INTRODUCTION

I can’t say I have been interested in tech from the get-go. I came from a household where my father has always been interested in technology and loved that all his children would be tech savvy. I was enrolled in a computer school at the age of 8 where I learned the basics but nothing thrilled me about it in general.

MY TECH JOURNEY

Back in 2019, during my vacation from school, my sister encouraged me to enroll in the Pink Summer of Code Enugu for a month-long program. Here, I learned a little about programming though I found it boring and I did not have a laptop at the time to keep trying, so I dropped it. At the time, I thought technology was only about coding python, JavaScript, and the likes. I just canceled the whole transitioning into tech.

Fast forward to 2022, when someone suggested that I learn another digital skill (before now, I had tried to learn crypto but realized it wasn’t for me either). I was not well informed of the numerous non-developer tech roles, it made me opt for the career path someone told me about

I didn’t even realize I commenced my journey into tech until I watched a YouTube video by Ms. Yewande Odumosu about Designing a Tech Career Roadmap. From the video, I learned that I had taken the non-linear career path in tech.

TAKEAWAY FROM THE VIDEO

These are my highlights from the video;

• Pick a tech role that tallies with your strength, and skills that come naturally to you so that you can improve and advance in that area. For example, you cannot hate research or be an introvert and want to learn UX/UI design unless you are ready to push yourself and get out of your comfort zone (this is because this particular skill requires human interaction more often than not).

• Understand that it is okay to not have everything figured out, it is okay to start out loving something and in time develop an interest in something else. Besides, technology keeps evolving, so do humans

• Never stop improving and striving to be better, be scared! But do it anyway. Experts are people who learned something long enough to not suck at it.

• All tech roles are challenging but not impossible so never let anyone make you feel like the role you went for is irrelevant.

• As you advance in any skill, it is necessary to learn and improve in the area of soft skills. They are what makes you relevant in your chosen field.

• Join a community and be active, be accountable

As I begin my journey with the ADA SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INTERNSHIP, I owe myself accountability, I want to be an active member of the community. I look forward to where I will be in the next 7months, I know for sure it will not be where I am today. Thank you so much the ADA team for this splendid opportunity. Cheers!

REFERENCE: youtu.be/EZ6oX7HvAHA Treford, designing a Tech Career Roadmap by Ms. Yewande Odumosu