Henry, a Graduate Associate Software Engineer at Encord, shares his journey from studying Chemical Engineering to joining the fast-paced startup world to build AI tools. After an initial plan to do a ski season fell through, he attended a unique coding bootcamp that paid participants to learn, which led to starting his own company before realizing he preferred a more structured work-life balance. Encord's interview process stood out for its collaborative nature, and since joining, Henry has enjoyed the supportive and socially vibrant environment that allows for autonomy and rapid learning. He works on projects related to enterprise user management, product engineering, and AI integrations, emphasizing the importance of building and shipping real-world solutions. Henry advises new graduates to demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills by creating projects themselves, as startups value curiosity and creativity. Encord supports early-career engineers with opportunities for significant impact and recognition, encouraging ownership and visibility of work without micromanagement.