Stacey Graham's determination and resourcefulness in leveraging free online resources, grants, and networking opportunities enabled her to overcome financial constraints and health issues on her coding journey.
Community and networking played a vital role in Stacey Graham's coding journey, providing support, motivation, and job opportunities through meetups, online communities, and tech conferences.
Deep dives
Stacey's Coding Journey: From an Admin Assistant to a Software Engineer
Stacey Graham, a software engineer at Affinte Company, shares her coding journey and the challenges she faced. Motivated by the desire to support her family and find a more exciting career, Stacey started her coding journey in college with basic coding classes. She initially aimed to become a network administrator but later rediscovered her passion for coding through workshops and online resources. Stacey persevered through personal hardships, including the loss of her son and battling cancer, all while continuing to pursue her tech aspirations. She explored different bootcamp options, utilized grants and scholarships, and networked with recruiters and other professionals in the tech industry. Stacey's determination and the support of her family and community enabled her to transition from an administrative assistant to a software engineer, fulfilling her dream and finding fulfillment in her new role.
Navigating Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles
Stacey encountered several challenges on her coding journey, including financial constraints and health issues. Despite facing rejections for financing options, she persisted and sought out free online resources, such as FreeCodeCamp and Codecademy, to continue her learning. Stacey also took advantage of grants and scholarships specifically targeted at women in tech. She used her time effectively by attending meetups, virtual conferences, and networking events to connect with professionals and gain valuable insights into the industry. Stacey's ability to adapt, leverage available resources, and maintain a resilient mindset proved crucial in overcoming the obstacles she encountered.
The Power of Community and Networking
Throughout her coding journey, Stacey emphasizes the importance of community and networking. She actively sought out coding meetups and joined online communities, like Woman Who Code and Career Karma, to connect with like-minded individuals and gain support. Stacey attributes much of her motivation and knowledge to the community she found, where she could share experiences, learn from others, and find guidance. By attending tech conferences and volunteering within the tech community, Stacey expanded her network and fostered relationships that ultimately led to job opportunities. Stacey encourages aspiring coders to seek out communities, both online and offline, as they provide vital support, motivation, and opportunities for growth.
Reflections and Advice for Aspiring Coders
Reflecting on her coding journey, Stacey recognizes that her passion for coding was fueled by a desire for personal growth and a better life for her family. She advises others facing similar situations to build a strong support system, as the encouragement and understanding from loved ones can be invaluable. Stacey also emphasizes the significance of time management and proper planning, given the juggling act between family responsibilities and coding pursuits. She advises exploring various education options and financial aids, such as bootcamps, grants, and scholarships, as they can provide tailored, up-to-date learning experiences without the burden of traditional college courses. Stacey's key takeaways include the importance of embracing community, networking actively, and seeking out opportunities to learn from and connect with others in the tech industry.
Saron sits down with Stacey Graham, Software Engineer at a fintech company. Stacey grew up curious about computers since being introduced to them in the 7th grade. Although she didn't take the full plunge into code immediately, she constantly provided technical support in her previous roles. Hear Stacey talk more about her experience navigating her career transition while battling health troubles, how you can level up and network in the tech community, and where to look for communities while you are just starting out.
Stacey fell in love with technology in the 7th grade in her first computer class and from there, her curiosity for technology began. She is passionate about coding and loves learning and problem-solving collaboratively in teams.
She enjoys building high-quality applications in JavaScript, React, and Angular and she enjoys working with RESTful APIs, Node.js, and Express.js. She likes being challenged and believes there is always an opportunity to learn something new in web development, and that is what gets her excited about this industry.
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