Reflections on Escape by Mmapitso Mashilo - Web Development Recruit (C46)

The event commenced with an outstanding keynote by Lucky Nkosi. He urged us to reflect more and focus on what is important. He presented energy management as an alternative to time management and gave actionable steps on how to achieve this. This set the tone for the rest of the day. Session after session, industry professionals showcased exciting projects and gave insights on emerging trends and how to build better solutions.

I had the opportunity to attend four insightful sessions. I learned how tragic events can inspire life-saving solutions through Jochen Kirstätter’s story. Seale Rapolai shared his experience on building impactful solutions in the start-up space. Mikateko Ngobeni and Riselle Rawthee's smart mirror showed the fun side of tech. My favourite was David Budnitsky’s session on how he built his own FPV drone (I didn’t realise how awesome drones are).

Throughout the day, the following were common themes that made me think about what an impactful career in software development looks like:

• Problem-solving is at the centre of what we do. Technology exists to enhance our lives. The solutions we engineer must solve real societal problems and create a better society for all.
• How you build a solution matters. Writing readable, maintainable, bug-free code matters. Developers should be “resourceful mavericks instead of reckless renegades”, reducing technical debt rather than adding to it.
• Constraints and collaboration can be catalysts for creativity. Collaboration and challenges spark creativity.
• Continuous learning and using “failure” as feedback. Continuous learning often means venturing into uncharted waters through technology. Embracing this process and using failure as feedback leads to growth.  

This panel was a fitting close to the conference. Experts discussed trends in technology, AI, and their impact on society, delving into their hopes and concerns. What resonated most was their keenness to bridge the digital divide so that no one is left behind.

A key moment was when an audience member asked about AI safety and regulations. In their response, the panellists agreed that it is the duty of all technologists not to build technologies that harm society. I learned that we should consider regulations, ethics, and safeguards while building, rather than waiting for third parties, such as the government, to regulate.