Today, we shine a spotlight on Ali Hasan, who has been recognized for “Own Our Tomorrow, Today,” one of the ProgressPROUD core values we strive to embody every day.
Everything big once started out as something small. Global companies, skyscrapers and ubiquitous technologies all began with an idea, a first step and the resolve to see something through.
Ali Hasan knows that careers are often built in the same way. After completing an internship at Progress, he officially joined the company as a software engineer in November 2022. From these first steps, Ali has always kept tomorrow in mind—while also leveraging the lessons of yesterday.
Learn more about Ali, his experience at Progress and his commitment to learning something new each day in the interview below.
You started at Progress as an intern. What made you choose Progress for your internship?
Great question!
When I decided to start working, I was a final year student and I still had classes, exams, theses and more, and sometimes I had to go to the university to finish them. The other companies I applied to were adamantly against this, except for Progress.
From the first time I spoke with someone from the company, I realized that they respect the individual, no matter how “small” a role that person plays. Of course, this is not the only reason why I chose Progress. One of the other reasons, which was equally important, was the culture at Progress—it has the unique ability to transform people's differences into a common goal.
One of the things that made the biggest and best impression on me was the fact that from my very first day, my colleagues and other employees treated me as one of their own. There wasn't that division that I'm used to seeing in other companies, where it's as if someone with a higher rank is much greater than the others.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
Every single moment from my internship was great.
It would be very difficult to choose the best part, but I think the best parts of the internship were the moments when I realized that I had achieved something, and that my colleagues recognized it too. That feeling of being part of the team, not someone just standing there, is great.
Why did you choose to pursue software engineering? What drew you to the field?
I have been fascinated by computers since I was a child. Of course, back then, the only important thing was how many games I could play on them. The spark that lit the wick of my interest in software engineering was a question characteristic of children and geniuses—“how?”
How could the combination of ones and zeros possibly create this? How does this even work? I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I do remember that this was when my interest in software engineering began.
What’s something you think you want to achieve while working in this field?
For starters, I set small goals for myself every day. One of these goals is to learn something new in my field every single day. Of course, this is a very small goal. But we must not forget that a whole lake can form drop by drop.
I want to conquer new peaks in my career development, work on the latest technologies and participate in their development and management. In general, when I look back on my career path, I want to be able to say, “I chose the right path.”
What are some of the lessons you’ve learned while interning at Progress that you know you’ll use and continue to remember?
I learned many new lessons related to software engineering (like how to write code correctly and optimally, how to correctly find and debug errors, how to work with different technologies, how to think like a programmer, etc.) that I will continue to use in my professional development. However, the non-technical skills I learned (like how to work as part of a team, how to communicate with different people, how to be open to new ideas, etc.) I will continue to use in every aspect of my life.
What excites you most about your future at Progress?
One of the things that excites me most about my future at Progress is the opportunity to experience new technologies firsthand—to participate in their experimentation, development and improvement, to become a pioneer in the integration and use of these new technologies, to learn from the experience and wisdom of my colleagues. We have endless possibilities at Progress; our only limit is our imagination.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do?
In my spare time, I like to go for bike rides, walk in nature or go fishing. When it’s dark outside or the weather conditions don’t allow for these activities, I like to read books and, of course, cook.
To get to know other Progressers like Ali, read more of our employee interviews here.
Jessica Kent
Jessica Kent was a content specialist at Progress.