
The State of Developer Education
Join us as we level up the next generation of technologists! Welcome to The State of Developer Education, a podcast by Major League Hacking. We explore how developers should and are educated to help you - the next generation - prepare for the real world. I'm your host Jonathan Gottfried, co-founder, hacker, entrepreneur, and hobbyist baker.
Latest episodes

Mar 2, 2023 • 53min
What it’s Like Working in Web3 with Emily Lin, Developer Evangelist at ConsenSys
In this episode, Jon speaks with Emily Lin, Developer Evangelist at ConsenSys, the leading Ethereum software company which allows people from across the globe to build next-generation applications. They discuss how she made the shift in her career from marketing at HackDartmouth to Software Engineering, what it’s like learning all the different factors that come with working in Web3, the amount of travel involved in conferences and hackathons, and why zero-to-hero courses don’t particularly work for her.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyjlinTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/_emjlin Episode resourcesConsenSysAppian CorporationHackDartmouthTruffle SuiteIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Feb 16, 2023 • 45min
Open Source Coding and Technical Skills: The Importance of Learning Software Development with Nikita Koselev, the Lead Software Development Engineer at Mastercard
In this episode, Jon speaks with Nikita Koselev, the Lead Software Development Engineer at Mastercard, who believes companies need to better understand a community's needs. He is also the Open Source Developer Relations and founder of Together, We Open Source.They talk about how he has helped people learn the skills they need to develop software and the pros and cons of learning open source coding and technical skills. He also speaks about his passion for computers, people, and nature, his struggles with depression, and his openness regarding autism. Episode resourcesNikita Koselev on LinkedInJonathan Gottfried on LinkedInMajor League Hacking WebsiteIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyCheck out the State of Developer Education PodcastMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Feb 2, 2023 • 43min
Change in the Industry and Technological Magic with Viktor Gamov, Principal Developer Advocate at ‘Kong’
In this episode, Jon speaks with Viktor Gamov, Principal Developer Advocate at Kong, a cloud connectivity company backed by the likes of Jeff Bezos (Amazon) and Eric Schmidt (Google). He is the co-author of books Kafka in Action and Enterprise Web Development. Prior to this, he worked for Confluent as a Developer Advocate. With years of experience under his belt, he is doing his utmost to help others learn software development. They discuss how information is far more easily accessible in the 21st century, how much time and research it took to write his books, whether or not technology is indistinguishable from magic, and what the process of working for Kong is like. They also dive into building software for customers who could potentially know more than you.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikgamov GitHub: https://github.com/gAmUssAYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ViktorGamov Twitter: https://twitter.com/gamussaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gamussaEpisode resourcesKong Inc. (LinkedIn)Confluent (LinkedIn)Kafka in Action (Book)Enterprise Web Development (Book)If you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Jan 19, 2023 • 36min
The Developer Ecosystem with Olivier Poupeney, Director of Developer Relations at Symphony.com
When Olivier Poupeney started his career in software development in the early 1990s, DevOps did not exist, Ethernet was not invented yet, and it took twenty minutes to compile a simple program! Today, we are living in a utopia of connectivity.In this episode, Jon Gottfried and Olivier Poupeny, Director of Developer Relations at Symphony, discuss the evolution of software development from "sneakernet" to 5G. Jon and Olivier take an in-depth look at developer relations—from Symphony's Developer Ecosystem and essential job skills to developer education and career development.Olivier Poupeney is the Director of Developer Relations at Symphony, a collaboration platform with community-driven developer kits for fintech developers. Olivier co-founded and was the VP of Research and Development at Ecensity. He also co-founded and was a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at DreamFace Interactive, and worked as CTO for Interactive Clouds. He has made significant contributions to numerous enterprise-level development projects in various industries and is co-author of a patented method of creating customisable applications. He holds an Associate's degree in Science Computing from Vilgénis (Massy).Episode resourcesJonathan Gottfried on LinkedInMajor League Hacking WebsiteIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Jan 5, 2023 • 34min
Open Source Education and Developer Relations with Joshua Poddoku, Lead Developer Evangelist at Apache DevLake
Investing in open-source education is one of the best ways to embed yourself in the community. But how do you incorporate open source into your business? Joshua Poddoku is an open-source leader, adviser, and public speaker passionate about building vibrant communities. In this episode of The State of Developer Education, he describes his role as Lead Developer Evangelist at Apache, DevLake, & Merico. Listen to learn why investing in open-source education works, how to get involved, and the benefits of contributing to the open-source community. Episode resourcesJonathan Gottfried on LinkedInMajor League Hacking WebsiteIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Dec 22, 2022 • 37min
Mentoring and Educating the Developers: The Role of DevRels with Vyshakh Babji, Global Lead of DevRel at Shippo
In this episode, Jonathan speaks with Vyshakh Babji, Global Lead of DevRel at Shippo, a multi-carrier shipping software for e-commerce businesses. He is vastly experienced in Android software development and educating the public on his company's products. He is improving ways to educate developers in the community. They discuss developer relations and the role they have been playing in educating and mentoring developers in the tech space, ways a developer can improve their knowledge, and why a developer needs to have a technical mentor in the community. They also advise SaaS companies that develop platforms that developers work on. Episode resourcesJonathan Gottfried on LinkedInMajor League Hacking WebsiteIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Dec 8, 2022 • 58min
The Art and Science of Mastering Your Craft with Sandile Keswa, Senior Software Engineer at Google
What is the best career path for a new developer? Should you go to college? What about grad school? Regardless of your path, getting involved in the open-source community is a smart way to learn, collaborate, and build a strong portfolio. In this interview, Jon chats with the Senior Software Engineer at Google Research, Sandile Keswa. He shares insight about projects he's worked on, hybrid learning models in education, building apps vs. building infrastructure, how to get involved in open source, top secret projects he can't talk about, advice for up-and-coming developers on where to start, and more!Episode resourcesSandile KeswaGoogle ResearchGitHubIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyCheck out MLS PodcastMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Dec 8, 2022 • 1h 2min
The Essentials of an Open Source Mindset with Aliza Carpio, Tech Evangelist at Autodesk
In this episode, Tech Evangelist at Autodesk Aliza Carpio discusses her incredible career, pivoting from engineer to marketer to product specialist, why communication is one of the most underrated skills, mentors who have influenced her, and what she loves about hackathons. This interview is full of practical career advice for up-and-coming developers, and she outlines simple hacks to speed up your career development and upgrade your skill set.Aliza Carpio is a technologist, open-source leader, inventor, and blogger. Aliza has a unique skill set in various disciplines, including backend development, marketing, product management, and evangelism. She is a sought-after guest speaker featured in publications like CNN and San Diego Magazine.Episode resourcesAliza Carpio on LinkedInAutodeskWisdom From My Elders YouTubeIntuit BlogIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyCheck out MLS PodcastMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Dec 6, 2022 • 51min
Building products for a global audience at LinkedIn with Thao Bach
Thao Bach is a Senior Software Engineer at LinkedIn Mountain View and Co-President of Mount Holyoke's Computer Science Society. Her experience spans the development of open-source, closed-source, and consumer-facing software. She is a strong advocate of diversity—her work at LinkedIn is focused on cultivating a more inclusive community by building inclusive products.In this episode, Thao illuminates the differences between LinkedIn from region to region and describes the behavior that drives development. She also discusses what college did not prepare her for, the exciting world of open source, and the pros/cons of obtaining a degree vs. a nontraditional route.Episode resources:Thao Bach on LinkedInIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyMajor League Hacking is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
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