From Healthcare Worker to Frontend Developer

Antonia lives in Helsinki with her little dog. She loves to be social with friends and organise dinners and events. When not spending the whole day cooking and baking, she loves to learn new things. "I like seeing myself improve. From sourdough baking, or weightlifting, or coding - I love a project", she says. Antonia is always up for a challenge, even though it can be a bit scary. "Seeing myself improve in something that I was intimidated by in the beginning is such a satisfying feeling."

Before studying the Web Development Bootcamp at Technigo, she had just graduated from uni with a master's in sociology, and was actually looking for work as a tech recruiter. On the side, she was also working at a retirement home for seniors with dementia. "I've been working there for a long time, around seven years."

Time for a career change

As Antonia was looking for a way to career change, she discover the Web Development Bootcamp at Technigo. "I wanted the learning process to be fairly quick, so that I could get into working in tech as quickly as possible. I also wanted to challenge myself and see if I could learn everything that you need to know as a developer in such a short amount of time. Also, Technigo just seemed like a really fun and laid-back environment. So that's why I picked Technigo specifically and not a traditional education."

Antonia says the atmosphere in her team is very laid back, they're all super good friends and spend a lot of time chit chatting about non Boot Camp related stuff.

“I think that's what makes it so great, that you can both have fun and be chilled out together. But also have this intense pressure to have to succeed and turn in projects and learn new things continuously."

Finding motivation for intense studies

"I've been really focused on my mental and physical health during this Boot Camp. I prioritise routines, such as sleep and regular exercise. Those two things have really helped me to stay focused and motivated. And also, my teammates are my motivators, because we're in the same boat. We offer each other a lot of support along the way."

Antonia is planning her future after the bootcamp and would like to work as a Frontend Developer in a junior position.

"I would love to be a part of a start-up company, preferably something that has a good social impact. I want my work to have some sort of a positive impact on the world. I'm drawn to the start-up kind of atmosphere, the flexibility of it, and the constant learning that you're expected to do if you work at a start-up. It's very exciting, I think. So that's what I would like to do, constantly evolve and challenge myself."

Antonia's prejudice about coding

“I had this idea that coders know everything by heart and can type out syntax perfectly from their head. It's been really uplifting for me to see 'JavaScript wizards', and complete geniuses, google simple code, and be like, oh, yeah, that's how it is. So that's something that's been debunked in my head. Coding is a lot about knowing how to Google certain things and knowing whom to ask. There is a big community, you can get on GitHub anywhere, and get help from people you don't even know.

“That's why I like tech as a community. Because it's helpful and inviting, especially to newbies."

How to dare a career change within tech?

"Familiarise yourself with the community, learn the lingo. Make sure that you're staying up to date with new trends, especially in tech; everything's constantly changing and evolving. And network, network a lot. Whether it's going to events in real life or networking on LinkedIn - you can find new friends who share your interests and passions anywhere. And really, believe in yourself. I think a mindset of 'other people can do it so why shouldn't I be able to do it', is really good when changing into tech. Research the field and what you want to do and plan your path. Find your why and go for it."

About landing the job

Antonia graduated in June and started her first developer job in October. "On most days I was just surfing through reposted ads, and the new ones I did find often wanted juniors to have more than two years experience. I didn't keep exact track of how many applications I sent (I'm not organised enough for that lol), but I would say it was around 50. Out of all of them, my current workplace is the only one that I got an interview with."

"Luckily there are always companies like mine that are willing to take a chance on juniors, you just have to be patient and keep an eye out."

How does it feel in your first ever developer role?

"I'm a Junior Frontend Developer at the moment, although I don't really feel like a junior! The team is quite small and I've gotten a ton of responsibility already, which has definitely been a nice confidence boost. While the first month was definitely intense, as with any new job or big change, I would say the bootcamp was more emotionally intense for me because I was learning a whole new skill."

Thanks, Antonia!