How the Ignite Program Helped Us Become New Relic Software Engineers

Earlier this year, New Relic launched the Ignite program to support early career engineers by providing mentorship, exposure to the company's systems, and a structured learning path. The program aims to minimize hiring risks by producing high-performing engineers from the outset. Participants, including Joshua Jones, Eileen Szeto, and Xi Xia, transitioned from Associate Software Engineers to Software Engineer 1 roles after completing the program. They gained various skills categorized into different tiers, from understanding the basics of tools and concepts like the DevOps cycle, TDD, and Apache Kafka, to becoming proficient in using command-line tools, version control, and databases. The program emphasized self-directed learning through documentation, books, tutorials, and independent projects, as well as collaborative learning by pairing with senior engineers. The Ignite program also facilitated understanding of team dynamics across New Relic, providing insights into the company's services and processes. The authors encourage aspiring engineers to apply to the program, which continues to evolve and expand, offering opportunities for growth and development in the field.