Meet Raymond
This May, we’re excited to introduce you to Raymond Yang, a Software Development Intern at Altus Assessments, for this month’s Employee Spotlight!
Growing up in Toronto, Raymond first started learning about software development in high school, where he took some basic programming courses. Wanting to develop this interest further, he decided to do his undergraduate degree in Computer Science at the University of Toronto. When asked why computing interested him, he explained that he sees computing as the gateway to innovation, and that “when it comes to programming, we are only limited by our imagination”. Being able to create his own programs with little overhead costs was something that he wanted to do in the future, so he took this chance to learn more about it.
Raymond put what he learnt in school into practice when he started playing Fortnite, an online multiplayer game, and realized other beginner players also had trouble learning how to play. He undertook a small project where he built an android app that pulled information about the game’s equipment and items, as well as tutorial videos into an easy-to-use format. Raymond then started joining hackathons to get the chance to meet similarly passionate people and create tech solutions. His notable projects include Project Jelly, an app that promotes conscious consumerism by creating awareness of unethically sourced products, and Upturn, a mental health chatbot for NSBE 2019 Hacks which won an award for Best Use of IBM Watson. Check out his work here!
In his program at University of Toronto, students do a year-long internship after they complete their third year. Raymond remembers that of the many companies that he considered when applying for internships, Altus Assessments caught his eye because of the unique nature of its product — he had never heard of a test for personal and professional attributes before, but he could immediately understand how it would help programs assess applicants.
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Raymond (or in my head, Whiz kid) is a unique blend of wit, curiosity, determination and humour, and working with him is always delightful. Never afraid to take on any challenge, he approaches every opportunity to build something new with quiet confidence, and time and time again, delivers excellent results. A true team player and a trooper, I am privileged to have had the opportunity to work with the brilliant mind that is Raymond Yang. - Kunbi Lawoyin, Product Manager
His passion for tech and desire to learn has made Raymond a key member of the software development team at Altus. As this position was his first internship, Raymond soon found himself learning many practical skills that were not taught in school, such as having to manage a testing platform that dealt with thousands of applicants at a time, using amazon web services to build new features, and working with the different teams at Altus to create a cohesive product. He immensely enjoys the team’s peer review style of working where “everyone gets to chip in freely and contribute ideas, which creates a supportive culture of learning”.
Raymond is a stellar teammate to work with! Whether we are discussing code or architectural decisions his curiosity is hard to match. His sense of humour and openness has been something we’ve all cherished since day one. Great job, Raymond! - George Guja, Software Developer
This fall, Raymond plans to take classes on AI, information security, computer graphics, and entrepreneurship. While he enjoys playing new computer games and eating tons of Korean BBQ in his free time, Raymond also sets aside time for improving his professional skills. Currently, he’s teaching himself the basics of UI and UX and learning how to use Figma!
Raymond is a stellar programmer and passionate problem solver who never backs down from a challenge. We’ve had amazing times together — from starting at Altus together, to spending time with each other every lunch, to solving coding problems after work. Watching him leave before me is truly heartbreaking, but this is not a farewell, it’s a see you soon back in school! I’m glad to have met you this year. - Mike Chou, Data Science Intern
Interested in learning more about our open roles? We’re hiring across almost every team! Check out our postings at altus.as/hiring.
