Photo of Andrew Hosgood

Andrew Hosgood

  • Developer
  • UI designer
  • Photographer
Photo of Ben Aslett

Ben Aslett

Senior Visual Designer and Team Leader, Sponge

I have worked closely with Andrew (AJ) over the last 5 years and have found him to be a skilled and experienced Senior Developer and Team Leader who I hold in the highest regard.

He is a highly effective problem solver with an extraordinary ability to analyse problems and quickly grasp complex and technical concepts. He is a pragmatic and analytical thinker who can consistently develop solutions that are well thought out, clearly articulated, and show an excellent understanding of client and user requirements.

In his time at Sponge he was extremely proactive and sought opportunities to enhance the company's solutions and product offering, his greatest contribution has been developing an innovative HTML framework for bespoke learning products. As a UI designer, I worked closely with AJ on this project and can attest to the high levels of collaboration he brought to his work, and his willingness to go above and beyond to execute at the highest level. In 2019 AJ was awarded Developer of the Year (Silver) at the Learning Technology Awards. This prestigious award is a testament to AJ’s expertise and his drive to bring the latest technology and innovation to digital learning.

In his role as a Team Leader, I was able to see AJ flourish, developing essential people skills that he used to encourage his team, and keep them motivated and inspired. He cared deeply for everyone under his supervision and was committed to their personal growth and development, frequently looking for opportunities to train and upskill his team.

I find AJ to be extremely dependable and loyal, he acts with honesty and integrity and speaks his mind clearly and directly. I am confident that AJ will be a valuable asset to any organisation and would highly recommend him for any endeavour he chooses to pursue.

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Rob Phillips

Global Education Marketing, SAP

Andrew was the technical lead on a project I worked on with him while I was at SAP.

We had a requirement to build a tool that enabled our market units to create printed and electronic magazines without the need for external creative input.

Andrew consistently went above and beyond on this project, constantly coming up with innovative solutions and suggestions and then implementing these effectively and to time.

I am not a great technical expert but Andrew has a great knack of explaining complex technical terms in easy to understand language for someone like me, which I believe is a very important talent.

The result of the project was excellent and this wouldn't have been the case if it wasn't for Andrew's excellent work on it.

Andrew was brilliant to work with and I would thoroughly recommend him.

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Emma Christie-Rundle

Digital Project Manager, AGD

Andrew's developer skills have been an integral part of us winning and completing projects for clients.

He's been part or a multi supplier team and has worked well with those teams.

He's always keen to come up with new ideas on how best to deliver a project I would highly recommend him.

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Katie Hall

Senior Learning Designer and Team Leader, Sponge

I have had the pleasure of working with AJ on a number of projects in the past few years. His technical knowledge is exceptional, he has fantastic ideas and he is driven to find the right solution to any problem. Working collaboratively is always a joy as he really listens to the views of others and I personally have learnt so much from our discussions.

Although his contributions to our technical evolution deserve recognition, it is actually his role as a team leader that I have been most impressed with. Even when he is really busy, AJ will take the time needed to coach and guide other developers to help them reach their full potential. He sets them achievable tasks and goals and encourages self reflection.

AJ is a great addition to any team and I hope to work together again soon.

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Anna Collinge

Senior Project Manager, Sponge

Andrew (AJ) is not only one of the most talented developers out there but also the most supportive, passionate and honest colleague I have had the pleasure of working with. He goes above and beyond in everything he does. Always striving to deliver to meet complex client's needs reacting creatively and quickly to new challenges.

AJ is a proactive problem solver, thinking outside of the box and never afraid of hard work to get to the best possible solution.

It has been an absolute pleasure to work with AJ over the last few years and I have relied on him constantly. I wish him all the luck in the future where he will be an asset in any company he lands in.

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Tarin Chance

Junior Front End Developer, Sponge

AJ is an essential and integral member of any team he is a part of. Leading by example, he inspires his team on a daily basis, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation, setting the bar and expectations as a developer.

An approachable, methodical and technically brilliant individual, AJ has guided me on a journey into development and is personally responsible for fueling my passion for development, becoming a role model of mine over my employment at Sponge. No task is ever too tall and no problem cannot be solved, AJ is a genuine pleasure to work with.

I have no doubt that AJ will be a key player within any team that he is part of and I have no doubt he will continue to inspire and dedicate himself to his passion of development. Thank you AJ!

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Ryan Brooks

Front End Developer, Sponge

I have worked with AJ since I started working at Sponge as a junior developer and over the last 2 years became my line manager. During this time, I feel he has helped me developed my skills and confidence as a developer.

He has encouraged me to learn new techniques in code, the best practices and how to get around different problems. He has always found the time to help out with any problems regardless the complexity, even during the busy times of the day.

AJ has been a key team member, a fantastic line manager and one of the best developers I have worked with! Thank you AJ!