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Challenged by this extensive need, ISD developed “Executor to Partner” (E2P) – an innovative program dedicated to the company’s inhouse Senior Developers. E2P was launched in June 2022 to increase the participants’ business awareness, thus helping them to better understand their role in the company’s growth and ecosystem. The first edition of the program gathered 12 participants, who have successfully graduated on February 17th, 2023.

What is Business Acumen?

Business Acumen is a set of skills and knowledge that refine the ability of understanding business situations and issues from a global perspective, evaluating them strategically and logically, and making confidently decisions that fit the organization’s goals. It also relies on leadership skills, including inspiring others, motivating teams to perform roles at their best, and leading them to follow the business objectives of the company.

Professionals that have Business Acumen are generally seen as people who master skills and knowledge related to: financial literacy, organizational knowledge, the ability to deal with ambiguity, the capacity of linking cause and effect, self-awareness, stakeholder awareness, and contextual awareness (including the capacity to see the organization in a global context).

How is E2P contributing to mastering and implementing Business Acumen?

Inspired by an entrepreneurship school from Silicon Valley, E2P was designed to empower ISD Senior Developers to go beyond their technical expertise and grow their ability to understand and integrate technical solutions in complex business situations. It was also focused on investing efforts and time in refining their leadership skills and including Business Acumen best practices in all the team- and customer-oriented processes.

The program was at its first edition and brought a fresh perspective to the professional growth opportunities available for Senior Developers in Moldova. Divided into 9 intense training sessions, held by experts from Moldova and from outside the country, E2P covered topics like:

• Growth Mindset,
• Outstaffing vs. Outsourcing;
• Budgets & Finance;
• Project Management & Agile Models;
• Risk Management;
• Efficient Customer Communication;
• Product Vision;
• Team Roles and Responsibilities;
• Team Development;

Every training was followed by assignments that encouraged the participants to apply the new-acquired information in practice. Also, rotating, and self-organized working groups of 3 people were put in place, in order to encourage teamwork and people interactions, as well as giving feedback, sharing insights and ideas, and providing help with the assignments.

How was the graduation event?

After 8 months of hard work, dedication, and invested time and efforts, 12 participants completed the first edition of the E2P program. The graduation ceremony took place on February 17th, 2023, at ISD’s events area and was open for everyone (inside and outside the company) interested in learning more about the program. It included a final speech of every participant related to their experience within the program and to the way E2P impacted their role and way of working. The evening ended with an after-party to network and celebrate the closure of an engaging and thorough experience.

Are there any other growth opportunities within ISD?

E2P is just one of the many people-empowering programs held by ISD to encourage the growth and development of its team, and not only.  The company supports IT professionals from the early stages of their career to seniority through:

• Internships. Designed for Juniors, people willing to start a career in IT or to switch from their professional area to IT, internship programs are held yearly on .NET, PLC, Java and Front-End programming languages.
• PLC Course. Dedicated to all the enthusiasts passioned about Automation & Electrical Engineering and willing to start a career as PLC Engineers, the course was at its 5th edition in 2022.
• Junior to Medior (JtoM). An intense 6-months curriculum of training sessions designed to help Junior Java Developers to advance in their technical and soft skills.

Would you like to be up to date with the latest news about our team? Follow us on our Social Media.

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Why PLC?

PLC, or Programmable Logic Controller, is a programmable computing device used in several industries for the automation of processes and systems. The demand of PLC Engineers is growing together with the number of companies willing to implement automation solutions. Just in 2023, more than 30% of the European enterprises are going to implement, at least, one type of automation.

What was the course about?

The PLC Course was dedicated to all the enthusiasts passioned about Automation & Electrical Engineering and willing to start a career as PLC Engineers. It started on October 6th and was held twice a week until December 21st.

The course integrated theoretical and practical parts lectured at ISD’s office and at the PLC laboratory from the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics of the Technical University of Moldova (TUM).

The theory-related sessions introduced the participants to the fundamental concepts of PLC, including:

• PLC programming, ladder logic, and the inner workings of a standard Human Machine Interface (HMI);
• Introduction to HMI development and general understanding of how HMI program works;
• Differences between digital and analog signals and how to bring them into a PLC, process them, and send them back out etc.

After the theory lessons, the students created a PLC program from scratch at the PLC laboratory from TUM.

Who were the mentors?

The participants learned PLC best practices from Victor Dropet and Ivan Vilcu, both PLC Engineers at ISD.

Victor has more than 8 years of experience in the field of Automation and PLC Programming. He is also a former PLC academic teacher who contributed to the elaboration of the first PLC program held at TUM.

Ivan, graduate of the 2nd edition of the PLC Course, brought in more than 3 years of expertise in PLC programming and troubleshooting hardware systems, as well as a background in designing, assembling, and testing electrical diagrams. He has a Siemens certification in TIA Portal Programming.

