At spriteCloud, one of the things we’re most proud of is our openness and inclusivity. Whether it’s skill level, age, ethnicity, or background, we embrace diversity in all its forms. This commitment is embedded in our very ethos. We believe that everyone with drive, a can-do attitude, and a positive approach deserves the chance to build a career in tech.

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This belief is what fuels the spriteCloud Academy. We hope to equip ambitious people with the skills they need to start a career in QA and Test Engineering. Through hands-on training and practical work experience, the spriteCloud Academy provides that first step into the tech industry.‍

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Last year, we had the privilege of training a bright and motivated cohort of aspiring QA professionals, including Martijn and Soumya. Under the guidance of Eve Acton, our Director of QA Engineering, Martijn and Soumya navigated the spriteCloud Academy, designed to transform them into QA Engineers.

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What inspired you to join the spriteCloud Academy?

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Martijn: For me it was a career-change moment, joining the Academy was an opportunity to gain experience in a condensed timeframe in the world of testing. My background is in software development - as a project manager - and I’ve been building software with teams for a number of years. I’ve worked with designers, business analysts, and developers to create high quality software, and I’ve always been interested in instilling quality in all my projects. I’ve always worked in companies where quality was an important factor, so I anticipated that this program and introduction to testing would be an ideal fit. I’m personally motivated by learning new stuff about the world, asking “why does this work so well?”, “why doesn’t this work?” and “how can we make it better?” and this is front and center in quality assurance, making this career a perfect match.

Soumya: I had the chance to try out software testing at a previous employer, so I was eager to continue to learn new skills in software testing, growing my knowledge, and connecting with experts in the field. I come from an audiology background, and I thought the opportunity to join the spriteCloud Academy would help me gain real-world experience to continue my growth, both personally and professionally.

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What were the most valuable lessons or skills you gained during the program?

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Martijn: Doing testing in a real life context, dealing with organisational realities, budget constraints, and how to contribute to the software development process were all invaluable lessons I learned throughout the academy. I was used to being in charge of a project, and now I’m just owning the part I’m most involved in - the software testing. This allows me to dive deeper and manage quality in all parts of the software development lifecycle. I enjoy putting my analytical skills to practice when finding bugs but also planning for priorities, and creating recommendations and best practices for the client.

Soumya: During the traineeship, I gained skills across the range of software testing practices including understanding various testing methodologies like functional, regression, and exploratory testing. I learned how to write and execute test cases, report bugs effectively, and collaborate with developers. I became proficient with Jira, Confluence, BrowserStack, Postman, and JMeter. 

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Were there any aspects of the training that were particularly challenging? How did you overcome them?

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Soumya: Throughout the traineeship, I didn’t encounter any major challenges, as the program was well-structured and provided a clear path for learning. The support from mentors and fellow trainees also played a significant role in making the experience smooth and enjoyable. 

Martijn: My main challenge was balancing the time between theory and practice, since I almost immediately got placed on a project. This was of course, the best case scenario, since I could apply skills I was learning to real-life scenarios. It did present a lot of challenges, but thanks to Eve and the spriteCloud team we were able to manage my time and workload pretty effectively.

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How well did the academy balance theoretical learning and practical application?

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Martijn: What I really liked while in the academy was working with Eve, Head of Test Engineering at spriteCloud. It was awesome to do some practical examples with her: Testing websites, writing tickets, debating what constitutes a bug and what the risks of action or inaction could be. We took a detailed look at bug-finding, and understood the logic behind it - it’s good to unpack practical situations with multiple people to see their different perspectives. Something you can’t easily do on a regular test project is take a step back and discuss outcomes and rationale with peers. The spriteCloud Academy provided space and opportunity to do so.

Soumya: The program struck a great balance between theoretical learning and practical application. While the theoretical lessons provided me with a solid foundation in testing methodologies and best practices (ISTQB), the hands-on projects allowed me to apply those concepts in real-world scenarios.

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Did you feel supported by the instructors and mentors throughout the program?

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Soumya: Yes, I felt very supported by the instructors and mentors throughout the program. They were always available to answer questions and provide guidance.

Martijn: I absolutely loved working with senior staff on the program - having a seasoned Test Engineering Manager to bounce ideas off of was really valuable. It was great to have access to experts to help guide me through the program.

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Can you share an example of a hands-on project or task you worked on during the academy?

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Martijn: Funnily enough, I got placed on three projects throughout the traineeship, so I learned a lot of skills on the job, and I still am learning something new every day. It was a challenge balancing the academy with the project work, but thankfully spriteCloud was flexible enough and I could discuss my needs as required. Going forward, learning will always be part of a career in testing and spriteCloud is willing and able to support this.

Soumya: During the academy, I worked on a hands-on project testing websites for Heineken. My focus was on ensuring the site was user-friendly, fully functional, and responsive across various devices and browsers. I also checked for broken links, proper image display, and overall website performance.

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What soft skills (e.g., teamwork, communication, problem-solving) did you develop during the program?

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Martijn: Communication was at the forefront for me, from structuring my work and presenting my work back to the team, helping the team get into the same mode of operation, embodying good habits of over-communicating, and leading by example.

Soumya: I developed teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. I learned how to work well with others, clearly share issues, and find solutions, all of which are important for QA.

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How did the program help you understand real-world QA processes?

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Martijn: By doing real world Quality Assurance! That’s the fun part, right? I was lucky enough to be placed on these quite early, and continued to hone my skills there. 

Soumya: The program helped me understand real-world QA processes by giving me hands-on experience with manual testing. I learned how to collaborate with the team, document bugs clearly, and use tools like Jira, BrowserStack and Postman.

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How confident do you feel in your ability to start a QA role after completing the program?

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Martijn: Super confident! I have plans to move into Test Management, since this matches my interests in quality, and project management. I like to get into the weeds with a project!

Soumya: I feel confident in my ability to start a QA role after completing the program. I’ve gained hands-on experience with testing, worked with industry-standard tools, and learned how to collaborate effectively with development teams.

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How has completing the program changed your perspective on a career in QA?

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Martijn: It confirmed that this was the right career path for me. My dedication to quality, critical thinking, and analytical skills - along with my ability to persuade others, assign tasks, and collaborate with developers and business analysts - all came together to show me that I had made the right decision to switch careers.

Soumya: Completing the program showed me how important QA is in delivering quality software. Seeing this process from the perspective of a QA made me really appreciate the work that goes into software development and quality assurance. 

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Would you recommend the spriteCloud Academy to others? Why or why not?

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Soumya: Yes, I would recommend the spriteCloud Academy. It offers a structured route map, hands-on experience, experienced mentors, and practical skills that prepare you well for a career in QA.

Martijn:  I would recommend the spriteCloud Academy to anybody who wants to kickstart a career in testing - to gain practical work experience, get access to experienced testers, and gain an understanding on the breadth of the modern software testing domain (such as test automation, performance testing, etc.)

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Interested in joining the next spriteCloud Academy? Contact us info@spritecloud.com to learn more about our upcoming Academy program for 2025.

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