Medicine, Technology, and a Different Career Path
Medicine, entrepreneurship, and technology. Can these three concepts fit into the same career? Ivo Gonçalves's story proves it's possible. Initially, Medicine was the goal and central focus for the gamer. That was the case during his course atCESPU and his early steps into the job market. Along the way, there was time to start a company after completing a Postgraduate course in Occupational Health and Safety, but the passion for technology would ultimately outweigh the work in hospitals. Ivo Gonçalves then returned to studying and completed the Computer Engineering course, which opened the door for him at Fabamaq, where he's been for over six years marked by different challenges. Want to know more about the unlikely career of this developer in our Operating Systems team? Read the answers below :)
What led you to pursue a different career path from your education?
When I was in the 12th grade, deciding on the course to follow wasn't easy. I was a high-level sports competitor and had the dream of studying Medicine. I chose the Cardio pneumology course at CESPU - Cooperative of Polytechnic and University Higher Education in Famalicão, always with the aim of later switching to Medicine. The truth is, I successfully completed the course and started working in various hospitals. At the same time, I decided to complement my education with a Postgraduate course in Occupational Health and Safety and created my own company in that area.
From a young age, I've been connected to technology, and I don't just mean games. I've always been fond of gadgets. I had access to the internet when I was very young and was already experimenting at home with operating systems. I think I can say that the "bug" of technology has always been with me. The change was, therefore, natural. It's not that I wasn't satisfied with the area where I was, but I thought I would be happier in Computer Science.
So, while still working, I completed my studies in Computer Engineering at ISPGAYA and did my internship at FABAMAQ. The change itself wasn't a difficult process. I was very confident. I always believed that, because I liked the Computer Science area so much, it would go well. I think the stars aligned, and I ended up in the right team at the right time and in the right company.
What professional challenges have you experienced at Fabamaq?
When I joined FABAMAQ, as an intern, I worked on a very enticing project that would allow remote monitoring of game servers and, consequently, machines. Later on, I was challenged to build infotainment systems, and I've been working on that project for the past four years. I'm part of the Operating Systems team, and one of the recent challenges presented to me is the conversion of all Windows servers into a solution developed by us.
Regarding the infotainment system - a solution where audiovisual content of the games we develop is played - I think it's a solution with a significant impact for current and future players. I'm talking specifically about promoting the most impactful features of the games; real-time prize events like jackpots or bonus; summaries of the latest paid prizes; informative messages, and other features.
Where does your work fit into the final product delivered by Fabamaq?
For us, Fabamaq, the infotainment system is the entry point for players to the games developed here. Therefore, it's vital to the business. The content is designed to meet the needs and cultural characteristics of the markets and is developed entirely by our design team.
I believe the system significantly influences players because they can see in advance what our games look like, the prizes awarded, and the values of jackpots and bonus. It's also a good solution to explore and explain the themes addressed and to showcase the creativity of the game and, of course, the designers at Fabamaq.
How do you currently view the change you made in your career?
I look at the change naturally and without regrets. I feel very good and happier with the change I made. Here, I don't have to deal with people's problems, with their complexity and the emotional burden associated with them. Here, the problems are functional; they are machines that don't have feelings, and often functional challenges are easier to correct.
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