Job market is hot for mobile app development

Mobile app development is increasingly in demand as more companies want to engage or interact with their existing consumers in new ways. Clayton Narcis of Alphapod sat down with us for a chat about mobile app development, the right skill sets and which skills are in demand. 

Q: What does Alphapod do?

A: We work with entrepreneurs, who have some basic idea they want to realise. So if there’s an idea with no one to execute it, our job is to connect them to designers and technical people and let the idea take form.

We started off by developing Wootfood, it’s a simple food finder app. This was when 3GS just launched in Malaysia. Shortly after launching Wootfood, companies started knocking on our doors. Fast forward to today, we have developed over 30 apps for brands such as Johnnie Walker, Tourism Malaysia, Softlan, iProperty, Ford, Seagate, Rexona, VW, and many more.

Q: Is there a lack of mobile apps developers in our country? We guess you don't necessarily have those kind of skill sets with your new employees. That doesn't mean that if someone can work on a computer they can easily build an app.

A : Yes, there is a wide gap between supply and demand out there at the moment. Experience and training is not the biggest contributor but rather the market itself. Market demand for mobile app (in Malaysia) has risen year by year since 2007 but it’s not fueling the supply.

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Alphapod is led by Tee Tsun Joo, his wife Janice Tee, along with Clayton Narcis[/caption]

However, experience or training does play a part. Academic institutions do not have the right mentors or academic structure to educate and train our young brains out there in mobile development which I think is a norm because the global mobile industry is only 7 years old and it is still in its infancy stage in Malaysia.

We hire interns or fresh graduates who do not have any mobile development knowledge and turn them into a mobile development ninja within less than two month. It’s part of our intern program at Alphapod that we make sure interns create a mobile app before their term ends.

We have an intern who created an app which is actually quite doing well in the US. The same guy is now working on a game for Chillingo, one of the biggest names in game publishing for App Store.

Q: What are the basic qualifications to become a mobile apps developer?

A : A very, very good grasp of computer science theory (such as design patterns) and a lot of common sense. Mobile devices have really small screens compared to other medium we commonly use out there. You’d be surprised by doing less is actually a lot of effort.

Knowing C++ helps a lot and applying design patterns to creatively solve problems. We notice there is a big gap on code design in fresh graduates which is actually terrifying.

Oh, one more thing, the ability to pick up any programming language from the get go. That is a very important trait to have. It makes you versatile in the mobile industry. On average, Alphapod mobile developers are fluent in at least 3 programming languages

Q: Can an arts person get involved in this industry? If so, In what way?

A : Yes of course! Mobile apps are very visual stimulating and it heightens engagement between the app and the user. Notice how sometimes, you’ll smile to yourself when you are looking at something that is crafted beautifully?

Good creatives plays a big part for mobile engagement. We have 2 very talented UI/UX and illustrator in house to provide top notch design.

Q: What do you think are the challenges of this industry in the next few years? Do you see more graduates getting into this sector?

A : Yes, we will definitely see more graduates entering into the industry as the market matures. The biggest challenges would be bridging the gap between students who has been to trained to do web development and convert their ability to mobile development. The industry is still considered young  and it will take more years for the industry to mature through the help of industrial players.

Q: What advice can you give to students planning to take up computer science/or any IT-related course?

A : Never stop being curious. You’ll never know where it will take you. As the late Steve Jobs once quoted, “Stay hungry, stay foolish”.  Work on side projects, it gives your exposure to what people are actually using out there.