Both Victor and Ivan improve continuously their skills and keep the pace with the latest PLC technologies and trends, including through external exchanges.

What are the participants saying?

“The PLC Course was interesting from the start. I liked the teaching methods and the friendly environment. I am sure that everything I have learned during the course is going to help me grow as a professional and I’m interested in learning PLC programming further.” Oleg, PLC Course Participant

“The PLC Course was very interesting, and it helped me to understand where to apply the knowledge previously acquired during the academic courses. It convinced me, one more time, that I am going to pursue a career in IT, and I think, I am even going to focus on PLC.” Arina, PLC Course Participant

“I liked developing a program using TIA Portal. The course was a useful one, because I managed to learn more about what it is like working as a PLC Engineer and about working on a PLC using TIA Portal.” Cristian, PLC Course Participant

If you are also interested in becoming a PLC Engineer, we encourage you to follow us on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages for the latest news about the PLC course and internship opportunities at ISD.

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On September 24, 10 AM sharp, we will be waiting for you at IT Career Expo 2022, the biggest yearly event in Moldova related to tech career orientation. For this edition hosted by Tekwill, ISD has prepared not only the traditional expo stand, but also 2 workshops for those interested in project development and CV writing.

Visit us at our stand

We bet you would like to know more about ISD and the opportunities you could have by joining our team. Alina Scutaru, Iulia Mindru and Corina Plamadeala – our Recruitment colleagues – will meet you at our stand, ready to talk to you and answer all your questions.

Participate in the workshop ‘How Does a Real Project Development Look Like?’

If project development sounds like something that makes you curious, then you could get interested in hearing real time insights from professionals that practice it on a daily basis. Victor Osipov, .NET Team Lead at ISD, will guide you through the challenges and risks of the process, the tech stack involved in different kind of projects according to the needs of the customer, the impact a developer could make on a product and on the client’s business – and many more.

Learn how to write a top-notch CV

Building a CV that makes you look like a professional and increases the companies’ interests in your profile is challenging, but with the right pieces of advice, the result could put you in the limelight. Iulia Mindru, IT Recruitment Specialist, will share with the participants the key elements of a CV writing process, the language to use, the do’s and the dont’s and some recruiters’ insights for an outstanding CV, within the workshop ‘CV Writing – What It Takes to Stand Out?’.

Save the date, follow us on social media for updates, and see you on September 24, at Tekwill.

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For the first time in Moldova, dual studies are going to be launched for two Bachelor engineering programs. Starting with September 2022, students who will enroll the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics (FCIM) for the programs of “Automatics and Informatics” and “Robotics and Mechatronics” are going to benefit of an academic plan encompassing practical experience gained through real-time jobs.

What are dual studies?

Dual studies give students the opportunity to alternate concurrently activities in the university and companies. At the same, both the university and the engaged companies are responsible for teaching and mentoring the student. Students should spend 120 hours in a company during the 2nd year of study. The 3rd and 4th year are going to be structured in a format of 2 days at the university and 3 days in the company. Moreover, during their academic time, students will sign working contracts with the companies, and will receive salaries for their job performance.

What does the program involve for ISD?

Education is at the core of ISD’s values. When the company decided to partner with TUM for the dual studies program, it engaged in offering the necessary resources in time, mentors, salaries, and gadgets.

We are happy to participate in a project where future generations of IT professionals are educated and to contribute to the development of Moldova’s IT community.

Furthermore, getting involved in the education of young professionals has become an ISD’s long-term tradition. We offer support not only in starting their careers in tech, but also in growing their skills. Our colleagues are mentors within Tekwill Academy, they teach courses at TUM, and are also mentors for all the interns who enroll in our internship programs.

Check our blog to see more of our education projects and follow us on Social Media for updates.

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TGW Logistics Group is an internationally leading provider of intralogistics solutions, and a systems integrator, in charge with the planning, production, implementation, and maintenance of distribution centers – from mechatronics to robotics and to the control system and software. The company has its headquarters in Wels, Austria.

A training on “TGW Stingray Shuttle System”

On July 19-20, 2022, the company held a training on “TGW Stingray Shuttle System” where Victor and Ivan were invited. The training aimed to present the process of execution of a new system’s commissioning and the verifications and adaptations that should be performed to finish it completely. It included a theoretical and practical part. During the first one, detailed information about the Shuttle system was presented, including the integration of the software with the mechanical parts (DC motors, arms, flaps etc.), the issues that can be encountered during commissioning and the solutions for dealing with them. The practical part consisted in finding and fixing issues on a test shuttle system, from TGW’s training center. Also, a presentation of the production line from the start until the shipment to the customer was made.

