Meet Alex Bourdage – Embedded Software Team

At Punch Through, we encourage everyone to proudly be themselves and want you to know the people behind the work that we’re so proud of. That’s why we launched our “Meet the Team” series, where we introduce you to one of our team members each month. 

Meet Alex, embedded software engineer, who works in the design, development, and testing of firmware for medical devices. In his free time, Alex can be found either on a mountain bike or dirt bike riding the trails of Lebanon Hills or Nemadji State Forest respectively (to name only two).

What were you doing before working at Punch Through?

Right after high school, I headed off to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, where I spent three years training in archery. Eventually, I moved back to Minnesota and began my studies in Computer Engineering at the University of St. Thomas. During my sophomore year, I happened to find an internship opportunity at Punch Through as an Associate Embedded Software Engineer. This was my first experience with firmware development and sparked my interest in writing software that interacts closely with hardware and the outside world.

What is your favorite thing about Punch Through culture?

What stands out the most, as far as culture goes, is the company’s commitment to growth and development, especially when it comes to internships. The opportunities that’ve been made available for me to branch out and participate in developing different solutions isn’t something you see at a lot of other companies. The experience has been quite valuable. 

Tell me a story about your most memorable moment while working at Punch Through

There isn’t a particular moment that really stands out. It’s more so something that happens on the regular: Wednesday Happy Hour. Being that we all work remotely part of the time, these team happy hours give us all a chance to better get to know one another. We play games, talk, laugh…it helps maintain that team dynamic and collaborative environment that Punch Through is known for. 

What cool or rewarding things do you get to do on a regular basis?

Probably the most rewarding thing I get to do on a regular basis would have to be writing code for physical devices. There’s something tangible about it — much different than writing software for PCs. With PC applications, you’ve got limitless space. But with firmware for microcontrollers, you’re working within real hardware constraints and a finite amount of room. It can, of course, pose a challenge, but coming to a solution is definitely rewarding.s the junction between software code and the physical world. That, in its simplest terms, is firmware. Career-wise, I can honestly say that it’s very rewarding to write code that performs a function in the physical world. 

What is the most valuable part of your work to you on a personal level?

For the most valuable part of my work, I have to echo what many of my coworkers have said. It’s the learning opportunities. Working on smaller teams, and just Punch Through in general, has offered me so many opportunities to learn, develop new skills, and take part in solving a number of different problems for clients. The professional development has been truly valuable for me on a personal level. 

What is different about Punch Through versus other places you have worked?

A lot of places focus so much on sales revenue, profit margins, and other impersonal metrics that they begin to lose sight of the people on their teams. Punch Through seems to have struck a better balance. So, I think what really separates this company from others is leadership’s role in consciously creating a great place for everyone to work. People actually enjoy coming into the office. They actually like their coworkers. Punch Through is a great place to work.