My journey to software engineering

From an early age I took apart all my toys. I was very interested in their design and learning about new mechanisms was just more interesting than playing with them.  These toys rarely made it back together, and most never functioned again.

Years later, I still find myself drawn to work and hobbies that involve piecing together solutions for difficult problems. 

Perfecting the process

The process of understanding the big picture, developing a high level plan and then solutions for the unknown has always felt fun and natural to me.  Managing different types of projects always lets me learn new things.  Most importantly it also allows me another iteration of the research and implementation process.

In my previous role as a real estate developer / project manager, I was given a large amount of freedom to achieve our company's goals.  I found myself excelling at the project management aspects but I was increasingly drawn to high performance buildings and environmental solutions that are needed to help solve climate issues.

Pivoting to solve different problems

After various university tours and many months of research, I resolved to pursue a career in software engineering.  I am drawn to the 'fail fast' approach and the requirement to understand the entire scope of the task at hand, with the ability to construct every detail.  Additionally, pursuing this career change is building on top of the knowledge I've gained from one of my hobbies - programming micro controllers for various items I could not find commercially available.

The next 5 months of bootcamp are sure to be a challenge, full of highs and lows.  After completing the program I hope to find a company that offers great mentors and to continue learning from seasoned professionals. Eventually, my goal is to aid in developing software to better people's lives and facilitate the transition to a cleaner, healthier environment.