How William Turned His Love for Books into a Frontend Developer Job

William moved from Australia to Sweden two years ago. With a background in literature, coding wasn’t on his radar—until a friend introduced him to Technigo’s bootcamp. Intrigued, he gave it a try, and just a few months later, he’s now a frontend developer at a major Swedish book retailer.

By combining his love for reading with his new coding skills, William found a perfect fit in his role, which his employer immediately valued.

William’s Journey Towards Technigo’s Bootcamp

William met his Swedish girlfriend in Australia and moved to Stockholm 2 years ago via the Sambovisa, a visa that allows you to stay if you live with a Swedish partner He enjoyed the change, especially learning the language. “I’d always wanted to learn a second language but it took moving to another country to motivate myself”, he says. It helps that Stockholm is a great place to live.

Finding out about the boot camp

“A friend of my girlfriend came to Stockholm to stay with us because she attended the orientation day. I didn’t have an idea of the concept of boot camps back then but when she described it, I got really interested”, William explains. He had always found writing code quite exotic, but it was eye-opening to meet someone his age without prior coding experience learning it all in a 6 months course - with the potential to change her entire career.

“She was here for two days and everything she described that they had done during that time really interested me.”

William, who originally studied literature and history, studied those subjects because he was simply interested in reading and history without a set idea of what he wanted to work with later in life. His family owns a farm in Australia where he worked on the side. After he moved to Sweden, he attended university to do a masters in literature. “I also worked in a book shop. Essentially, everything I’d done before the boot camp was completely unrelated to coding. I was a blank slate”, he says.

How curiosity led to a new career

“My image of coding was so romantic. But I didn't know much about it. The idea that I could go from not knowing anything to being good enough to work in the field was really attractive and made me curious”, William explains. The boot camp format also appealed to him, because he didn’t have to go back to university again for several years. The fact that the boot camp was so fast-paced, intense, and hands-on was a plus as well.

“I’d been interested in computing at a younger age...it felt a bit like picking up a lost thread.”

Getting a job directly after the bootcamp

William now works at a large Swedish book e-commerce company, blending his passion for books with his coding skills. “Most coders aren’t as interested in reading, so the company appreciated finding someone who understands both,” William explains. His enthusiasm for the product made him naturally aligned with the customers' perspective. The hiring manager was also impressed by William’s bold career shift and relocation from abroad, which demonstrated adaptability and drive, making him a perfect fit for the role.

“It showed that I was willing to go outside of my comfort zone and challenge myself. Many companies value that.”

William hadn’t applied to many jobs before landing his current role, which he found through Technigo. The bootcamp offers coaching to help students secure their first job, which he appreciated. “But my advice is to be proactive and apply widely. I finished during summer when fewer positions were open. Starting earlier can boost your chances,” he says.

For the interview, William was tasked with designing and pitching an app, focusing on how its components would interact. “It was more conceptual than I expected, so I recommend preparing for various interview styles.”

How the web development bootcamp helped him get a foot into a new country

The recruiter William spoke with was already aware of the boot camp. That helped him get a foot in the door. Ever since attending Technigo, he’s been contacted by people on Linkedin who are aware of what Technigo does. “There definitely is name recognition that may have helped me”, he states.

William says that it was nice for him as a new expat in Sweden to meet people through the boot camp. The boot camp was structured into small groups for the entire duration of the course. Groups met twice a week but also spoke privately. For William, a great opportunity to meet people. Technigo also deliberately tried to match people who they thought would get along, including their location. “This really helped the groups bond and was a big plus for me as someone who had just moved here looking to get to know people.”