From Biotech Graduate to Full-Stack Web Developer in six month

We sat down with Hadiyo to learn about her journey via Code College to become a full-stack web developer.

Tell us about your journey before studying coding

I studied Biomedical Science at Wits and got my BSc. degree but I was not interested enough in it to pursue a career in it. It was quite a theoretical subject, so I decided I could not continue to do Hons and started looking for other options.

What inspired you to study software development in 2023?

I had a friend who was a software engineer at university. I googled coding boot camps and came across Code College.

Why Code College? What stood out about Code College?

What I liked about Code College was you could work remotely. The testimonials confirmed that it was quite practical and straight to the core of the subject, which was what I was looking for.

Did you have to know basic coding to apply to Code College?

Not even, I started at the bottom with the Intro to Programming module and after that, I was hooked

Did you have to juggle working while completing the Bootcamp?

No, I was not employed anywhere else - I put all my focus on the Bootcamp

What was a typical day like in the Code College Java Bootcamp?

At the start of a module, the classes were full-day for at least one week and then the projects were done in a teamwork and pair programming fashion. We also had turns to be the team leader and do reporting and other team skills like peer support and error logging.

What was the teaching style like at Code College?

I liked it a lot because it is practical with regular check-ups to ensure we remain on pace and collaborative. The teacher involves the students in the training process and deliberately encourages knowledge sharing between peers.

Since this was for you an Online Bootcamp, how did you connect with your fellow students and instructors?

We had chat groups, a learning portal which supported collaborative working and, support groups. We were connected 24/7.

What did you learn in the Code College Coding bootcamp?

Apart from the Full-Stack building blocks like Javascript, NodeJS, React, MERN, SQL, etc., we learned how to work in groups, and how to do stand-up meetings, leadership skills, presentation skills

What kind of projects did you build in the Code College Coding bootcamp?

I was finished with the Web Bootcamp which was half of the Java Bootcamp so I did only the following projects:

• A Self-hosted CV Portfolio Website
• JavaScript animation apps
• A cooking school app, where people could register their interests, and book various cooking classes in NodeJS (MVC).
• A Book store app, also feeding from an API which allowed you to do CRUD operations on them.
• A Blog Website which allows you to log in, post articles, edit them, update them and delete them
• A Movie Reviews website which consumes a movie API and then allows users to rank and review movies - MERN Stack

How did Code College prepare you for the tech job hunt?

Adding my profile to sites I was noticed by an international software company in Europe with offices in South Africa, before Code College even sent my CV to their usual clients. Code College mentored me to be prepared (psychologically and practically) for my interviews. My first interview was done by the HR team in Europe and my second interview was with the local team in South Africa

My portfolio which I built in the first module, grew with me and highlighted my projects and experience. It was an integral part of my CV and was showcased to employers and recruiters

I was placed in the open job market with a new employer to Compuways existing client base

Which tech roles did you feel qualified to apply for after graduating?

• Full-Stack Web Developer (MERN Stack) related roles

Was the Employer interested in your Code College Bootcamp experience?

Yes, they asked me in detail about my Intro, Javascript, Node js, React, and projects completed. I was given a Full-Stack assignment as an interview test.