Unsuspected new interests

Celina Söderman is a software developer from Stockholm, now residing in Västerås, Sweden, and she’s been a part of Combitech since August 2024 after finishing her Computer Engineering studies at Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH). But ending up there in the first place was not on her radar at all a few years prior:

When choosing the specialization for my high school studies, everything seemed boring. But then I found a track focusing on game graphics and the curiosity was instant. I kind of felt like I just wanted to take the easiest route, and I’ve always liked being creative and playing games. So, it felt just right for me!

What she didn’t know was that a new interest was just around the corner, setting the direction for her future. Working closely with the tech track, Celina found herself looking over their shoulders more and more:

Programming looked so interesting! I guess that’s where my tech interest really took off.

Following these years and her newfound passion, Celina had her eyes set on engineering studies at KTH. After a Technical Preparatory year, she realized studying was quite fun and it reignited her motivation to go through with her engineering dreams.

Sustainability in several aspects

Moving to Västerås was Celinas way of breaking loose of what’s always been. After living in Stockholm her whole life, she wanted something else. With multiple friends already living in Västerås, she made it her new home and soon turned her focus to finding a job. Combitech stood out as a perfect fit:

I found the job listing and read more about Combitech. I found their holistic sustainability, defense and security aspects very attractive. For me, sustainability isn´t just caring for the environment. It is to actively work towards building sustainable systems and solutions for the future. This feels relevant, especially now in a time of war in nearby nations, climate challenges and high inflation. That’s the driving force that led me to this field of work, and ultimately to Combitech.

Today, as a full-stack developer in the defense industry, she’s doing exactly that – contributing to society’s long-term sustainability, solving problems we haven’t yet encountered. Other than that, Combitech answered on other points of what she was looking for in a workplace, like flexibility, responsibility, offices nation-wide, values, great colleagues and trust. All different factors that contribute to a healthy work-life balance and make the days more enjoyable.

In addition to her work-focused values of sustainability, Celina also prioritizes personal growth. After her academic years, she took time to rediscover her passions:

I’ve been trying to find myself again and what I enjoy doing now that I’m out of school. So far that’s resulted in a love for plants and propagation, two bunnies who now reside in my apartment, and a continued love for gaming and game development. When developing, I don’t place expectations on myself. I just try things and let what sparks my interest guide me!

Contributing to something bigger than yourself

Celina has always believed in being part of the solution, and not be a bystander:

I want to contribute to the green transition, I want us to be resilient when catastrophes strike, and I want to find solutions to problems we can’t see yet. That’s the foundation – making sure we have a sustainable future. For me, that’s what it means to be a shaper of a smart and resilient society, and I’m thankful that I get to do that through Combitech every day.

Looking forward from now, Celina has one clear career goal for the next 5-10 years:

I want to share my knowledge, so I’d love being a mentor for a developer who maybe is at the start of their career. I love being able to guide and help others by sharing experiences and using the knowledge I have acquired.

On her own time, she wants to continue exploring game development, especially VR. Continuously learning new things seems to be an ongoing theme in Celinas story. Her journey’s just beginning, and who knows where her curiosity and passion for technology will take her next.

All in all, I’m a positive, creative, social person who simply loves tech!