The size of the training center and the specifics of the systems were impressive. For example, one of them was the prototype of a “warehouse wardrobe”, where the clothes were automatically divided, packed, and stored. It was also exciting to see that basically all the systems (conveyors, lifts, stingrays) were running for stress tests continuously, some of them for already 5 years in a row.

When asked if the training was important for their career, Victor and Ivan said that: “The training has built our confidence, because now we have a stronger understanding of the industry and the responsibilities of job. This confidence will push us to perform even better and think of new ideas that will help us and the company to excel. Continuous training keeps the employees on the cutting edge of industry developments. Accordingly, employees who are competent and on top of the changing industry standards help companies to hold a position as a leader and a strong competitor on the market.” The knowledge they gained during the training will be used for future projects.

From gaining knowledge to gaining experiences

After a 2-day training and lots of new things learned to perform better in their job, Victor and Ivan explored Hallstatt on their way home – “one of the most beautiful villages in Europe” as they called it and we can just agree with it.

They visited the oldest salt mine in the world and discovered all from how the salt was formed millions of years ago until the entire process of its extraction, where engineering solutions are used everywhere. They also went up to the 5fingers viewing platform, that reaches out like a hand over a 400 meters precipice. Unique views and some adrenaline rush are guaranteed!

After a 4-hour car trip through the beautiful Austria, they spent 2 more hours walking on the streets of Vienna, before going to the airport and fly back home.

Does it look like an experience one would like to enjoy? We say it does. And you can live it by yourself by joining our team.

And for you, how does the perfect business trip look like?

The post Learn & travel in Austria: training on “TGW Stingray Shuttle System” in Wels and sightseeing in Hallstatt appeared first on ISD | Software Development.

Between June 13 – July 8, 2022, ISD has hosted 7 interns for a PLC internship program. We have talked to Arina Caraus, one of the participants to the program, about her experience with us, thoughts about pursuing a career in the field, importance of PLC in the future and many more.

Arina is a 2^nd year student at the Technical University of Moldova, the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics. She found out about the internship program while scrolling on Facebook. PLC got her curious and she decided to give it a try.

What motivated you to apply to this program?

Arina Caraus (A.C.): I didn’t know much about PLC, but the catchy design of the Facebook post motivated me to look for what is means and involves. I got an interest in trying something new, that is close to Arduino, but it is at a higher and industrial level.

What did you learn during the internship?

A.C.: I have learned a lot. Starting with how to turn on the conveyor, how does Ladder Logic work, and continuing with all the parts of the process. We learned everything step by step. Now, when I am walking on the streets of Chisinau, I see the city differently.

What did you like the most during the internship?

A.C.: I liked the environment and the people that I found in the company. When people you are working with are ready to help, to guide you and are telling you: ”You can do it!”, it’s just wow.

Do you think that the internship was useful for your career? Why?

A.C.: Yes, I do. My perception of the world has changed. Even more, I collaborated with amazing people here, and I am sure that the relations I established here will help me grow further. I have also realized that you must always keep learning, at and outside the university.

Would you like to pursue your career in PLC?

A.C.: I think, at least, I am going to try. Everything is possible.

Do you think that PLC technologies are important for the future?

A.C.: I think they are, because everything gets automated and more and more fields will implement them. It is interesting and important, at the same time.

What are the resources you use to learn more about this field?

A.C.: Books, the information we have available online. I take courses on Udemy, or Coursera and I receive weekly mails with updates from Inst Tools.

What would students need to develop in the field of PLC?

A.C.: I think that students are afraid of making mistakes or putting into effect what they learn. But PLC joins software with hardware, and you have to mix them, and push the button to see if what you are doing is working or not. In my opinion, students need more of this practical side, which means resources or labs where you can experiment everything you are learning.

Would you recommend to your friends to make a PLC internship at ISD?

A.C.: Yes, for sure and I think some of my friends would be motivated to try.

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Do you enjoy sports and nature as we do? Then you might be just as enthusiastic as we are of the upcoming event announced in this article.

Are you ready?

Codru Ultra Trail 100k is coming soon and we are extremely happy to partner with Moldova Trail Run in the organization of this event.

What is Codru Ultra Trail 100k?

Codru Ultra Trail 100k is the first 100 km ultramarathon held in Moldova. The running trail event includes picturesque routes through Moldova’s Codri (a forest massif placed in the central region of the country). It starts in the village Donici and offers 5 trail distances, at your choice: 15 km, 30 km, 50 km, 70 km, and 100 km.

The event will take place between August 19 and August 21, 2022.

Besides running, you might also love:

• The camping area;
• The ‘Pasta Party’;
• Kids Trail Run – a route set up especially for children.

Are you already interested in? Find more information and book your place on the official site of the event, developed by ISD.

