Trần Minh Triết never does anything halfway. Whether that be his childhood fascination with computers, which led him to pursue a career in IT or his extensive sneakers collection, he’s always driven by a huge commitment to the things that interest him. In this story, he shares his way into IT and his experience of starting at an international IT company as a recent graduate.
The dragon babies
The number of babies born in Vietnam increased in the year 2000.
Marking the beginning of a new century and being the year of the Dragon, it was considered a very fortunate year to be born.
The Vietnamese children born in 2000 are often referred to as the “golden” dragon babies, coming into existence at the start of a new millennium.
Trần Minh Triết is one of those.
Fiddling with keyboards
Triết explains that he has always been fascinated by computers. Ever since he can remember, he’s been intrigued by what they could do.
»I even recall that I liked touching the computers and fiddling with the keyboards. I thought everything about computers was intriguing. And then I also spent a lot of time playing video games as a child«, he adds.
»My parents always wanted the best for me. They even planned for me to be a golden dragon baby. So, when I started contemplating studying IT, I first turned to my mother for advice.«
Triết is at his home in Ho Chi Minh City, where he lives with his parents. He is currently saving up to move out and start an independent life.
»Back then, it was extremely popular to study economics, and I think that my mother originally hoped I would choose that. However, she eventually got on board with the idea, and soon after, I enrolled at university to study IT.«
During his studies, Triết was eager to put his skills into action and make an impact on real-life projects. This led him to sign a contract with Netcompany while still at university, with his first day being one month before his actual graduation date.
»What really drew me to Netcompany was the opportunity to work on large-scale global projects. I’ve always been very global-minded and fascinated with Western culture, particularly American culture. Becoming a part of an international company, working in cross-border teams, and speaking English daily was very appealing to me.«
A selection of sneakers from Triết’s collection.
His interest in American culture grew during his teenage years, watching American TV shows and YouTube videos.
It was back then, he stumbled upon something that soon developed into one of his biggest passions.
Sneakers.
»I began watching a lot of YouTube videos about sneakers. From unboxing and revealing new releases to videos where they would dive into the history of the different sneakers.«
And it didn’t take long before he began collecting himself.
»I bought my first pair of sneakers when I was around 14 years old. It was a huge deal for me since they were quite expensive, especially at that age. Since then, I have continued to grow my collection.«
A defining moment
Starting at Netcompany as a recent graduate without prior work experience has been exciting but also challenging at times. Triết explains how trying out his skills in different settings and working with different technologies and programming languages has allowed him to develop his competencies and gain a great level of professional confidence.
Triết especially recalls one experience that stands out as a defining moment in his professional life.
»After approximately six months at Netcompany, I got the chance to work on a new project. Here, we were developing an IT solution based on Java. Up to this point, I had primarily worked with .NET.«
»In the beginning, this made me a bit anxious since I really wanted to prove myself and help deliver good results. But it proved to be such a good learning experience, and it’s made me more confident in other situations when encountering tasks or challenges that are new to me.«
When asked about his long-term career aspirations, Triết pauses for a moment before he replies:
»I’m still quite open in terms of my goals for the future. Right now, I’m contemplating whether to pursue the consulting or architect career track. I’m happy to get the opportunity to try out my skills in different settings. By doing so, I’m able to figure out what I am truly passionate about.«
