As a Software Engineer in UKIS App Development department, my primary responsibilities include developing software services that automate the provisioning workflow logic for broadband and telephony services provided to Sky customers.
Whenever a customer places an order with us; whether it’s for a first-time broadband connection, or switching from one operator to another – we do the magic to make this a seamless experience. Our team’s called Hiro. It’s a cross-functional group composed of testers, business analysts, and experienced team leads. We follow popular agile methodologies such as Scrum. Additionally, we adhere to best practices like Test Driven Development (TDD), and Pair Programming.
We also embrace DevOps Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD), and the reliable constructs of declarative GitOps tools, among others.
Describe a project, or career highlight where you were able to make a difference.
One notable project we delivered was “Sky Connect”, which is Sky’s broadband service for businesses. Several of the services we developed had a direct impact on some of the unique features offered by Sky Connect.
Seeing the project come to life and receive orders has been quite fulfilling. Knowing we have worked on features that are helping businesses stay connected everyday gives value to our work.
At Sky we’re always challenging ourselves to deliver the next big thing. Describe what that’s like and why it’s exciting.
One aspect I appreciate about working in my department is our ability to collaborate efficiently, and demonstrate agility in meeting tight deadlines. A prime example of this was our recent delivery for the “Right to Port” OFCOM regulation. This regulation mandated all line providers to allow their customers to retain their phone numbers for up to one month after switching providers.
As soon as the regulation was announced, our business analysts conducted a peer review, and we initiated an early discussion about the project requirements. Our team, Hiro, then broke down the requirements and set a milestone to deliver the project before the Ofcom deadline, which we successfully achieved. This took place alongside multiple other projects. Our business analysts, testers, and developers effectively navigated the workload together.
This kind of challenge keeps our work environment dynamic and exciting. We continuously strive to deliver exceptional experience.
How is Sky an inclusive place to work where you can be yourself?
Back in 2019, I was on an academic scholarship in Computer Science, intending to pursue a PhD. Before committing to an academic career, I decided to spend a year in the industry to determine if it was the right choice for me.
Sky’s presentation at my university, led by the interns they had hired, showed me that the company offered a nurturing environment that encouraged growth. The presentation also depicted a unique workplace culture and a diverse technology stack. This motivated me to apply, and I was fortunate to be accepted. Working for UKIS App Development surrounded me with incredibly talented individuals. The leadership is clear and supportive.
My colleagues are bright (some are also quite funny), and there are always challenges to tackle. Additionally, work/life balance is at the core of the company culture. (e.g. I have never been asked to work overtime). After completing my year in the industry, I knew that returning to Sky was the right investment for me, so here I am.
