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Andre Pretorius is a Senior Lecturer in QA Testing at Business Technology Academy. He brings 15 years of software testing experience to the classroom, having worked as a Test Automation Engineer at Microsoft Ireland and QA Team Lead at Workhuman, and is currently Senior QA Engineer at Teckro.

We sat down with Andre to talk about his move from software development into testing, what Irish employers are really looking for when they hire QA engineers, and how AI is changing the day-to-day work. He explains why solid testing fundamentals will always outlast whichever tools happen to be popular, and why QA remains one of the best ways into the software industry. You can read the full interview below:

What is your background in QA Testing?

I never actually set out to become a QA engineer. My career started as a Financial Software Developer after completing a Diploma in Computer Systems. I enjoyed building software, but I found myself spending just as much time testing it as I did writing it. I was always looking for ways to break what I’d built and make it better. Eventually I realised that was the part of the job I enjoyed most, so I moved into Software Testing. Fifteen years later, I still enjoy solving those kinds of problems.

Over the last 15 years I’ve worked across financial services, learning technologies and employee recognition platforms. I’ve gone from manual testing to QA Automation, building automation frameworks, testing APIs, improving regression suites and working closely with developers and product teams to deliver quality software.

Alongside my day job, I also teach a part-time QA Testing course with Business Technology Academy. I’m still early in my teaching journey, but I really enjoy helping people develop practical skills that prepare them for the realities of finding their first QA role.

What made you interested in a career in Software Testing?

It all started when I was a developer. The more software I wrote, the more I realised I enjoyed testing it. I liked asking “What happens if…?” and trying to find the problems before anyone else did. That curiosity eventually pulled me towards QA.

People often think testing is just about finding bugs, but that’s only a small part of it. Good QA is about understanding how software is supposed to work, asking questions that nobody else has thought of, and helping the team deliver something customers can rely on.

One of the things I still enjoy most is that every project is different. There’s always something new to learn.

How are QA Testers using AI in the workplace?

Like most QA engineers today, AI has become part of my toolkit. I’ll use it to brainstorm test scenarios, speed up writing automation code, generate SQL queries, explain code I haven’t looked at for a while, or help review requirements for potential gaps. It’s also useful for creating test data and speeding up documentation.

The important part is knowing when to trust it and when not to. AI is great at getting you started, but I still review everything before it becomes part of my work.

I encourage my students to use AI too. Learning how to ask good questions and critically evaluate the answers is becoming just as important as learning the technical tools themselves.

Will AI replace or assist QA Practitioners?

I don’t think AI will replace QA engineers, but I do think it will change how we work.

Testing is about much more than writing automation scripts. It requires judgement, curiosity, communication and understanding how a business actually uses its software. Those are things AI can’t replace.

The people who will benefit most are the ones who learn how to work alongside AI instead of seeing it as competition. Like any tool, it’s only as effective as the person using it.

Which Automation Testing methodologies are needed in the Irish jobs market?

From what I see in the Irish jobs market, companies want people with solid testing fundamentals first and automation skills second.

The tools are important, of course. Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, Postman, REST Assured, Java, JavaScript, SQL, Git and CI/CD platforms all appear regularly in job descriptions. Experience working in Agile teams is also expected.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last 15 years, it’s that tools come and go. I’ve seen plenty of technologies become popular and then disappear. The people who continue to do well are the ones who understand testing principles and can quickly adapt to whatever tools a company is using.

That’s something I try to emphasise in my classes. Learn the fundamentals first and the tools become much easier to pick up.

Why should someone consider a career in QA Testing?

QA is a great career if you enjoy solving problems, learning new technology and working with people.

No two days are the same. One day you could be investigating a tricky bug, the next you’re building automation, testing APIs or working with developers to improve a feature before it’s released. It keeps the job interesting.

It’s also one of the best ways to get into the software industry because you gain experience across the entire development lifecycle and develop both technical and communication skills.

When I teach, my focus is always on practical, job-ready skills. The theory is important, and I expect students to continue learning and researching outside the classroom, but employers hire people who can demonstrate they know how to apply that knowledge in real situations.

If I can help someone make the same career transition that I made 15 years ago, then teaching is time well spent.

Ready to Make the Move?

Business Technology Academy’s QA and Testing programme is designed for career changers and upskilling professionals alike. You’ll get hands-on, practical training in Selenium, Playwright, and Cypress — the exact tools employers are hiring for — within a structured, supportive environment that prepares you for the AI-integrated reality of modern quality engineering. You can check our the  Syllabus in the Courses Page