Welcome to the "A Day in the Life" blog series, where we’ll be giving you an insider’s look into the daily routines, challenges and triumphs of various positions within Pwrteams. Each edition will feature a different role, offering a detailed narrative of a typical working day. From early morning meetings and collaborative brainstorming sessions to the intricate problem-solving and innovative thinking that characterise our work. Whether you’re a prospective employee curious about a specific job opening and the company culture, a current team member looking to learn more about your colleagues, or simply someone interested in the dynamic world of our industry, this series is for you.
This month, we had a chat with Dmytro Petrenko, a Tech Team Lead at TUI's team at Pwrteams. Check out his answers below to find out what a typical work day for him looks like.
How did you come into this position? What was your previous background?
My background has always been as a Java Software Engineer. I started an internship during my third year of university when I was 21, and since then, I've worked on various projects, gaining experience in this area. In the past, I've tried different roles: as a mentor for interns and junior developers, as well as a Team Lead for internal projects. However, my production experience has always been focused on development.
I joined Pwrteams (formerly known as Skelia in Ukraine and Poland) in the end of 2021 as a Senior Java Developer. I have gained valuable experience thanks to my previous project with a similar tech stack, and Pwrteams was hiring for a project with TUI. The company offered me a Senior Engineer position. After a year, the Tech Team Lead (TTL) position became available in my team, and I was offered the role. With about six years of experience, I felt ready to take on this new challenge. Opportunities for growth like this don't come every day.
How does your typical day at TUI's team look like?
The TTL position combines two roles: Tech Lead and Team Manager. My day begins with some planning work for the day, ensuring all team members have work to do, and checking if they have everything they need to complete their tasks. This needs to be done before our daily status call, so I can prepare for any questions or offer help. After that, my day typically involves a combination of various tasks: Scrum meetings with the team, sync-up calls with other teams, preparation of technical improvements for the project, new features design, detailing user stories with implementation specifics, supporting team members and doing code reviews.
Overall, my role is primarily organisational. I don't usually work on development tasks unless something urgent arises or it's a non-business task. However, this role is a great starting point for exploring leadership and deciding on my future path — whether to continue focusing on my technical skills and prepare to become an architect or to pursue a management role if I find that more fulfilling.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
I enjoy various aspects of my job, but my favorite part is the ability to take decisions. Of course, it's a big responsibility, and it is important to be careful with your choices. Despite that, it's an incredible feeling to achieve the desired result, knowing that your decisions contributed to it. Also, it's a great feeling to be proud of the whole team whenever we accomplish something significant.
Additionally, I appreciate that I have the opportunity to participate in the preparation of architectural designs. This is the next level of development, and it makes me feel that I'm growing when I work on such type of tasks.
And the most challenging?
The most challenging part for me is ensuring that team members are happy with their work. It's important to keep everyone motivated and be sure no one is bored or under too much pressure. The team should feel like a cohesive unit, not just a group of individuals working together.
Another challenging aspect is line management. It's not enough for developers to only do their job; they need to grow, achieve milestones and continue improving, even if it seems like they've already reached the top.
What new skills have you picked up on this position?
In my opinion, the most important skill I've gained is delegation. Delegating tasks isn't about avoiding work — it's part of the job. Initially, it was difficult for me, because I felt uncomfortable, or even guilty, asking a team member to take on something I didn't have time to complete myself. However, I've come to realize that the entire team must support the TTL or other team members. Now, I'm much more comfortable with it.
I've also improved my management and communication skills. While communication wasn't a problem for me before, I've learned how many issues can be resolved through proper discussions with different people at various levels.
What makes it so great being part of TUI's team?
TUI is a huge company, so I can't speak for the whole company, but from my experience, TUI is the most flexible and understanding client I've worked with. I appreciate the freedom I have in choosing technologies and making decisions. The management hierarchy is well-structured, so everyone has their manager, but their role isn't just about line management, so you don't feel like you're under constant scrutiny.
Another important aspect for me is personal growth. As I mentioned earlier, TUI encouraged me to grow and try a new position. Moreover, TUI ensures that every team member develops both personal and common skills required for any specialist.
In addition, TUI genuinely cares about work-life balance. We never discuss overtime or any activities that don't fit a particular person.
What do you like the most about being part of the Pwrteams family?
I joined the company three years ago, and I can confidently say that Pwrteams provides a comfortable and cozy environment for its employees. You never feel like just a small cog in a big machine, which is nice. You can get the support you need without dealing with bureaucracy, and because of that, it truly feels like you're part of a family.
For me, it's also important that Pwrteams (and Nortal) stand with Ukraine. They supported our colleagues at the beginning of the full-scale war and continue to do so. Pwrteams communicated the situation with clients effectively, and despite the extremely difficult conditions, Pwrteams’ employees have been able to continue working because our clients know that quality will always be our top priority.
Keen to work together with amazing professionals like Dmytro? Check out our vacancies and apply.
