We’re a package deal: how three graduates landed jobs together at the same company
Things happen for a reason. When Sally Do, Prapti Shah and Meseret Gebrezgi were randomly assigned to work together for Project 3, their final software development build, who would have thought they would all find employment together at the same company?
When the project selection ideas were presented, Garden Loft immediately stood out to them.
“Caring for elders and fostering community are two important values that resonated with me and the rest of the team, so we were excited to roll up our sleeves and dive in,” says Meseret.
The task at hand was to design and build a digital platform for Garden Loft seniors to connect through group virtual activities.
Garden Loft builds stand-alone backyard suites for aging parents and loved ones. While the suites allow loved ones to live close to family, elders can still feel isolated as they aren’t socializing with people their own age and with similar interests.
A digital platform uniting the seniors in group fitness and art classes, guest speaker sessions and music would provide that necessary social interaction.
The three developers spent 12 weeks working to build this tech solution. Through weekly stand-up meetings with John Brown and Matthew North, the co-founders of Garden Loft, they were able to figure out what would make the platform a success.
Simple to use
Good quality video and audio
Engaging for seniors
“Matthew and John were really patient with us and we’re grateful for that,” says Sally.
"The synergy among us was undeniable. From day one, we clicked, not just as team members, but as individuals driven by a common goal. Matthew, John, Sally, Meseret and I are team members. This project wasn't just a task for us; it was a mission to make a difference in the lives of seniors, and that passion fueled our determination to see the success of the app," says Prapti.
Once they had built a viable product using React as a programming language, it was time to try it out. They ran several user test sessions with seniors and a professional facilitator.
The experiment couldn’t have gone better - this video illustrates how much fun the seniors were having while engaging in the remote activity sessions.
“We were so excited when we got the feedback from the seniors. They said our app was intuitive and easy to use, and much easier for them than navigating Zoom’s setup. So, we were thrilled!” says Sally.
The team had delivered and now it was time to think about their futures. With graduation approaching, the three emerging developers needed to plan their career paths going forward.
Garden Loft indicated they had enough funding to hire two developers who would continue working on the project. It was an enticing offer - two of the three could walk away from the program with full-time jobs locked down. But, it didn’t feel right - they didn’t want to leave one behind.
“We all were putting in the hard work and never expected anything in terms of a job offer. As much as we shared our interest in continuing with the project, we also vouched for how much each other’s contributions to the project played in the success of the app. We thank Greg Hart’s advice and assistance in making that possible,” says Prapti.
Garden Loft heard the message loud and clear.
If the women were willing to accept a slightly lower wage, they would be willing to spread the funding out and hire all three of them!
A deal had been struck.
Today, all three of them are working at Garden Loft as software developers. Their next goal for the project is to build a video calling feature into the platform so seniors can connect face-to-face, similar to FaceTime.
They are extremely grateful to both Garden Loft and InceptionU for preparing them for their new careers and providing the opportunity to work on a meaningful project.
None of this would have been possible without InceptionU, the facilitators and Garden Loft.
“I came to InceptionU with the expectation of changing my life. I had really high faith in the program. The InceptionU experience surpassed all of my expectations,” says Meseret.
Sally, Prapti and Meseret showed up for one another, putting the well-being of the group ahead of the individual. Their remarkable display of altruism is the most heartwarming part of this career success story.
