Building skills, confidence ánd a career

Easing into it

“The market for new graduates isn’t easy. Every junior role seemed to require one to three years of experience. Finding a company willing to give me a shot was tough. That’s when bol came in.”

The YP Programme seemed to be the exact right fit for Kyle. And that first period stood out for him right away. “What I noticed immediately was the space I was given to ease into things. Most companies give you a few days to settle in – if that. At bol, I had time to figure out how everything worked and get used to the tools and the dynamic, before I even officially met the team. It helped me build up my confidence, both in programming and work in general.”

I can actually do this

As part of the Advertising Financial Foundation team, Kyle helps build and maintain the infrastructure that ensures advertising budgets, transactions and invoices. “There have definitely been a few panic-y moments,” he laughs. “When you’re just starting out and are surrounded by really smart, experienced people, it can feel a bit overwhelming. Still, I never felt like I was left to figure things out on my own. There’s loads of documentation available, and everyone is open and willing to help. You can ask anything, and no one makes you feel like you should already know it all.”

This gave Kyle the confidence to take the lead on projects. “One of my first big milestones was working on an outward-facing service for advertisers. Setting up the first steps of the project, laying the foundations, building the front end – it showed me that I could take ownership. I realised: I can actually do this. People trusted me with responsibility, and I proved I could handle it.”

If you want to move forward, bol gives you the roadmap. You just have to walk it. Kyle, Medior Engineer

Developing new skills

The YP Programme combines technical work with personal development. Every week, one full day is set aside to focus on soft skills and growth instead of day-to-day tasks. Kyle: “In a side project with another YP, we built an internal tool to automate data insights. It wasn’t just technical work. It involved project management, stakeholder communication, and convincing people to back our idea. That kind of responsibility was new to me and also energised me. I don’t enjoy doing the same tasks over and over. I like challenges, I like learning. The more new things come my way, the more I grow.”

Beyond projects, Kyle also dove into courses and training sessions, especially those focused on soft skills. “They helped me figure out where my strengths lie, and what I want to work towards. The feedback training really stood out. I used to wait for feedback to come to me. Now, I actively ask for and apply it. An example? Multiple people told me I was always trying to take on too much, rushing through tasks. That stuck with me. Now, I take more time. And the quality of my work – and how I feel about it – has gone up.”

Community at work

“What I like most about working at bol? The community feeling, definitely. It’s surprisingly easy to build connections here, even for introverts and across different departments. There are board game nights, queer balls – which are open to everyone, by the way – or just easy chats in open Slack channels. There’s always something happening, and always someone to talk to. Every day, I genuinely look forward to going to the office. Connecting with colleagues, feeling part of something; it gives me energy.”

Kyle has already been promoted to medior engineer during the programme. And he’s clear about the future too. “My next goal is to become a senior engineer. I know what I have to do to get there; there’s documentation, regular feedback sessions, and full transparency. If you want to move forward, bol gives you the roadmap. You just have to walk it.”

“I think you can find career growth in a lot of places. But finding a company where you can grow, challenge yourself ánd find community? That, to me, is bol.”