12 questions for Elliot, our new apprentice!

A few questions from Marc to get to know Elliot, who joined us a few weeks ago. He’s completing his CFC in computer science development (an apprenticeship through the Jobtrek foundation). Programming is his passion.

During the lockdown, I had much more free time. Feeling a bit bored with my high school studies and wanting to do something meaningful related to the video games I had been playing with my brother since childhood, I decided to understand how a game is created. So, I started making a small game in Python using a YouTube tutorial — the goal was to destroy asteroids.

You spent some time at École 42; can you tell us more about that?
Still during the lockdown, I considered quitting high school to start training in computer science. A close friend told me about École 42 in Lausanne, which was about to open. Free and based on peer learning, without teachers, the school already existed in other countries. After passing the online tests, I was selected to participate in the “pool,” an intensive month-long bootcamp. I passed and then followed the regular curriculum for a year and a half. What I enjoyed the most was the pool — it was motivating, exciting, and gave me a real sense of purpose. The team spirit was also incredible.

I chose an apprenticeship because the diploma is officially recognised — but that wasn’t the main reason. I was looking for a proper work structure; I wasn’t mature enough to be fully self-disciplined. My experience at École 42 made me realise this. Today, those 18 months are a real asset on my CV. Between ETML, EPSIC, and École 42, the learning approaches are very different. I enjoy self-learning, and it’s sometimes better than traditional teaching. Searching for information, starting from nothing, and delivering a finished product on your own is much closer to real work. At Antistatique, I have the same freedom as at École 42, the challenges — but with the structure I needed.

It may sound a bit geeky, but I really enjoy programming. It’s one of the things that makes me completely lose track of time.

Good question 🙂 Many things have surprised me. Since I never had a real work environment before, it’s hard to compare. But I discovered team rituals like Dev Coffee, Team Meetings, Dailies, Standups… and I think they’re great. They create real cohesion. Sharing information is important too.

I’ve always seen the Internet as an ocean. There’s so much out there, but we know so little of it. There are unexplored depths, like levels we gradually unlock. The more we work on it, the more we discover. How to contribute? Good question. By going where few people go. I don’t want to stay with “basic knowledge” — I want to encourage people to look further than the first results.

More people explore the oceans than space. And you can go swimming barefoot — it feels more accessible.

Probably the beach — by a mountain lake :-P

Yes, I use it. I’m still learning how to use it properly so it does what I need. People are afraid of AI because they don’t understand how to use it or what it’s for. Later, I think these skills will be important to automate parts of our work. It’s important to use it and learn it now to stay competitive. We’ll use it to optimise and improve, not to completely replace us. Technology’s promises have never been fully realised anyway.

I arrive around 8:15. At 8:50 we have the Standup, where everyone says hello and we share key information for the day. Then comes the Daily with the dev team, where we share our tasks for the day and what we completed the day before. After that, I work on my tasks and do code reviews with the different specialists. At the moment, I’m developing features for the Citadel application, the management and monitoring tool for all the agency’s projects. I’m creating a reminder system for projects and shared tasks. I eat at noon, then continue working.

Many things — it depends on the topic. In everyday life, I try to see the positive side of things. Finding purpose in everything helps me stay motivated and gives meaning to my actions. Waking up in the morning with a purpose is the best recipe.

I love cooking many different dishes, so it’s hard to choose. But recently, I’d say Thai Papaya Salad (Som Tam Lao).