Like many children, Sakthiish grew up loving video games. But unlike most who were content just to play, Sakthiish had always been fascinated by what went on behind the screen. “I was obsessed not just with playing but with how they worked under the hood,” he recalls. This curiosity sparked early experiments in secondary school, where Sakthiish began writing his own simple scripts to power guess-the-number games and interactive quizzes. Eventually, Sakthiish started dreaming of building his own game engine one day.
With that goal in mind, Sakthiish started his educational journey with a Diploma in Business Enterprise IT at Nanyang Polytechnic. There, Sakthiish picked up a strong mix of both business and technical skills, such as database design, networking, and project management. This experience taught Sakthiish how to frame code around real-world value and stakeholder needs, a skill that he acknowledges has been invaluable ever since.
When the time came to think about furthering his studies, Sakthiish chose DigiPen (Singapore)’s BS in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation after hearing positive reviews from friends who had gone through DigiPen’s Redmond immersion program during their polytechnic days. They praised the intensity and technical depth of the curriculum, which Sakthiish viewed as a bootcamp-level training in development workflows and creative problem solving. Sakthiish was especially eager to learn about the complete lifecycle of software projects — how they evolve from initial concept through design, prototyping, testing, and final delivery.
Today, Sakthiish puts all that knowledge and skill to use as a software developer and solutions engineer at Deloitte, one of the world’s largest professional services firms. At Deloitte, Sakthiish balances two core responsibilities: hands-on software development and working directly with clients. His role is multifaceted, involving tasks like mapping out new workflows to automate business processes, creating prototypes using programming languages like Python and Java, using tools such as SailPoint for managing digital identities and Postman for testing APIs, and working with cloud platforms like AWS to streamline development.
When asked to describe Deloitte’s work in simple terms, Sakthiish offers this explanation: “Think of us as consultants, accountants, and tech experts all rolled into one,” he says. “When a company wants to work better — whether that means cutting down on manual paperwork, protecting its data, or using the cloud to grow faster — Deloitte steps in. We assess where processes can be improved, recommend appropriate tools, and then build and implement those solutions for clients from start to finish.”
Sakthiish shares that he chose to apply to Deloitte because he wanted to work in a place where learning never stops. Deloitte’s structured training, mentorship culture, and global knowledge-sharing opportunities were exactly what he was looking for. “I also thrive on client interaction — understanding their pain points, guiding technical decisions, and seeing the impact of our work firsthand,” Sakthiish says.
Among the aspects he enjoys most about his work are the diverse exposure to different industries such as healthcare, finance, and government; a collaborative culture where teams genuinely support each other; and clear career growth pathways with certification options and leadership programs. No two days are ever the same, and Sakthiish might find himself working on a healthcare project one day and a government project the next.
Given the fast-paced nature of his role, Sakthiish found it challenging to balance deep technical focus with active client communication in the beginning. He overcame this by developing structured approaches such as setting aside dedicated time blocks for development work versus client outreach. He also implemented quick daily check-in meetings that were followed by concise recap notes of the discussions. This helped him stay focused while assuring clients that nothing slipped through the cracks.
Reflecting on his education, Sakthiish credits DigiPen (Singapore)’s project-centric approach with teaching him end-to-end ownership — a skill that directly transfers to his current role. “I’m accustomed to rapid prototyping, rigorous peer reviews, and continuous iteration — all of which map directly to the agile, client-driven environment at Deloitte,” he says.
Looking ahead, Sakthiish aims to master AI-driven solutions and cloud-native architectures — technologies that help build systems that can scale easily as businesses grow. His longer-term vision includes leading transformation programs, mentoring junior consultants, and eventually launching his own company that builds cutting-edge tools and solutions to help organizations tackle their toughest challenges.