iX Teacher Spotlight — Miki von Ketelhodt — Full Stack Coding 2018.

"Similarly to how I love developing a solution or platform, I love helping people to grow. Sharing my tech knowledge with students and feeding off their enthusiasm about learning something new is so rewarding."

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Miki (or Mikael if you're feeling formal) von Ketelhodt is not only runs his own software development company, he's also our Head Teacher for the iXperience Full Stack Coding course. Learn more about his views on web diversification, the business solution he's currently working on, and why he reckons he's sure to survive a zombie apocalypse.

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Miki's Background

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Miki studied BCom Investment Management from 2013-2015 while working as a SAP developer and consultant, implementing business processes and applications across both business and government sectors. His business background and ever-growing suite of software skills sparked a desire to found his own software development company — a feat he began in 2014. Fast-forward to 2018 and he and the team service clients from America, Europe and South Africa, building bleeding-edge technology platforms and products.

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What are you working on now? Tell us about an exciting project that you’ve recently completed or are currently involved with.

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I'm currently working on an exciting crowd-sourcing Full Stack web and mobile solution for a client in the USA. 

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Our company has also developed a small mobile application that allows users to order their drinks via their mobile phone and get notified as to when they can pick them up from the bar. The app is currently being trialled in a few eateries in Cape Town which is great to see.

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I'm also involved with implementing solutions on the blockchain and heavily interested in what the future holds for the technology. I feel like this is just the beginning.

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What do you enjoy most about the Web Development and Full Stack in particular?

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I enjoy Web Development, and development in general, because it provides instant gratification. I can come up with an idea today and have a working prototype by the next morning (despite lacking a pretty user interface). Putting together an entire solution from the ground up and figuring out the various architectural components that it might comprise of (i.e. Full Stack) is incredibly satisfying.

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Why did you decide to get involved with teaching and how do you continue to keep things fresh?

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First of all, I think anybody going into development or programming has a hunger to learn, as you constantly need to understand the latest programming APIs, documentation and technology.

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Secondly, I'm passionate about building things - products, sites, apps and platforms. Similarly to how I love developing a solution or platform, I love helping people to grow. Sharing my tech knowledge with students and feeding off their enthusiasm about learning something new is so rewarding.

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Lastly, my mentor, and now business partner, has been patient in teaching me over the last 6 years. His guidance has inspired me to pass on the knowledge that he has passed down to me.

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What are you most looking forward to about iXperience this summer?

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I am looking forward to building an awesome community of future tech enthusiasts as well as an amazing, intense, and exciting Full Stack Coding course. Get ready!

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How do you see the Web Dev industry changing in the next year to five years? Do you think that it’s still possible to be a Full Stack Developer as diversification increases?

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It's definitely still possible to be a Full Stack Developer and especially so with the increase in diversification. Web Development forms the foundation of almost every platform or solution. For example, innovations like blockchain technology still require a development foundation in order to build and integrate into blockchain-based solutions.

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What skills will iX students have after graduating from your class?

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My iX students will be able to create web and mobile applications that integrate into functional server-side back ends, and build databases using the latest modern web technology available (used at all major tech companies around the world).

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What’s one piece of advice that you have for the iX class of 2018?

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Never stop learning. Explore your ideas. Keep building and trying and never give up.

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What are your ‘desert island’ books or movies?

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"Solve for Happy" by Google's Mo Gawdat as well "The Zombie Survival Guide" by Max Brooks.

How long would you survive in the Zombie Apocalypse and why?

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See answer above. As a programmer, I have also been told that I look like a zombie after a long night of hacking. I think I would fit in and they would leave me alone.