“It was a series of events and coincidences that put me on a path towards the Software Testing Bootcamp and Planit in Reading, It’s a journey that I’m glad took place.”

Daniel Mataczynski, Analyst, Planit

Daniel Mataczynski initially dreamed of playing in a touring rock band. Living in Detroit at the time, he dropped out of university to put everything into making the dream a reality.

“Because of the demanding schedule of being in a band, I was working part-time, mainly in restaurants, due to the scheduling flexibility,” he says. “As time went on, the band became more popular, touring more and more, and we extended our global reach.”

Daniel even met his wife because of the band. Originally from Reading in the UK, she made the move from the UK to the US so they could start a life together.

But like in many rock-and-roll stories, Daniel says egos clashed in the band and the members grew apart. It one day culminated in everyone going their separate ways.

“After we disbanded, I was offered an assistant management position at the restaurant I was working for,” he says. “As I was a father-to-be, I decided to take the role and a year later I was promoted to main front of house manager.”

When his daughter was two years old, Daniel and his wife began to wonder where she would attend school and where to buy a house. “With my wife’s British roots, we eventually decided it would be best to relocate to the UK,” Daniel says.

After applying for and being granted a spouse visa, Daniel applied for multiple restaurant management roles but without any success. Discouraged, Daniel decided to broaden his search to the booming IT sector.

“I always wanted to pursue a career in IT, but due to dropping out of university and having very little experience, it always seemed a bit farfetched,” he says. “I figured since I was beginning a new life in a different country, perhaps this would be my chance for a fresh start.”

After sending his resume to a several companies with no response, Daniel came across a posting for Planit’s Software Testing Bootcamp (STBC). He had heard of bootcamps before and knew they were a promising way to get into a role without the proper education and/or experience.

Daniel applied for the STBC and was asked to do a one-way video interview. He then invited to an information session and interview.

Daniel was one of several applicants selected to participate in that year’s STBC at Planit’s Reading office, which he went on to pass and is now a full-time Analyst in testing.

“It was a series of events and coincidences that put me on a path towards the STBC and Planit in Reading,” Daniel says. “It’s a journey that I’m glad took place.”

The STBC and Daniel’s first year of Planit opened his eyes to testing and IT in general, since he had little experience with both at that point. Fortunately, the support and mentoring he received during and after the STBC enabled him to fast track into a proper testing role.

“I was part of a small web development team doing some exploratory testing and assisting them with graphic design,” Daniel says. “Within the first couple months of starting, I was able to earn three certifications, get my feet wet with some coding, and explore paths for roles I hadn’t even known existed.”

One thing that has stood out to Daniel is how Planit supports its staff in boosting their knowledge and skills using the company’s industry leading training programme. “It’s nice to know that we are encouraged to attend training courses, self-study, and focus on improving what we already know, not only for the success of the company, but also the betterment of ourselves and career goals,” he says.

Daniel’s favourite Planit memory so far is from the 2018 EOFY party, where Supernova winners were recognised for their exceptional efforts over the last 12 months. Typically, the achievements of the individual are mentioned before the person is named and presented with the award.

“At the party, Geoff [Thompson, UK Director of Testing Services] started mentioning things very specifically about me and the project I had just finished,” Daniel says. “But I still wasn’t sure he was talking about me until he actually called my name.”

The award came as a pleasant surprise to Daniel, since he wasn’t expecting anyone as new as himself to be considered for the award. “It was a great feeling to not only be recognised for the effort I put into the project, but to also be praised for it so soon after getting my start in testing,” he says.