Benjamin J Norton Winter, 2015, Atlanta
What were your goals before learning to code with Tech Talent South?
I wanted to make a radical career change. After returning from the military, the corporate shuffle lost it's appeal; I needed a more challenging occupation - one that could keep me interested and provide the type of satisfaction you only get from doing something important. Software seemed like a good way to go.
What are you up to now?
I work for a lean consultancy called Polar Notion (www.polarnotion.com) as a Web Developer. Most of the clients I work on are start-ups, so the majority of my time is spent on back-end application development. A typical MVP turns around in 10 days, which keeps things exciting and fresh. When I'm not working on Application Development, I help out with design and layouts for static sites and splash pages.
What kind of projects are you working on?
Aggregate Law: A job board for Project Attorneys Pop Plate: Product site for tailgating hardware ENDIT 2016: Site for a movement combatting human trafficking
How did your experience with TTS shape your journey?
Tech Talent South provided an environment where I could focus 100% on learning a trade. The web is teeming with free resources to help aspiring programmers learn any language imaginable. With enough time, effort, and discipline, I'm sure I could have taught myself web development. But I saw a lot of value in attending code school over being self taught. The structure of an established program gave me the benefit of participating in a refined process, and student collaboration added an element I would have missed in being self taught. Also, having a human being to ask questions to when you get stuck is a huge advantage.
What did you find most challenging about the course and what were your big take aways?
The things I struggled with in code school seem so basic now. I remember having a hard time modeling a database with nested attributes, polymorphic associations, routing with subdomains, and managing the information flow along the MVP framework.
My biggest takeaway from code school is that the more you know, the more you realize how much more there is out there that you don't know. Mastering the web isn't possible - no one knows it all - but it's still worth striving for.
How prepared did you feel starting your new job?
TTS gave me the baseline that made me an option as a junior programmer at Polar Notion. I was fortunate to find an employer willing to take a chance on developing an emerging software rockstar, but without the basics I learned in code school, I wouldn't have been a viable candidate.
What are your goals moving forward?
I feel like I've gotten a solid grasp on writing methods in Ruby and getting them to cooperate with the database and user interface. I'd like to sharpen my skills on bringing APIs into the mix.
I've played around with Vim some, but haven't taken the plunge. I'd love to get comfortable enough with it to ditch my text editor.
Let's see what else...I'd like to get the house paid off in the next five years, fix my motorcycle, maybe get married, and finally have room in my life for a dog.