From intern to core team member: Jelle's story 📱
Imagine starting as an intern, building your first Flutter app, learning from experienced colleagues... and gradually growing into a developer with increasing responsibility. That is exactly the path Jelle has taken at ACA. We sat down with him to talk about his growth, key learning moments, and what it is like to work as a Mobile Developer at ACA.
🧩 From job fair to permanent team member
Hi Jelle, how did you end up at ACA?
"I came across ACA several times during my studies, at a job fair, during seminars and eventually at a handshake event for internship placements. Every time, the company stood out, so the choice was pretty easy for me."
What attracted you to ACA and the Mobile Business Unit?
"What appealed to me most was that at ACA I could actually work as a real team member. At most other internship placements you get an isolated project with little connection to how the company actually operates. Here it was different: from day one I had a seat at the table."
What was your first impression of the team?
"Very relaxed and open. I immediately had the space to think along about new technologies and the best approach for them. That felt refreshing. I was an intern, but my opinion mattered."
What project did you work on during your internship, and which technologies did you use?
"I started with research into FlutterFlow as part of my internship assignment. After that I got to work straight away on a real client project: Immovlan. So my internship started with FlutterFlow — the low-code version of Flutter — but before long it became pure Flutter."
What did you find most challenging in the beginning?
"Writing production-quality code. At school you never continued working on a project after the deadline, so maintenance and efficiency rarely came into play. Here that was a big difference: the code not only had to work, it also had to be solid and maintainable."
When did you first feel like you were truly part of the team?
"Thanks to the warm welcome I felt like a full team member quite quickly, but the real turning point was when I got to implement complete features and help shape the direction of the project. That is when I finally felt genuinely useful."
📈 Growth built on trust
How has your role evolved since your internship?
"I carry a lot more responsibility today and work more independently as well. I am involved in estimations for new features, in communication with clients and in architectural decisions. All of that was unthinkable during my internship."
Where have you grown the most as a developer?
"Technically I have definitely learned a lot, but my biggest growth has been in communication and ownership. Both within the team and towards the client. My understanding of architecture has also grown significantly. You only learn how important it is when you work on large, long-running projects."
Was there a specific project that had a big impact on your growth?
"I have learned a lot from every project, but the one I am currently working on, Ecofix, has had the greatest impact. It is the largest project I have been part of so far, and it has taught me how crucial maintainable code and a well-thought-out architecture really are. Good planning here is not a luxury, it is a necessity."
How does ACA support your development?
"Mainly through code reviews and spontaneous knowledge sharing. But also by giving me more and more responsibility. That combination makes you grow quickly. Not just technically, but also in how you handle projects and clients."
When did you notice that you were getting more independence?
"From the start I was already given a good amount of independence, but the real acceleration came when I let go of the feeling of being 'the new one'. From that moment my development really took off. It is also a mindset shift: you have to be willing to take the initiative yourself."
🚀 Working as a Mobile Developer at ACA
What does a typical working day look like for you?
"My morning usually starts with a solid focus session on coding. Around midday we have our daily stand-up to discuss progress and remove any blockers. In the afternoon I alternate between building features, doing research and attending meetings. What makes my day truly dynamic is that I can constantly bounce ideas off colleagues about the best technical approach."
Which technologies do you mainly work with today? What do you like about Flutter?
"I mainly work with Flutter. The big advantage is that you can build multiple apps from a single codebase. For Ecofix we have a web portal for clients, a mobile app and a sales portal for the Ecofix sales team, all from the same codebase. That makes it very easy to maintain a consistent look and feel and to roll out new features quickly."
How important is collaboration within your team?
"Collaboration is the most important thing. We have daily stand-ups, I can always turn to colleagues to talk through problems, and all code is reviewed by someone else. That ensures quality and shared ownership over the project."
What makes the Mobile Business Unit unique?
"We work with three completely different technologies that can all lead to the same result. And even though that means we are divided into sub-teams, we still feel like one team in the end, thanks to fun team activities and working together at the office."
What gives you the most energy in your job today?
"Being able to use the end result on my own phone. When you have built a feature and you see it live in an app that people use every day... that gives you a real buzz!"
🧠 Advice for future Mobile Developers
What kind of developer fits well in the Mobile Team?
"Someone who is sociable but also able to work independently. You need to enjoy chatting with colleagues, but also be capable of making decisions on your own. That combination is worth its weight in gold here."
What helps you grow quickly at ACA?
"Not being afraid to ask questions or put different ideas on the table. The culture here encourages that. Nobody will laugh at you for asking something or making a suggestion."
What should you definitely not expect when you start at ACA?
"A rigid hierarchy where you are only supposed to listen. That does not exist here. From day one you are encouraged to share your opinion and think along about solutions."
What advice would you give to a new Mobile Developer starting tomorrow?
"Study the existing architecture thoroughly and ask plenty of questions. You do not need to understand everything right away, but show interest and keep digging. That is the fastest way to learn."
Do you want to start or grow your career at ACA Group? ⭐