A healthy lifestyle with ISD

You might have read, seen, or listened to the fact that sports and nature are at the core of our lifestyle values. In case you missed it, take a look on our Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram pages.

We don’t only say it, we stand by it, and we encourage our team to practice sport and spend time outdoor every time they get the chance. The truth is that we also lead by example and have a lot of outdoor events for our colleagues.

Here are just some of them:

Bike event – yearly, our colleagues passioned by biking engage in riding their bikes for several kilometers, while the other part of the team waits at the finish point with barbecue, music, and all set up for a party.

Hiking – our backpacks prepared, we engage in discovering breathtaking mountain views once or twice a year.

Outdoor teambuilding – every summer, we find a destination where we don’t only connect with nature, but also have an outstanding teambuilding. It grows us as a team and inspires for further challenges.

Follow our Social Media pages to stay tuned. Or even better, apply for one of our open positions to become our colleague and you might be part of all the fun by yourself.

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Starting with October 2021, our colleagues have been involved in various trainings in order to enhance their competences, so that they’ve been rotated through such topics as: UX/UI, Frontend, Backend, QA, Project Management, DevOps, IoT and others. We still do consider that it is extremely important to develop soft skills along with the technical ones. Thus, we’ve undergone a training on Soft skills and Public Speaking as an integral part of the whole program.

As an outcome of the 3^rd Junior to Medior Program and all the trainings it is consisted of, the results of the program were harvested and presented at the closing ceremony depicting the intense work done by our junior developers. It is a special event for ISD, where we cherish, in the spirit of togetherness, the efforts of participants and program directors in developing a software product.

Being trained and coached all along the 6 months of the program, 5 of our colleagues participating in the program, presented solutions using Java programming language along with Spring Framework, but they also enhanced their knowledge by learning and applying other technologies, applications & frameworks in their solutions, such as Docker, Kotlin, Angular, VueJS, AWS etc.

The projects that our developers worked on included:

1. solutions for placing orders in restaurants;
2. managing the equipment offered to employees during their employment;
3. a platform for reviewing and evaluating beauty salons;
4. a shop without a cashier;
5. an auctioning platform.

We acknowledge it was a challenging time for all participants, working many hours and having tight deadlines, but they managed to deliver great results and we are very proud of the outcomes.

We are happy to learn this edition helped another 5 developers to increase their capabilities and knowledge in the field and we are looking forward to the next edition and many more colleagues joining it.

Find more about the program here.

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Considering these circumstances, it could be a good idea to share how my teammates and I chose to cope with stress, so it wouldn’t affect our performance or mental health.

1. Act and care for others

At the time that more and more refugees enter Moldova, the demand for necessity goods and volunteers rises. In this situation, even the smallest gestures count. Regardless of the way you choose to contribute, please don’t be indifferent. As Ellie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor, once said: “It’s not hatred that kills people, it’s indifference”. Ready to take action? Here are useful links for you:

• All the information regarding how you can help and who needs help can be found here.
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Government of the Republic of Moldova created a working group “Moldova for Peace” which launched a crowdfunding campaign.
• The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Moldova opened a bank account for humanitarian donations in support of the Ukrainian people.

To make our contribution, ISD hosted a Ukrainian team at our office, also we donated to the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Moldova. The rest of our team continues to help with donations and volunteering.

2. Stay informed

At a time like this, it’s important to manage some of the external factors that might cause distress or demoralization. Staying informed from trustworthy sources without getting overwhelmed is crucial. In fact, resilience is the key to adapting and coping with the crisis. Therefore, choose your sources wisely.

The Government of Moldova created a Telegram channel where you can find only verified information from official sources.

3. Talk about your feelings

Since day one, Tamara, our HR Manager, has been encouraging us to communicate openly. She conducted a survey among all team members to find out our emotional state and how the company could help us depending on our needs (relocation, psychological help or any other form of support).

It is refreshing to know that we are going through this together and we can get help when needed.

4. Stick to your rituals

Lack of sleep and emotional distress affect your resilience. The only way to handle it is through planning. Why do we use strategic planning and approach to work projects, but don’t do with our personal life?

For me, Pomodoro technique and Kaizen approach work the best. If you want to dig deeper into the Kaizen philosophy, I suggest reading “The Spirit of Kaizen” by Robert Maurer.

5. Ask for help and keep in touch

All of us deal with stress in different ways. If we go through it for longer periods of time, we tend to bottle it up. However, instead of hiding in our shells, specialists suggest sharing our concerns and asking for help. As I am typing this, in the background I am listening to Be There, a course designed to increase mental health literacy.

Don’t be afraid to talk about it with your family, team, friends or counselor. And, remember, you’re not alone.

Peace for Ukraine. Take care. Stay safe and humble.

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