CST 349 - Industry Expert Interview

 Post - Interview Reflection Report: 

Introduction: 

For this assignment, I interviewed Amy Bloch, my current technical lead at IBM. Amy is an accomplished software engineer with extensive experience in leading teams, building complex systems, and mentoring early-career engineers. Before moving into her current leadership role, she spent years working directly on software design and development, which gives her a strong technical foundation that she still relies on today. Currently as a technical lead, she not only contributes to solving technical challenges bit also guides the direction of projects and supports the professional growth of those on her team. 

I choies to interview Amy because I respect the way she balances technical expertise with leadership. Working under her has given me a firsthand view of her ability to keep projects on track, resolve challenges efficiently and empower team members to grow. As someone who is still in early paths of their career, I wanted to understand how she built her path and what key lesson I could take away from her for my own path. Since I plan on pursuing a Masters after completing my Bachelors in Mathematical engineering, I wanted to hear her perspective on how interdisciplinary skills, such as mathematics, fit into the evolving tech industry. 

Summary of Key Takeaways: 

Career Development: 

Amy explained that her career progression was less about following a rigid roadmap and more about staying open to opportunities. She described times when she took on projects outside her comfort zone, which ultimately helped her develop new skills and take on greater responsibilities. She emphasized the importance of continuous learning in technology—whether that means mastering new programming languages, staying current with frameworks, or understanding the business side of projects. For example she spent sometime when I had first onboarded onto the team to walk through legacy code since I would be using and coding with a language I had not worked with before. She also shared how mentorship shaped her career. She benefited from senior engineers who took the time to guide her, and now she makes a point to pay that forward. She encouraged me to actively seek out mentors but also to look for chances to mentor others, even peers, since teaching often deepens one’s own understanding.

Technical Challenges: 

One of the biggest challenges is balancing the need to dive deep into technical problems with the responsibility of managing people and projects. She said it’s tempting to spend all your time coding, but leadership requires stepping back, thinking strategically, and empowering others to solve problems. She also stressed that communication is just as important as coding. Translating technical concepts into language that makes sense for clients, managers, or other stakeholders is a skill that sets strong engineers apart. I found this especially valuable because it’s an area I know I need to strengthen myself.

Industry Trends: 

We discused the role of AI and machine learning in nearly every corner of the tech industry. She pointed out that companies are looking for engineers who not only know how to implement tools but who also understand the underlying mathematics and modeling behind them. This reinforced my decision to pursue mathematical engineering, since those skills are directly tied to optimization, algorithms, and predictive modeling—areas in growing demand. Another important point she raised was the focus on ethical technology development. 

Reflection: 

This interview left a strong impression on me because it gave me a clearer, more personal sense of what it means to build a career in technology. I’ve always thought of career growth primarily in terms of gaining technical expertise. Amy helped me see that while strong technical skills are essential, they aren’t the whole picture. Leadership, adaptability, and the ability to communicate effectively are equally critical. For example, I’ve long been drawn to mathematics because I enjoy problem-solving, abstraction, and modeling complex systems. I wondered if pursuing mathematical engineering might feel too far removed from the day-to-day work of a software engineer. However, Amy has shown me and explained to me on various occasions how central mathematical thinking is becoming to modern technology. She confirmed that industries are hungry for people who can bridge the gap between mathematics and computer science, especially in AI, optimization, and data-driven systems. On a more personal note, it was motivating to see how Amy has built a career without sacrificing curiosity. She has stayed open to learning, embraced new challenges, and continued to grow even after reaching leadership positions. It makes me realize that every step does not need to be sorted from day one. Instead, I should focus on building strong foundations, staying curious, and being open to where opportunities might lead me.

Future Steps: 

1. Strengthen my mathematical background: Focus on coursework and projects in applied mathematics, optimization and modeling. Continue my education to pursue my dreams 

2. Develop stronger communication skills: It is okay to ask for help. It is okay to work with senior engineers and ask for advice on how to go about certain problems. Every individuals technical background is different, therefore learning from your peers is important. 

3. Engage more with mentorship: Continue to learn from your leaders in the industry and in school. Learn from peers, engineers, colleagues and anyone else you have a chance to. Also remember to give back. Amy enjoys mentoring because she had great mentors for herself so she understands the importance. 

4. Stay current with industry trends: Engage in conversations about new trends, talk about the social impact of current trends and understand different perspectives.