Bootcamp Learning Plan

What is your long term goal and/or career pathway?

I am hoping to use the skills gained through Dev Academy to secure a job in IT. My long term goal isn’t necessary to become a developer, but being able to get a position in an IT company. I have a background in hospitality and customer service and for example I could also be a very good fit as product owner, who is generally the middle person between the customer and the devs team.

The main thing I care is to be able to find a job that I am passionate about and fulfill me. A position that challenges me enough that I never get bored. And I want to work for an amazing company full of people that support me and make me grow.

What do you think your biggest strengths and limitations will be in Bootcamp?

Definitely Foundations has changed my idea of my strengths and limitations. I am not as good as problem solving as I thought and also not that stubborn, so during challenges I have found myself giving up way more than anticipated!

I would say that my biggest limitation is not asking for help. During Foundation I should have reached out to peers and coaches more often. I sort of started asking for help only towards the end of Foundation, around week 4. I definitely need to change my mindset around this.

As of strengths, I think it’s probably commitment. When I commit to something I put my whole self into it and I don’t mind how many hours I have to spend on it, even when this means working 60 hours a week.

What do you think your biggest non-technical challenge at Bootcamp will be?

Definitely speaking in front of the group. I hate public speaking, I get super anxious and I just can’t speak.
Last year when I went back to uni I had to present some projects in front of the class and it was a real disaster.

What non-technical skills - human skills - would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

I would like to improve my communication skills and hopefully get a tiny bit confident at public speaking. Then of course anything extra that will come out of the human skills curricula it will be a nice plus. I wouldn’t mind developing some leadership skills and also getting better at reflections, which has already been improved significantly since starting Dev Academy and working on core concepts.

What are your expectations from the Bootcamp team?

I expect the facilitator team to be more involved, and to offer guidance and motivation. And I hope they will give us plenty of feedback in order to make us grow, which lacked during foundations.

What are your expectations of yourself on Bootcamp

During Foundations I realized that I should have asked for help more often. I will try to interact on Discord way more and will reach out to fellow students if I am stuck for too long, without waiting until I am already desperate and stressed!

The heavy workload and the 60 hours a week commitment of Bootcamp doesn’t scare me. I worked in hospitality for many years and I am used to working long hours, late nights and weekends.
But in order to stay on top of the material I have to make sure I will get enough sleep, minimum of 8 hours a night - I am super grumpy and useless when I am tired!
I often don't take enough breaks and I don't look after myself properly. I want to commit to some sort of physical activity 3 times a week, so I need to put aside some times in order to achieve this goal. I am thinking a spin class and a yoga/pilates session during the week, as well as a long walk on the weekend.

I will be respectful and polite with other students, I will check on them regularly and support them as much as I am capable of when they are in need.

Foundations Learning Plan

What is your long term goal or career pathway?

I haven’t quite figured out my long term career plan just yet. For most part of my life I always felt out of place because I never knew what I wanted to do in life. Now I am pretty sure I want to work in Tech and that is why I am here. I am hoping that Dev Academy will help me understand better in which branch of IT I want to work, or at least I am hoping I will secure a job in the sector and then I will go from there.

A description of your strengths and limitations when it comes to learning

On top of what I have already covered in details in Sprint 1 “Identity, Values, and Strengths” blog, I think that my strengths and limitations could be sum up with curiosity and perfectionism. Those are definitely my number one strengths but at the same time they can also have a negative impact on me. In fact, I can get caught up on details and sometimes I don’t realize when it’s time to move on.

What skills (non-technical core/human skills) would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

I am not great at communicating and I really struggle to externalise and talk openly about my feelings. I am a people pleaser and I always want everyone to be happy, most of the time at my expenses.
I want to get better at communicating and I am really hoping that the Core part of this program will help me with this. I want to get to a point where I am confident enough to tell other people how I am feeling and start seeing myself as a priority number one, even if this means disappoint people from time to time.

A commitment to how you will manage your workload in this programme.

I have started to plan my week ahead. Every Sunday night I sit down at my desk for about 15-20 minutes and plan for the following week. I quickly scroll through the Sprint material to have a general idea of the topics I will need to cover on each day and I write a plan in my diary.

As of working with other students I am sure that this won't be a big issue. I generally get along with most people and I am a very reliable person, so if I say I will be completing a task, then be assured that the task will be done.

When things will start to get complicated and stressful I will have to find a way to relax, which is normally going for a walk or doing yoga or pilates. And then of course I promise I will ask for help.

A commitment as to how and where you will seek help in a timely way

I am a very independent person (and also a bit stubborn!) and I don’t like to ask for help, so this is definitely something I need to work on. I think it is ok to try and figure out things on my own at times, but I also need to learn when it is time to ask for help, especially when I have been stuck on the same problem for half a day!

A description of what you expect from the Facilitation team

I don’t expect too much from the Facilitation team. I would like them to be as clear as possible when it comes to assignments and projects. nd of course be available when we need help, and so far everyone has been super helpful and engaging.

Any scheduling information such as block-out times when you are committed to other things.

For the next 4 months I don’t have any other commitments other then Dev Academy! At the moment I am still filling in at my old job, with the team being short staffed but I am resigning once Bootcamp starts.