The PQA Family is a dynamic, tight-knit team of hard-working individuals with diverse backgrounds. One of those hard-working individuals is Akshay Yadav, Software Tester at PQA Fredericton. Akshay joined PQA in October 2019 after hearing from CEO Keith McIntosh and being inspired by the story behind PQA and PLATO. He loves working side by side with developers and has created great relationships at PQA and on his client teams.
We interviewed Akshay to find out how he got into software testing and what he thinks about moving to and living on the East Coast.
1. Tell us a bit about your background and what you do for PQA?
Hello, I am Akshay Yadav. I hail from the western part of India – Vadodara, Gujarat. My city is known as “Sanskari Nagri” the cultural capital of Gujarat. I belong to a family of 5, that includes my first dog, a GSD named Skye. I am a Tech enthusiast with a passion for Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology in general. I came to Canada in 2018 immediately after finishing my Bachelor’s in Computer Science. I was enrolled in M.Eng Technology Management and Entrepreneurship program at UNB – Fredericton.
I work as a Software Tester for PQA, for a client called Float. I perform all sorts of testing from Manual Testing to Sanity, Black Box, Regression, Functional, API Testing, and curating test cases for the whole project since October 2019. I am also working on the YUM Project’s KFC and PHI. I maintain regular testing of the client sites and have weekly release and production checks to report before sprint planning meetings.
2. What has been your favorite project so far?
I have been with the Float team since 2019, and I absolutely love working side by side with all the developers on the team. In being so invested in this project, I have definitely created great relationships and bonds with the entire float team. (Fun Fact: If the borders were not closed between the US – Canada, I was invited by one of the Devs to his wedding in Texas)
3. How did you learn about PQA and what drew you to it originally?
I met Keith while I was working on my startup at UNB – Fredericton. Keith came to the MTME program as an entrepreneur-in-residence to share his experiences. I was inspired by them and his story behind PQA and PLATO. He helped me acquire key insights on the business model personally when I reached out to him. He provided me support on the HR functionality of my software, and the feedback helped us make significant decisions for the features to be incorporated. I was drawn towards Keith’s infectious personality and his entrepreneurial mindset.
“I undoubtedly love the city (of Fredericton), the calm, the peace, and the warmth of the people here.”
– Akshay Yadav
4. After living in Atlantic Canada for the past 3 years, what has been the biggest advantage in moving to Atlantic Canada?
I have been in Fredericton for almost 3 years now. I undoubtedly love the city, the calm, the peace, and the warmth of the people here. The initial reason I moved here was to enroll at UNB. But selecting the Atlantic over the West Coast was due to the untapped opportunities here, and the welcoming atmosphere weaved around the Atlantic provinces.
5. Where is your happy place in Atlantic Canada?
Freddy without a doubt. A stroll down the riverfront at sunset, or the walking bridge is always a delight.
6. What advice do you have for prospective PQA candidates?
Just to have that vigour to learn, adapt, have faith, and grow. Everything else will automatically fall into place.
7. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Well, quite a lot I feel. I have worked in Indian Television Industry as a Junior actor, I have been part of a couple of daily soaps. I was a professional dancer for almost 10 years, state champion in Roller Skating, played Cricket for my high school and district team. Also, I have been to Seoul, South Korea, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
8. If you could be an expert in one thing overnight, what would it be?
Currently, I have researched a lot about Trading Stocks and ETF’s, so this would definitely be something I would love to be a pro at.
Want to find out about job opportunities in PQA Atlantic Canada? Visit our careers page or reach out to our recruitment team at recruitment@pqa.ca!