From Veterinary Care to Frontend Developer

Before studying web development, Nicolina worked in veterinary care as a nurse for several years. It was a stable and familiar path, but after some time, she felt ready for a change. "I decided to completely change my career path about a year to a year and a half ago."

Web development entered her life almost by accident. What started as curiosity quickly grew into something more meaningful as she began exploring free courses and meeting people who had already made similar transitions.

"I discovered web development somewhat by chance and started taking a few free courses just for fun," she says, adding that she was "inspired by people who had taken that step before."

Taking the leap

Over time, the idea of switching careers became a clear goal. She wanted to work as a developer full-time and eventually decided to fully commit.

"I realised that I truly wanted to pursue a career as a full-time developer. I decided to take the leap and enrol at Technigo. It was both very scary and very exciting."

Coming from a completely different field made the transition feel significant. Leaving something stable behind wasn’t easy, but it also made the journey more rewarding.

"It was so far from what I had done before, which made it a scary step — especially leaving something stable," she explains.

Learning alongside others

During the programme, the people she studied with became an important part of the experience.

"I met many people from different backgrounds, which made the experience even better."

Like many others starting something new, she initially felt unsure of her place.

"In the beginning, I felt unsure and like I had a lot to catch up on compared to others," she says. “But that feeling gradually shifted as she realised that everyone brought something different to the table. It became clear that everyone had different backgrounds, and that was actually a strength."

"It became clear that everyone had different backgrounds, and that was actually a strength."

Stepping into real-world development

During her internship (LIA), Nicolina joined an agency working on projects for different companies, where she became part of an ongoing project. It was a new kind of challenge compared to the smaller projects she had built before.

"It was exciting to join something that was already well developed," she says. "I had mostly built smaller projects from scratch earlier, so this gave me a completely different perspective on how things work in real life."

Working alongside more experienced developers gave her valuable insight into how development works in practice.

"I got to work with more experienced developers, which was very educational."

Learning by doing

Her role involved contributing to an existing product, particularly in its later stages, where attention to detail and collaboration were key.

"I worked on smaller design adjustments and different parts towards the end of the project. It was about jumping in, fixing things and learning how everything fits together."

Being part of a team and receiving guidance along the way made a big difference in how quickly she could grow.

"I was part of a small team and got guidance from them," she explains.

New tools and a broader perspective

The project also introduced her to new technologies. She worked in WordPress for the first time, which required her to quickly adapt while still relying on the fundamentals she had learned during her studies.

"I worked on a WordPress project, which was new for me. I had to learn it quickly and mainly focused on frontend and React, where I recognised a lot from my education."

At the same time, she gained a deeper understanding of how different roles come together in real-world projects.

"It was really fun to work in a team with other developers," she says. "It was very interesting to see how everything works together — developers, design, and communication with clients."

A valuable experience

Looking back, the internship provided more than just technical skills. It offered a clearer picture of the industry and how collaboration works beyond the classroom.

"It gave me an understanding of things you can’t really learn on your own," she says.

Overall, it’s an experience she describes as both meaningful and rewarding:

"It has been a very educational and enjoyable experience."