Video games may sound like a surprising point of entry into the financial services sector, but that’s exactly how DigiPen (Singapore) graduates Brydon Tan, Marcus Khoo, and Yeo Jing Kang first developed a shared love for computer science that led them to working as software engineers at Visa Singapore.
“It all started with video games. Back during secondary school days, I was not particularly interested in computer science itself and just wanted to make the next hit indie game,” Jing Kang says candidly. This spurred him to learn C++ programming by following a tutorial series he found on YouTube, which he enjoyed greatly. He decided to pursue game development in polytechnic and subsequently joined the BS in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation program to further his studies, cultivating a genuine appreciation for computer science in the process.
BS in Computer Science and Game Design graduates Brydon Tan and Marcus Khoo share similar tales of how they got their starts in the field. Marcus was intrigued by the art and science behind games, while Brydon’s love for the medium led him to explore the use of commercial engines such as Unity to hone his software development skills in attempts to create his own games.
At Visa Singapore, Brydon is a full-stack software developer in an automation team within the reliability engineering department. He helps to implement new features for existing applications and review existing code. As one of the go-to engineers for full-stack development knowledge in his team, Brydon also acts as a mentor for his peers. Meanwhile, Jing Kang develops web apps that facilitate chip and terminal testing for Visa’s internal staff. This entails holding weekly meetings with different product owners to discuss any new requirements or bugs, so that Jing Kang and his teammates can fix them for subsequent releases. Marcus, in turn, develops tools to automate software testing, utilizing a tech stack that includes Java, JavaScript, Spring, SQL, Angular, HTML/CSS, and Node, among others.
While the work can be challenging at times, the trio finds it deeply rewarding. Brydon appreciates learning and implementing new technologies, while Marcus values the diverse learning opportunities Visa provides, which includes attending courses and conferences, as well as avenues to further one’s studies. Jing Kang, for his part, appreciates the intricate technology behind financial transactions. “It’s fascinating how much happens in the background when we make payments by tapping our cards at a terminal. And all of it happens within a couple of seconds!” he quips.
Pivoting from a game development background to the finance sector may seem daunting, but Brydon, Marcus, and Jing Kang are quick to point out that the transition was smooth thanks to their DigiPen (Singapore) education. “DigiPen gave me a very strong technical foundation that has allowed me to learn new concepts quickly,” Marcus says. He also credits his time in school for equipping him with the mental fortitude and necessary technical skills to excel in an ever-evolving industry like finance.
Brydon echoes this sentiment, highlighting how DigiPen (Singapore)’s in-depth focus on software development and computer science fundamentals not only helped him during job interviews but also in his day-to-day work. He credits the academic rigor for helping him to constantly come up with different solutions to software engineering problems and see things from multiple perspectives when fixing bugs. Beyond technical knowledge, Brydon is also grateful for DigiPen’s emphasis on multidisciplinary projects. Working on them has given him many opportunities to collaborate with others and learn how to contribute to his team as a project manager. Marcus agrees, adding, “The game development projects taught me how to work with people from different specializations and backgrounds, which is a valuable soft skill that all engineers need.”
As Brydon, Jing Kang, and Marcus continue to grow their careers at Visa Singapore, they look forward to furthering their technical skills and becoming even better software engineers. From aspiring game developers to developing tech in the financial sector, we’re excited about what these DigiPen Dragons will accomplish next!