Developer Spotlight: Oana Cristea on Internships, Versatility and Finding Her Path with Progress OpenEdge
A Late Start, the Right Opportunity
When Oana Cristea, 27, began searching for an internship during her final year at university in Romania, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to kick‑start her career. That search led her to Wayfare, where a timely call and a friend’s guidance helped set the stage for success.
What started as an internship has grown into six years of hands‑on development experience with Progress OpenEdge. Oana credits the supportive community and team culture for making the difference: “I learned so much from amazing people—not just about development, but about building friendships, blending into a team and communicating effectively.”
Inside a Hands‑On Internship: Learn, Practice, Build
Oana didn’t know OpenEdge before her internship. “We came in knowing nothing about the actual development,” she recalls. The program started with daily theory sessions followed by practical exercises. After three weeks of foundations, interns were split into small teams to build an application together, integrating frontend elements with a focus on Progress OpenEdge.
How Oana Explains OpenEdge
Oana’s favorite shorthand when friends ask what OpenEdge is:
“I describe it as the child between SQL and an object‑oriented language—C# or Java. You can do procedural work and OOP and directly access the database.”
That duality is a big part of the appeal. Versatile. Fast. Great with data. And approachable—especially for anyone who has seen SQL or an OO language before.
Three things Oana likes about OpenEdge:
- Versatility: Procedural + OOP options let you pick the right approach.
- Performance with data: Strong fit for large, data‑heavy applications.
- Learnability: If you’ve touched SQL or OO before, ABL’s structure feels familiar and clear.
Advice to New Developers (and Those Curious About OpenEdge)
Oana’s message to newcomers is pragmatic: find an internship. Community matters, and hands‑on exposure accelerates learning.
For those weighing a programming career, personality fit counts. If you like problem‑solving, logic and are comfortable with stationary work, development can be a great match. And don’t forget balance—walks help when the desk feels endless.
Final Reflection
Oana’s journey underscores how structured internships, supportive teams and a capable, approachable language can turn curiosity into a durable career. Whether you’re just hearing about OpenEdge for the first time or looking to expand your skills, her story is an invitation to start, ask questions and keep learning.
Explore OpenEdge training & certification (free learning path for beginners): Become an OpenEdge Developer
Jessica (Malakian) Newton
Jessica (Malakian) Newton is a Senior Product Marketing Specialist at Progress, focused on the Progress OpenEdge product. Jessica started her career at Progress as an intern in 2020 and has since developed into a full-time marketer, dedicated to guiding customers on how to maximize the value of their OpenEdge solutions. Outside of work, Jessica enjoys reading and writing.
