The freeCodeCamp Podcast

Hiroko Nishimura is a former special ed teacher who became a technical instructor and overcame a brain tumor. She shares her inspiring journey from childhood in Japan to navigating life in the U.S. after a major health crisis. Hiroko discusses her transition from system administration to empowering over 500,000 students through her teaching. She reflects on cultural challenges, rediscovering coding, and the importance of learning in public. With humor and warmth, she highlights resilience and the community she's built around cloud computing.

Rahul Pandey, a former FAANG software engineer, shares his bold leap from an $800K job to launching his startup, Taro. He discusses the challenging post-layoff job market and reveals strategies for standing out in developer interviews. Rahul argues the existence of 10x, 100x, and even 1000x engineers and emphasizes the importance of soft skills in tech. The conversation also covers venture capital shifts affecting startups and effective job-seeking practices tailored for tech, showcasing the evolving landscape for developers.

Angie Jones, a trailblazing developer and holder of 27 software patents, shares her remarkable journey in tech. She reflects on a pivotal performance review that ignited her confidence and innovation. Angie discusses the distinct disciplines of feature and test development, emphasizing their unique practices. She also dives into her experiences at IBM and Twitter, and her fascination with virtual worlds like Second Life. Plus, she explores the transformative role of AI in debugging, offering insights that inspire both current and aspiring tech professionals.

Ken Jee, a data scientist and sports analytics expert, shares insights from his work with US Team Golf and USA Basketball. He discusses how an injury shifted his focus from sports to data. Ken explains the importance of communicating complex stats to athletes and argues that building user-focused products is more valuable than just projects. He emphasizes meditation for creativity and reflects on the advantages of walking in nature for mental clarity. The conversation also tackles misconceptions in data science careers and the evolving role of AI in analytics.

John Washam, the mastermind behind Coding Interview University, shares his fascinating journey from delivering pizzas to landing a software engineer role at Amazon. He discusses how he self-taught computer science in just eight months and reflects on his diverse career path, including service in the military. John highlights the importance of fundamentals in programming and the power of open-source resources for aspiring developers. His insights are invaluable for anyone looking to navigate the tech industry, especially later in life.

Machine Learning Engineer Daniel Bourke shares his hacking adventures, fixing computers, and insights on Machine Learning basics. He emphasizes prioritizing learning in Machine Learning, blending domain expertise with coding for real-world problem-solving, and paths to success in AI.

Software engineer Jessica Chan shares her journey from data entry to success in web development. Topics include running a BBS, imposter syndrome, creating tutorials, and transitioning from freelancing to building a brand.

A chat with Scott Hanselman covering remote team leadership, his educational journey, software insights from 980 podcast interviews, and a side of punk bass. Topics include arcade gaming, remote work challenges, tech evolution through daily objects, lifelong learning in tech, algorithms' impact on content curation, intentional career choices, and diving into C sharp development.

Software Engineer Alison Yoon discusses transitioning from fashion to coding with freeCodeCamp. She shares insights on learning coding through challenges, working in the UK, and leading Korean translations. The episode covers her journey from fashion to software engineering, working at Octopus Energy, and the importance of language learning and localization.

Adrian Twarog, a Software Engineer, shares insights on transitioning from IT to web development, diving into his AI tutorials and design fundamentals. He discusses the challenges of staying at the forefront in Perth, Australia. The conversation delves into creating engaging YouTube videos, mastering coding fundamentals, and the role of AI tools in modern web development.