In today's fast-paced world, many people want to switch careers to pursue their passions or find more fulfilling work. Many career changers wish to enter the world of technology due to the seemingly endless potential and opportunities. Software development, in particular, is a desirable career field, and you can read why you should become a software developer for more.
However, for those without a technical background, entering the field of software development can seem like an impossible challenge. But with the right mindset and training, anyone can become a successful developer – as Uduak Essien discovered through his experience with Microverse. We've helped hundreds of students become software developers and share some of their career changes with Microverse stories.
Uduak's is another career change story we're excited to share. His journey to becoming a full-stack developer began when he was working as a customer support representative for a tech company. While he enjoyed interacting with customers and helping solve their problems, he felt unfulfilled in his role and wanted to do more.
So, in 2016, Uduak decided to pursue his dream of becoming a software developer. I said, “I don't want to be doing one thing over and over again. I want to move into software engineering. So that's what sparked the desire to do that.”
However, he faced a major obstacle: he had no technical background or experience in programming. Undaunted, Uduak began teaching himself how to code.
At first, he found coding challenging and frustrating. However, he refused to give up and spent countless hours watching online tutorials and practicing his coding skills. Slowly but surely, he began to make progress.
That's when he discovered Microverse, an online school that trains students worldwide to become remote software developers.
Despite having no prior technical experience, Uduak decided to enroll and begin his journey toward becoming a remote web developer. He knew it would be challenging, but he was determined to succeed. And with Microverse's unique approach to learning, he knew he would have the support he needed to succeed.
“I've gone through Udemy trying to learn coding on my own. It's either a stop halfway or incomplete. Microverse is a guided learning process… there are no teachers, so you are the one that is teaching yourself. And those kind of concepts has been built into me and has helped me.”
One thing that sets Microverse apart from other coding schools is its emphasis on remote collaboration. Students are paired with a partner from a different part of the world, and they work together on coding projects using tools like Git and GitHub. This helps students develop their technical skills and prepares them for working in a global, distributed team environment – an essential skill for modern developers.
Uduak found the remote collaboration aspect of Microverse to be a great way to learn from others and develop his coding skills. He was paired with a partner from Argentina, and together they worked on a variety of projects, from building a simple HTML page to developing a full-stack e-commerce site. Through these projects, Uduak learned how to use popular programming languages like Ruby on Rails and JavaScript, as well as how to work with databases, APIs, and other tools.
The most valuable thing Uduak gained from his experience with Microverse was the confidence to pursue a career in software development. Before enrolling, he had always thought of coding as something only "tech people" could do. But through his experience with Microverse, he realized that coding is a skill that can be learned by anyone, regardless of their background.
After completing Microverse, Uduak began applying for jobs as a software developer. It was only a short time before he landed his first job as a full-stack developer at a startup in Lagos. Today, Uduak is a successful software developer who has worked for several companies in Nigeria and the United States.
He currently spends his days building software that helps solve real-world problems, and he couldn't be happier with his new career. He noted that none of it would have been possible without the support and guidance he received from Microverse.
Uduak's journey to becoming a software developer is full of valuable lessons for anyone considering a career change to web development.
“One piece of advice for those starting to look for a job; forget about the frustration and negative things, be positive. Look at the bright side and be confident in yourself. Focus on the development. If you are going to give yourself eight months to learn coding, stay focused and put in the hours. Put in the work, do the coding, build volunteer projects, build stuff. The money will follow. First you need to believe that you can do it.”
One of the most impressive things about Uduak's story is that he had no prior technical background or experience in programming. However, he didn't let that stop him from pursuing his dream of becoming a software developer. Instead, he started from scratch and taught himself how to code.
If you're considering a career change or want to learn how to code, don't be afraid to start from scratch. It may seem daunting at first, but you can achieve your goals with hard work and dedication.
Learning to code can be challenging and frustrating at times. Uduak faced many obstacles along the way, but he refused to give up. He spent countless hours watching online tutorials and practicing his coding skills until he became proficient. If you're struggling to learn how to code, don't give up. Keep practicing, and you'll get there.
One of the reasons Uduak was able to teach himself how to code was because of the wealth of free resources available online. There are countless tutorials, videos, and articles that can help you learn how to code without spending a dime.
In addition to free resources, there are also online schools like Microverse that can help you jumpstart your career as a global software developer. Take advantage of these resources to accelerate your learning and gain the skills you need to succeed.
Uduak shared how helpful his peers at Microverse were to his journey and his life as a software developer. He noted that he wouldn’t have made the progress he has without them, and regularly checks in with his peers and their journeys.
So, if you're considering a career in software development but don't have a technical background, Uduak's story is proof that it's possible. With the right training and mindset, anyone can become a successful developer – and Microverse can help you get there. So why not take the first step toward your new career today? Learn about the Microverse journey!
Ariel is the founder & CEO of Microverse, an online school for software engineers. Read more about Microverse and how it can help you.
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