Journey. Man, how many times has THAT word appeared in my life? I’ve lost count! I kid you not, it’s even the name of the church group I go to! And it very accurately sums up my career so far. It’s taken me on a journey full of a LOT of unexpected twists and turns. So, when exactly did this journey begin, and how did it lead me into software development? The answer is more complicated than one might think.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” goes the old Chinese proverb. For me, that “single step” started with my lifelong interest in all things math, science, and puzzles. Ever since childhood, I’ve loved figuring out how the world works, and how things fit together and interact with each other. I only had a general idea of what kind of job I wanted when I grew up: something that would let me solve problems, preferably using math and/or science. That career goal stayed with me all the way into high school and college.
College was where things started to get interesting. I started out in Environmental Science (because I’m interested in nature, too), then switched into mechanical engineering, which fit my interests a lot better.
So, fast-forwarding a few years later, I got my Bachelor’s. There was just one little problem: although I had my degree and was interested in engineering, I didn’t have the mechanical background (or 2+ years of experience) that a lot of companies were - ARE - looking for, even in entry level jobs! Strangely enough, for a guy who likes toys that let me put stuff together (puzzles, Legos, K’nex, etc), I don’t really have any hobbies that involve machines - I don’t exactly fix cars or use a hammer and nail on a regular basis. And as I discovered through a lot of entry level jobs, I don’t want to stand on my feet all day doing the same repetitive tasks.
OK, so I’ve obviously had quite the journey in my career, but how does it tie into software development? The answer, believe it or not, is back in my college years. Recently, I started looking at the other courses I took.
As crazy as this sounds, one of the required courses for my mechanical engineering degree was “Introduction to C-Programming”. Despite its difficulty, I actually really enjoyed that course, to the point that I started taking other courses in programming! I even tried to get a Computer Science minor, until I discovered that those courses required a LOT of prerequisites. But one thing stood out: I did consistently better in those courses (C, Java, and Python), than in my engineering courses!
That’s when it all fit together:
- I spend more time on my computer than on mechanical stuff.
- I’m more interested in programming than in mechanical engineering.
- I love using logic to solve puzzles, which is ever present in programming.
- Software development would allow me to pursue my interests in learning how things work.
- I could then use that knowledge to accomplish another goal - making beneficial products for people - just in a different way than I had expected.
So, after looking into a few coding schools, I found the highly-rated Flatiron School, did their bootcamp prep, and started their Online Software Development Program. I look forward to seeing where this journey of mine takes me next!