Starting a new job can often feel less overwhelming and more exciting when there are training programs that help you better understand the company and the industry, and help you make connections with mentors and peers that guide your growth. With opportunities to learn and apply your learnings to impact the future of the retail industry, our early career programs at Gap Inc. give participants the tools and resources they need to succeed and build their careers. We offer several great early-career programs at Gap Inc. – and one of them is our GapTech Rotational Program, also known as GRP.
Becoming part of GRP means that you will code and develop best-in-class retail technology for our brands, employees, and customers around the globe. This 18-month program will teach you how to deliver globally scalable, cloud-based solutions, using agile software development, DevOps practices, and advanced technologies. As part of our larger Tech and Digital team, you are part of the technology engine driving innovative retail, e-commerce, and global enterprise technology for Gap Inc. and our brands – Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta. This team helps the company grow in so many ways – whether it’s increasing our global footprint, operating a flawless holiday shopping season, or helping a customer get the product they need, when they need it.
For Brandon, who joined GRP remotely from Utah, being a Software Engineer through the program means learning great coding practices and helping, and being helped by, other software engineers. Join Brandon on one of his workdays.
5:30 AM – I wake up and get ready to go to the gym! Starting my day with some physical activity leads to the most productivity. Once I get home, my favorite breakfast is a protein shake, along with eggs and spinach!
9:00 AM – I log onto my computer and check my email and a few Teams channels to see if there are any updates. As a new member of my team, I like to start my day by checking my schedule and making sure I am prepared for my meetings for my current GRP rotation, or for the general GRP program meetings.
11:30 AM – It’s time for my team stand-up, where we spend a few minutes updating each other about the stories we’re currently working on, and if we are having any trouble. In Agile software development, a story is a business need assigned to a team; stories are broken down into small enough components so they can be delivered in a single development iteration.
Stand-ups are one of my favorite times during the day, as I get to hear from all my other teammates and learn more about the projects they’re working on, and possibly work on a part of an application that I haven’t seen yet.
2:30 PM – Across my team, we are working on really cool projects that are changing the way people shop online. One of the initiatives that I’ve been working on is transforming the way that our application consumes requests from our back-end teams. This has been a very interesting project as we are operating between wanting to increase performance and efficiency for how quickly the data reaches the components, and adapting this data to maintain the functionality of the previous data contract. This has been an amazing project as I have been exposed to a comprehensive perspective on how our data moves from system to system.
5:00 PM – I log off. As my team is spread out across much of North America, we all log off at slightly different times, which creates a great culture of ownership and empowerment, both individually and collectively. Some of the other team members are located on the West coast, so I take this last opportunity to check in with them to see if they need anything from me!
7:00 PM – After I finish eating dinner, I enjoy playing games with my friends, or catching up on a few chapters of Clean Code for the GRP Book Club! Our book club is a very cool opportunity to gain insight on great coding practices from some of the very best senior leaders and technical experts at the company. We meet every other Friday, and it’s been an absolute blast to connect with these leaders and my cohort.
‘Fit Check with Brandon
"At Gap Inc., I’m inspired by the scale of the products that we are developing – we’re enabling our customers to buy products that they love, and that motivates me to work harder."
What makes you proud to work with us?
I love how inclusive Gap Inc. is for all their employees, from the very top to the very bottom. Personally, as a member of the GRP, and the Discover MFE (Micro Front End) team, I am proud to be one of the first to greet all of my team members each morning. The more connected we feel, the more productive we can be. I also strive to be a resource for others – even if that means we'll find out the answers together.
Your style?
My personal style is minimal, apart from sneakers, which is my favorite way to express myself. My favorite items to wear from our brands would have to be the GAP hoodies because they are super easy to pair with almost anything. Also, the Old Navy shorts because they’re super comfy to wear while exercising!
Did Brandon’s workday inspire you? Learn more about our GRP Program and how you can join the team!
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