Ever wondered how people with diverse backgrounds end up in the same place? Meet Darina, a graduate from Technical University who used to be a pro at sports. Then there's Yanislav, who used to tackle technical problems, and Rosana, who had a job as a dentist. They all came together during the 6-month Alpha Java program at Telerik Academy.
Guess what? Now Darina and Rosana work as Full Stack Developers at HedgeServ, and Yanislav is a Junior Software Developer at TINQIN. Wanna know more about their stories? Read below!
If you're thinking about making a change like Darina, Yanislav, and Rosana, don't wait.
Apply for Alpha Java by March 10. It's your turn to take the next step in your career!
Why did you choose coding and why Telerik Academy?
Y: I’m a logical person and the process of solving problems has always been my passion. I consulted people working in IT and they all said Telerik Academy would give me the best start for a programming career.
D: I’ve wanted to be a programmer since high school. Telerik Academy came along just when I had to decide if I should start something new. I knew a lot of people that graduated from it, and they all said amazing things about their experience.
R: I had some previous experience with a free course from another training organization. What I found different in Telerik Academy’s fundamentals course was that the tasks always had a twist, and you need to consider that when solving them. That’s why the fundamentals course played a big role in my successful admission to the Academy, and I highly recommend it.
Did you have any tough times and how did you manage to move on?
R: I felt desperate at times as it seemed like everyone was moving faster than me. But when you don’t quit despite the struggles, you find great satisfaction seeing all your hard work pay off. That really motivated me. Even if something seemed impossible at the time, I knew that when I do get it, I would be even more motivated to keep learning. Today I still enjoy not knowing things and learning them.
How did it feel to build your final project from scratch in 6 months?
D: I was in the same team with Rosi and one other person. We all worked really hard during the program and wanted our final project to be great. It was a lot of teamwork, and we were proactive – doing research on our own and asking the trainers for help. We wanted to make our project special, and we were very dedicated.
R: We were in meetings from 9AM until 10PM - coding and solving problems together. I was very satisfied with our project as we really put a lot of effort into it. It was an amazing experience!
Did Telerik Academy prepare you for the real-life work environment?
Y: My first week in a real-work environment was emotional. The project I was working on was bigger than what I was used to working on in the Academy. Then I remembered our useful soft skills sessions about emotional intelligence and mental toughness. That helped me control my emotions and remember that everything I did at the Academy had prepared me for the job. Even though the projects I work on may be larger and use different technologies, the foundation and the good practices from Telerik Academy stay relevant.
How did you prepare for your job interviews?
D: I didn’t have that much time since I had an interview just a few days after our Progress review. Getting ready for the review and solving tasks was my preparation for the job interview too.
What was the thing you liked the most about Telerik Academy and what would you say to future students?
R: Besides the great technical skills – the friends I made and the social interactions with the other students. My advice is to try to take everything you can from the Academy and make sure to be proactive and work hard. Even a little bit more of an effort makes a big difference
D: Even when it’s extremely hard for you, remember you can do more and do better. Keep pushing to get as much as you can from this experience.
Y: I liked the team projects. I also liked the practical advice on how to handle emotions, how to set realistic goals, create a CV and prepare for an interview to make a good impression. My advice to all is to take the next step because it’s all about being consistent. It was the most exciting career journey for me that I postponed starting for a while and missed some opportunities so now I have to catch up.
Don’t put your career transformation on hold!
Apply by March 10 and join Alpha Java!
