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At 25 years old, Admire Khulumo already have several academic and professional accolades which set him apart in the competitive field of software engineering. In addition to being the valedictorian of the BIUST class of 2024, he also has almost three years of experience with a leading global car manufacturer.
In this conversation, he traces back to where he first picked his love for computer science, his stint with Volvo, his studies at BIUST and his numerous roles including as tech lead of the Temo-Letlotlo system.
In your own words, please tell us who Admire Khulumo is
I am a 25-year-old guy born in Zimbabwe. I’m a Software Engineer with nearly 3 years of international experience, and most recently the Valedictorian of the BIUST class of 2024, graduating with a BSc. in Computer Science and Software Engineering.
Please share more on your journey to a career in tech
I started off in high school studying Computer Science. I was fascinated with programming because it gave me the freedom to build anything I wanted. I went on to study Computer Science and Software Engineering at BIUST. There I got involved in school projects both at national and university level, as well as other projects for private clients.
Eventually, I got an internship through BIUST at Volvo Cars in Sweden in 2022. Later on, I got a job offer and I have been working in that role for 2 years. Notably, I have also been involved as the Tech Lead for Infrastructure and Backend Systems in the Temo-Letlotlo system implemented by BIUST with the Ministry of Agriculture. Here I am responsible for all the servers on which our system runs, integrations with other APIs such as BTC, BURS, CIPA, NIS, etc, and the architecture of our backend microservices.
What inspired you to pursue this career path?
I’ve always had a fascination with tech, and so programming fell well into that line as well.
You were recently valedictorian in the BIUST graduating class of 2024. What does it take to attain such an achievement?
I’ve learned quite a bit over the years. Hard work and constant dedication to the goal, sacrifices to make sure I stay focused, managing my time properly, working with others towards my goal, and making sure i had fun because I had to make sure that I enjoy my late night study sessions so that it was easier to keep going.
What advice can you give young people looking to emulate your academic success?
It's the same thing which helped me to get here and those are things that I learned from other valedictorians before me, and they worked. Additionally, take care of your mental health and make sure to seek support. Even if you don’t feel a specific need for it, it’s always good to talk through challenges and events in your life with a professional.
You are also a software engineer at a leading global car manufacturer. Please share more details about that role
I’m in Commercial Digital which is responsible for web-based systems that support commercial operations in the company. I’m a backend engineer mostly focused on .NET development of the necessary microservices that scale across several markets.
What is your favourite part about the work you do?
I enjoy programming and solving issues around designing software systems. I have found software architecture particularly interesting lately.
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What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I’ve been really excited to work within different environments both in Sweden and in Botswana. I’ve learned the differences and similarities between them, allowing me to cherry-pick the best of both worlds and be a better contributor to the teams I’m in. PS: also really proud that Temoletlotlo has crossed over 100,000 farmers and I get to be a part of making that happen.
What’s something you know now that you wish you knew earlier in your career?
Where possible, try out different areas within tech. That will help you to find where your strongest interest lies. Moreover, you’ll have additional skills that will contribute to whichever area you pick.
What is the best advice you have received in your career?
“Keep on learning” - settling into a role or specific area is easy. However, tech evolves so rapidly and the best professionals never stop learning, making sure to stay up to date with the latest ways of doing things.
Career-wise, where do you see Admire in the next 5-10 years?
Continuing to develop large multinational systems, that’s about as much as I can say right now.