Let's go back in time a little to see how far I have made it!
My first 60 minute beginners coding class with yours truly: SheCodes Founder, Matt Delac. My job at the time required some heavy Microsoft Excel usage, so, online I went to learn more about VBA, formulas, vlookups, and xlookups... but I came across SheCodes. I signed up, ready to take in some new knowledge....The introduction class was so overwhelming, I left mid-seminar. I remember closing my laptop, almost slamming it and saying to myself: "Nope, not for me."
I got my first remote position! You maybe thinking why or how is this apart of my coding journey? Well, this is the first time during training that I would have to use Command Prompt on my new work computer. I thought it was pretty neat but I was still not convinced or even thinking of anything dealing with coding. At this time, I focused primary on my arts and crafts business. It was fun and lucrative.
We all will, forever, remember the year 2020! For some, it was a breeze and for others, well, a rough patch in time. During the summer of 2020, my younger sister would tell me about a Women in Tech facebook group. I was not super interested but decided to check it out. One month later, I was down the rabbit hole of Technology. My arts and crafts business was taking off. Canva, Procreate, and the rhythmic hum of my Cricut cutting machine filled me with so much joy! With all that joy, there was a burning question: "How can I make creating and taking orders more efficient and easy?" It would not be long before I found my answer.
"Welcome to SheCodes! I am Matt Delac..." And it begins again. I came back to SheCodes. I have decided making my own webpage would be the best route for me to take. My business was slowing down and turning into more of a hobby than something I wanted to continue pursuing. I also received two promotions at work, so saying that I was crunched for time would be a understatement. I found out that through my job, they offered free membership to some of the major learning platforms out there. I took on a few about HTML. Creating and maintaining my own webpage for my business would still help if any future orders were to come. I have taken a deep dive into the world of what a day in the life of a Software Engineer and Web Developer looks like. Oh, I finsihed the Free Coding Class this time. Thank you, Matt!
After many Youtube tutorials and unsuccessful Udemy courses, I bit the bullet and purchased SheCodes MAX. This was one of the biggest accomplishments for me. I received my certifications for SheCodes Basics and Basics Add-on. Even finishing earlier than scheduled. I had also enrolled at WGU to obtain my Bachelor's of Science in Software Engineering. Overjoyed and enthusiactic, I started applying for internships, entry level positions, and more. I needed to get my foot in the door somewhere! I had found my calling. Life hit hard, unfortunately and I had to stop my SheCodes Plus classes. This pause lasted 10 months.
Februray of 2023, I was offered a position as a Solutions Business Anaylst within my company. Two days after accepting this position, I was offered a interview for a Software Engineer 1 role. I declined it. I made the best decision, the guy who would have interviewed me, works on the same team! In my current position, I work with both Applications Developers, Software Engineers, and Database Developers! I have the best of both worlds currently. I have been able to learn first hand SDLC, SQL, Azure, QA, and more daily on the job. Even though I am learning so much on my job, my SheCodes classes should not wait any longer. Anyone that codes, knows that coming back to it after a extended amount of time....with no documentation, will cause you to pull your hair out. As of this challenge, I am finally continuing my SheCodes Plus journey after completing Basics again.