskim nad uporządkowaniem sprzedaży. W pewnym momencie postanowiłem jednak spróbować własnej działalności, ale nie przyniosła ona oczekiwanych efektów. Wróciłem więc do retailu – bo jak ktoś spędzi w nim trochę czasu, to podobno zostaje nim na zawsze naznaczony (śmiech).
Now, working for Finture, it's the first time in years that I'm dealing with something different.
It's quite a leap – from the sales department, from retail, to dealing with programming. Because now, are you a programmer?
Staram się. Z pomocą bardziej doświadczonych kolegów, realizuję zadania programistyczne. Z różnym skutkiem. Ale tak. Ogólny cel – to być programistą.
Finture Heroes – nad czym pracuje dziś Marek
So what are your tasks currently?
I take care of the development of the insurance claims settlement system. Although it must be admitted that I am still getting acquainted with it. The system is quite complex, and I've only been here for a few months, so I still need some time. Recently, after training, I talked to a colleague with whom I practice karate together. He also works in IT in an insurance company. He used to work in a bank, and back then, he thought that banking systems and processes were complicated. And then he changed jobs, moved to an insurance company, and found himself scratching his head.
And in which programming languages do you code?
Now, I'm learning JavaScript. The front-end of the system requires it, so I need to catch up a bit. I've been coding in Java for two years. Currently, in my studies, whenever I have the opportunity to choose the language for my project, I also opt for Java.
So, philosophy and now computer science?
Yes, now I'm studying computer science – it's an engineering degree, and I'm in my third year.
Congratulations!
Earlier, for about a year, I learned Java. I chose this language because it seemed to have a syntax similar to C++. Later, I took a basic Java course – it was around the time the pandemic started, so the meetings were online. I liked the possibility of remote work. I decided that I needed some documentation of my skills, hence the decision to pursue studies. And I honestly like it. Of course, there's a lot of additional knowledge. For example, now I have physics classes. As you can imagine, the last time I had physics was in high school. So, I'm delving into these abstract realms for me, and it takes quite a bit of effort...
Finture Heroes: Doświadczenia zawodowe
Where did the idea come from to switch to computer science? To IT? To working as a programmer?
I've been working in IT since the very beginning of my professional career, although it was more of a coincidence. I lived in a tenement house next to the one where Upos was located. A friend who worked there called me and said they needed someone to work. I was at the job interview within 5 minutes. I didn't even go back home, I immediately started handling some formalities. And that's how I stayed (laughs).
After twenty-four years of working in sales, I wanted to change something, do something new. Sales is a fairly repetitive process where only current achievements matter. But if you write code, some function in a program, it stays – the next time you work on it, you can approach the issue from a different perspective. And that's what I was looking for. When I manage to complete the tasks I get from my supervisor, I really feel a great satisfaction. Of course, the next day, I get another task and act surprised (laughs).
Nie jest jednak tak, że ta zmiana ma same zalety. Na początku musiałem pogodzić się z dużo niższymi zarobkami, ale byłem na to przygotowany.
Uważam, że do programowania może nauczyć się właściwie każdy. To przede wszystkim kwestia czasu i zaangażowania. Zadania, które dziś zajmują mi dużo czasu, z czasem staną się prostsze. W końcu będę wiedział, co i jak zrobić. Na razie jednak po dniu pracy nadal siadam do zadań. Sprawdzam kod, modyfikuję go i po prostu się uczę.
And do any aspects of your work in sales help you with all of this?
That's for sure.
Where do you seek knowledge on a daily basis? Since you're still in the learning stage, what can you recommend to others approaching the subject?
I still have an online Java course subscription, where I can watch videos on a particular topic. There are all kinds of forums. Artificial intelligence can also provide some insights...
Finture Heroes: Narzędzia w pracy programisty
What do you use? Chat GPT?
Yes, GPT. However, unfortunately, you can't ask for tasks like 'write me code.' Considering that this is usually part of a larger system, it simply wouldn't work. If it were about writing some code from scratch, maybe it could work.
Recently, I wanted to get support from ChatGPT for my studies. I asked, 'Can you append lists in Python?' and I received an answer, 'Yes,' along with a code snippet of how it should look. Of course, it didn't compile. I wrote to it that it doesn't work, and I got a reply, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I made a mistake. In Python, you can't do that after all.
From what I know, it works very well for checking if the code contains errors. I don't know if you've already tested it in that direction...
Not really. Uploading company code to the chat is a risk. Then it will be proposing our solutions to everyone.
Could it work for studies?
People who conduct classes can also throw such a question into the Chat and see what code they get. Although I have a Python project for credit that I don't care too much about right now. Maybe I will use Chat's help? Especially since I have a lot of classes now. In addition to the high school girl who is about to finish her exams, I also have a gentleman who is a year and four months old. And he still doesn't let us sleep. He wakes up two or three times a night and wants to eat.
Besides that, there's a new job, studies, you also need to move sometimes, so some workouts. Now my daughter's exams. And there are always charity activities. They also take up time.
Finture Heroes: Pomaganie jako ważna część życia
I was just about to ask about that. Because you willingly engage in such assistance actions. Do you have a specific goal in mind – helping children, or do you just like and want to help, regardless of the goal?
Chyba jestem po prostu bardzo wrażliwy. To jednocześnie wada i zaleta. Wrażliwość na otoczenie daje dużą satysfakcję, ale czasem też sporo kosztuje – niekoniecznie finansowo.
Wspieram UNICEF, który pomaga dzieciom w Rogu Afryki. Organizuję też zbiórki dla dzieci z SMA na terapię genową. Jeden z chłopców, dla którego zbierałem środki, być może dostanie refundację leczenia za granicą. Jeśli tak się stanie, pieniądze będzie można przekazać kolejnemu dziecku.
Zdarzały się jednak trudne sytuacje – rodzice jednego z dzieci rozdali wcześniej zebrane pieniądze innym potrzebującym, bo mieli obiecaną refundację. Niestety ubezpieczyciel się wycofał i trzeba było zaczynać zbiórkę od nowa.
Dla mnie problem refundacji terapii SMA w Polsce jest bardzo trudny do zrozumienia. Leczenie kosztuje około 10 milionów złotych, a część dzieci nie spełnia warunków refundacji.
Mam zdrowego syna i trochę w podziękowaniu za to staram się pomagać innym dzieciom. Chociaż przyznam, że chyba muszę na chwilę zwolnić – algorytmy w mediach społecznościowych podsuwają mi już prawie wyłącznie takie historie.
Finture Heroes: Sport jako sposób na równowagę
Yes, I mentioned something about karate, about training... Do you still have time for workouts amid all this?
For many years, I practiced kendo. I started around 2010. I trained in various places, beginning in Knurów, then in Gliwice. When I moved to Pszczyna, I commuted to Katowice for training. Later, I trained in Warsaw at the Warsaw Kendo Club, which is one of the most distinguished in Poland. However, the pandemic came, and training was suspended, so it sort of fell apart. Additionally, the WKK dojo is in Praga, and I had to travel 45 minutes. Then, I found out that there's a karate club on the other side of the street, just a five-minute walk away. Considering my need for physical activity, especially as one gets older, I decided that karate is even better. Fencing skills are not as necessary for me now. I attend karate twice a week and sometimes add extra activities like a punching bag or crossfit once a week. I have to negotiate this time with my spouse, but well...
You have to keep moving.
Exactly.