What 20 Years of Learning Has Taught Us About Building Better Software

If you’ve ever built software at scale, you’ll know that technology moves faster than people can learn. That’s not a limitation - it’s the reason learning matters. At SOLIDitech, we’ve spent 20 years proving that continuous learning isn’t just good for morale - it’s critical to delivering reliable software that scales with our customers’ needs.

It’s the same philosophy that underpins how we approach every project — a belief that software should evolve alongside the people who build it. We’ve talked before about why custom software is the best-kept secret for customer satisfaction, and this post dives into the team culture that makes that possible. When you make learning part of the process, not an afterthought, you don’t just build better systems - you build stronger teams.

Why Most Teams Struggle to Keep Learning

The truth is, most software teams already know that learning matters - the trick is to figure out how to make it sustainable. Between shifting priorities, tight deadlines and constantly evolving tech stacks, learning is usually the first thing to be postponed.

We’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that the only way learning sticks is when it’s built into the system itself - not bolted on top.

That same principle applies to building software - bolt-on solutions rarely last. It’s one of the reasons we advocate for understanding the value of custom software development rather than relying on quick fixes.

Learning as a Competitive Advantage

In custom software development, consistency matters as much as innovation. You can’t deliver great results if your team isn’t constantly learning how to adapt to new technologies, methodologies and client challenges.

And innovation doesn’t happen in isolation - it comes from partnership. That’s why we focus so much on helping customers find the right fit when choosing a custom software development partner.

And that’s why we’ve made learning part of our operating system.

Every SOLID team member has monthly one-on-one conversations that include learning goals. Each person gets 1.5 hours of protected learning time every week and free access to Udemy Business - along with curated learning paths that support both personal and professional growth.

We even run monthly themed campaigns that highlight courses, success stories and team-driven learning moments. It keeps learning fresh, visible and part of everyday work life.

That intentional structure recently earned SOLIDitech recognition from Udemy Business, who named us a Noteworthy Learning Excellence Customer in their global Metrics That Matter category.

But for us, the real reward is how it’s changed the way we work.

Learning Fuels Innovation

Continuous learning doesn’t just help us keep up with change - it helps us lead it. Our curiosity has shaped how we’ve embraced new technologies like AI.

We’ve implemented AI-powered test automation to improve software quality and efficiency, and we’re exploring AI-driven productivity tools to help our teams work smarter and deliver faster. And when people have the confidence to explore new tools, they spot opportunities for efficiency and quality others might miss.

The goal isn’t to chase every new tool. It’s to build understanding.

We learn, test and integrate thoughtfully - the same principles that underpin every successful software project. It’s the same disciplined approach that helps our clients unlock their business potential through custom software - balancing innovation with reliability.

That mindset is what keeps SOLID software reliable, scalable and continuously improving.

The Measurable Impact

In 2024 alone, our teams achieved a 96% learning adoption rate and kept 94% of learners active throughout the year. (And yes - Friday officially took the crown as our favourite learning day. Apparently, we like to end the week getting smarter.)

Those aren’t vanity stats. They’re a reflection of a team that’s engaged, curious and invested in growth.

It’s also why 40% of our people have been with SOLIDitech for more than six years - a figure that speaks to the long-term impact of learning on retention, capability and company culture.

When teams grow together, they deliver better together. That consistency directly translates into smoother project handovers, faster onboarding for new hires, innovative cutting-edge solutions and reliable delivery for our customers.

Our Top 4 Learning Culture Tips

Over 20 years, we’ve learned that a learning culture that actually works comes down to four things:

1. Curiosity: Hire it, reward it and never manage it out of people.
2. Consistency: Protect time and make learning visible.
3. Community: Share wins, failures and lessons often.
4. Connection: Tie learning to purpose - both personal and business.

Sappy, but true.

In practical terms, that looks like:

1. Protect the time. Learning won’t happen unless it’s scheduled and respected. For example - we protect a 1h30 learning slot for the entire company, every single Friday afternoon.
2. Make it visible. Celebrate courses completed, lessons learned and skills applied. We do this with some internal Marketing magic, sharing successes, stats, fellow team recommendations and lots of inspiration.
3. Keep it relevant. Link learning to real project needs and personal goals. At SOLIDitech, each team member has a dedicated career 121 meeting with their manager to catch up, talk about goals and identify new skills to develop.
4. Lead by example - and share freely. When senior engineers and managers learn out loud, others follow. But it’s not just top-down. We love sharing knowledge across every level of the company - through our Friday training sessions, group learning slots, and team-led sessions where anyone can teach, present, or demo something new. Everyone joins in - from the CEO and COO to new starters - because we don’t gatekeep knowledge. We share it.

It’s not about ticking training boxes - it’s about making learning part of how work happens. When that’s true, it doesn’t need slogans or incentives - people just do it.

Building Software, Growing People

We’ve always believed that the best software is built by teams who never stop learning. It’s how we maintain our quality, innovate responsibly and stay aligned with our purpose: 

To build reliable software that helps our clients deliver exceptional service to their customers.

Learning has made us better engineers, better collaborators and a better partner to our clients. And as technology continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: our commitment to growing the people who build the software that drives it all.

Because innovative, reliable software doesn’t happen by accident - it’s built by people who keep learning, testing and improving.