“As a kid I was always messing around with tech and I’ve consistently been the first port of call for family and friends with tech issues. When I left school I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I went through an electrical course and then a media studies course at college (which I got a distinction for) and thought maybe that was my thing. A college mate recommended me for a temporary part time role at the business his Mum was a QA Lead for, and that ended up being my path into QA work.
Initially I was hired to spend 3 months running test cases to clear their board, but they liked my positivity and work ethic, so offered me a permanent full-time position which I held for four years. During that time, I built fundamental QA knowledge and experimented with development, working on Elementor, WordPress and CSS. I developed some small projects, mostly teaching myself through W3 schools and YouTube. When the Lead QA left I found myself taking up their mantle until the company decided to outsource testing. This led to me taking up a QA coordination role, alongside some project management on agile frameworks.
Starting my career during lockdown, I’ve always worked remotely but began to crave the interactions and rapport you develop with colleagues in a shared workspace. It seems that’s a common theme amongst my generation (Gen Z). That’s what drove me to apply for the job at StrategiQ, that and the fact that I wanted to be in an environment where I could learn and build on my experience in a more structured way. For me, StrategiQ offers the opportunity to learn and develop, provides a good balance of hybrid working, and enables me to contribute to meaningful projects I can be proud of.
Alix really set me up for success from day one. She brought me in and showed me how we do things around here in a structured and easy to understand way. Working with multiple clients was one of my biggest growth curves, but I grew in my understanding and ability to piece it all together to the point where I’m now confident to take a project through the QA process (with Alix’s guidance always on-hand). I really enjoy working alongside our development team and our project managers to ensure that projects stay on track, meet expectations, and morale remains high even through challenges.
I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so testing probably suits me really well! It’s a really broad discipline and one I’m fascinated by. I’m really enjoying my current project as I’m able to apply what I’ve learnt from previous projects and feel that my coverage is better. You definitely learn a lot more through doing. Whilst ‘you don’t know, what you don’t know’ I love problem solving, so I’m pleased to not only be able to identify issues, but to get hands on as well, suggesting possible solutions. I’m excited by some of the developments we’re considering in our process, such as Max’s modular approach, which I know will really improve consistency and efficiency. I’m also loving being part of the AI Council, looking at ways to incorporate AI and automation into our QA processes in the future!
What I love most about StrategiQ is Andy’s inspiring drive and momentum to push the company forward. It’s not just a theory or something we talk about, you can actively see it happening day in and day out. That is what I was looking for, a place that kept pushing themselves, where I could be inspired to push myself. I’m really proud of the people I work with and how we’re progressing.”
What colleagues say about Callum:
“Callum’s attention to detail and thorough testing have been crucial in pushing projects forward and ensuring a smooth process. Callum consistently thinks deeply about how things work and helps the team to find the best solutions, making everyone’s job easier. Callum has a great attitude and is always more than willing to help, thank you Callum!”
“I’ve been really impressed with Callum’s attention to detail in his QA reports, and it’s clear to see the progress that has been made since first joining. Been great to talk through and discuss and resolve issues collaboratively as well. Well done Callum, keep it up!”
“Callum has really gone above and beyond this month, he has been extremely helpful, even at 3am he’s loading content, raising tickets for issues big or small and making sure the site was as good as it could be. If that doesn’t scream commitment then I don’t know what does! Go get that duvet day Callum!
Callum deserves MVP this month for all the extra effort and time gone into making sure web projects are ready for launch. Always willing to help out where he can and learn new things to help out the rest of the team. Keep it up Callum!”
“Callum has been a real aid to the team this month. Grinding the gears behind the scenes and helping the creative team make sure the site is as good as it can be. He brings real joy to any team call and has an infectious positivity that can’t help but make you smile. He has been working hard to build out his skill set and I really feel that he deserves a big shout out and a well earned day off.”
“Callum has been brilliant this month! His hard work and dedication to projects has been clear, especially with managing a third-party agency. He’s always asking questions to provide a high standard for our clients. Keep up the great work!”
“Even though he’s the new kid on the block, he’s already making strides with our QA process. Callum has been asking the right questions and getting through the work like a champ. Keep it up mate!”
