To help put names to faces and highlight the diverse personalities in the Apps department, we run a regular series of short interviews with our staff. These short interviews feature both new and long-standing members of the department.

Silvia Figliozzi works in the Development Services section of the Applications Directorate as a Student Placement Developer.

Tell us about your journey before starting this role:

“I started my educational journey at Edinburgh College where I successfully completed the HND Web Development course. Since the course was associated with Napier University, I applied for the 3rd year of the Web Design and Development course program there. This choice not only allowed me to progress with my studies but also provided me with the opportunity to apply for a placement year.”

What attracted you to the role in ISG:

“I had a number of friends who were students at the University of Edinburgh, and they consistently shared insights about the various services offered by the university. When I came across the advertisement for this position, I did not hesitate to submit my application. This decision was driven by my awareness that the team also uses certain technologies that align perfectly with my personal interests.”

What kind of tasks does this role involve?:

“My role is a student placement developer, a role designed to facilitate my learning and skills development while collaborating with an experienced team of developers. Specifically, I am a member of the student system partnership developer team which takes care of applications around the student system record and supports the entire student lifecycle from admissions through graduations.”

What’s your favourite place or thing to do in Edinburgh?: 

I enjoy immersing myself in nature, and luckily Edinburgh has plenty of parks and natural places where I can restore my energy. If I had to pick favourites, I would go with Holyrood Park and the Pentlands Hills. However, I do end up spending a lot of time in places like The Meadows and the Royal Botanic Garden since they’re closer and more convenient.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

I am Italian and moved to Edinburgh about 4 years ago. Throughout my life, I have always been devoted to promoting gender equality and equal rights for everyone. In my modest attempts, I started during my teenage years by encouraging those around me, and eventually, I began openly discussing these ideas with more people, both offline and online. I even got involved with some cool groups and associations along the way.