Daniel Christophersen from Hannover in Germany has accrued 16 years of programming experience, but is only 28 years old. He took a programming course in six grade and hasn’t stopped programming since.

"I love the IT business because it’s always changing,” explains Daniel, who works as IT consultant in an international company. “Five years ago, I would never have thought I would be working on Cloud Business because back then it was small. So, I don’t know what the future will bring,” .

“Programming,” says Daniel, “is a skill for me to solve problems.” People often think his job entails sitting in front of a computer, but he has most fun speaking to people and understanding their issues, so he can develop solutions to enhance their work or life.

Daniel is a self-learner, a trait that he believes is the key soft skill to succeed in IT. “Knowing this programming language or an exact skill is not so important,” explains Daniel. “You need to be able to learn by yourself, as it’s about reading blogs, looking on Twitter, video courses, and doing certifications.”

Daniel opted for vocational training instead of university so that he could get hands-on straight away. He went on to compete in a national skills competition and made it to WorldSkills São Paulo 2015 to compete in web design. His experience as a WorldSkills Champion has given him confidence and helped him realize his self-worth.

The high demand for skilled workers, explains Daniel, has forced the IT industry to foster environments where young people can skill up quickly and evolve. Daniel notes that young people in many other fields do not always feel recognized in their jobs because of their age.

“We as a society have to create an environment for young people which embraces them and tells them that they are welcomed and they have good ideas,” he says.

Related stories