#HireTheFuture from WeThinkCode_ (feat. Londiwe Ntshele)
As part of our #HireTheFuture campaign, we are sitting down with some of the students who you might recognise from the campaign video (link below) to hear more about what they are doing at WeThinkCode_, where they hope it will take them and their advice for businesses interested in supporting young people into tech.
This week we sat down with Londiwe Ntshele, originally from the township of Umlazi, Durban, who is currently studying at our Joburg Campus.
What attracted you to start the journey to become a developer?
My first interaction with computers was only in high school. I chose subjects that interested me like physics and visual arts, and one of them was a subject called CAT (Computer Applications Technology). CAT didn’t involve programming, but taught us about the fundamental uses of computers in everyday situations like using Microsoft Office, which I loved. So when I graduated, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew it wasn’t anything to do with physics or visual arts, and given that I loved computers, I decided to go into IT.
I went to university to pursue IT, which was my first real exposure to coding. I liked the theoretical part of my courses but fell in love with my coding modules. Later, I realized that the scope of my studies didn’t allow me to specialize in coding. So when I graduated, I decided to deep dive into software development and that led me to WeThinkCode_.
I knew I wanted to learn how to create a project from scratch and say ‘this is the work of Londi’, [laughter] but what I didn’t realise until I got into WeThinkCode_ is that you don’t develop software as an individual, you do it as part of a team, so really ‘this is the work of all of us’.
Even partners like BBD, when they speak to us, drive home the importance of teamwork.
You can’t just be great on your own, you have to be great at working with others. You need to learn how to communicate more efficiently and I think that alleviates some of the pressure — when you know you are all equally responsible for the success of a particular project and are accountable to each other.
What technical concepts have you grappled with and found most rewarding once you cracked them in the programme?
The pace at which we are exposed to concepts in the programme is fast, so there is a lot to learn. I think I would say the first year of the programme focused more on building us up as developers, but this year is all about gaining exposure to new technologies and the tools that we will need when we start working.
Recently we have focused a lot on Object-Oriented Programming and Brownfields Development: What it is, when it is most useful, and its implementation. We’re also learning about different approaches to testing in software engineering such as. Behaviour Driven Development and Test Driven Development. Even though I’m understanding more, I’m still grappling with these concepts.
We’re also being exposed to concepts I never really considered in software development, like learning how to deploy projects using Docker, CI-CD (continuous integration and continuous delivery) which are concepts that lean towards DevOps engineering.Despite it being a lot of work, it has been really interesting.
It is really exciting to watch all of the different concepts we have learnt come together through the different phases of a project. Honestly, there has just been so much and I am trying to grab as much as possible while I have the time to do so at WeThinkCode_.
What part of the curriculum has been your favourite so far?
Our program at the moment is focusing on mobile development. We are currently learning how to implement APIs, how to use them to access data, allowing applications to communicate with each other. I am finding that to be quite interesting.
In the not too distant future, you will officially graduate and go out into the world as a developer. What are you most anxious about when it comes to joining the workforce?
What makes me anxious is not knowing what is required of me as an intern or just not knowing what I think I need to know, and essentially starting a job not being able to tell if I am well prepared for it or not.
The reason why I came to WeThinkCode_ was to improve on my technical skills and work on building a portfolio that tells potential employers I am ready. I have managed to build my confidence here, and through this, I have learnt that I don’t need to understand everything, that learning is part of the journey.
There is a spirit of real teamwork and collaboration here at WeThinkCode_. That has helped me not to focus on what I am not good at, but on my growth, understanding that failure is part of that process. WeThinkCode_ is not a competitive environment but a space that allows you to learn from collaborating with your peers.
Before WeThinkCode_ I hadn’t even heard of Git and didn’t know that there were amazing tools designed to help you collaborate with your teammates.
What can businesses do to make your journey into a new workplace as seamless as possible?
I think they should focus on their openness and communication. For the most part, you are going to be joining a grad programme or interning as a junior developer and you won’t know what to expect until you get there. Some companies do a great job of giving you a clear picture of this. BBD has a whole page on their website that gives you an idea of what to expect in their grad program. I think this helps you to better prepare yourself to some degree on what you can do to make a good impression.
It would also be helpful if more senior representatives from companies could share their experiences with us and their journey on how they got into this industry and managed to stay in it for so long.
It is a relief to know that experienced software developers in the industry are not just magicians but normal software developers just like us.
Mentorship is also by far an important part of one’s learning journey. Our mentor, from Business IQ, has helped answer questions that we had in terms of what to expect in the IT industry, demystifying the expectations that we had about software development and what a developer does on a day to day basis.
What are some of the companies that inspire you from a technical perspective?
By far Takealot, I love their services. Before Takealot became popular, Kalahari.net was another well known online shopping platform and since the merger with Kalahari.net, they have done such a great job in redefining the online shopping space. I also like how they have branched out into different areas of business through acquisitions like Mr D Food and have grown as a business.
Other than Takealot, I’d say BBD is one software company that inspires me. I like how they focus on taking in developers that haven’t worked before and exposing them to a rich training program — that focuses on maturing their developers. One of my fears is going to a company that doesn’t allow you to grow, where senior staff members are inaccessible if you need advice or are struggling.
I want to be in a place where I can look back after two or three years and see how much I have grown. To be in a business that is proactive about creating an environment that is conducive for software developers.
Finally, what do you think we could, as a country, do at a school level to encourage more young people to become techies?
That is a tricky one. I think it would be great for companies to reach out by offering summer/winter school programs, to expose young people to the world of technology. Such personal experiences are crucial to driving interest in technology.
I happened to get into programming almost by accident. At the time, I didn’t know programming or coding was a thing until I got exposed to it whilst pursuing my IT degree. Very few people are aware of the IT industry and what it has to offer. The lack of awareness of this field truly impacts the interest of young people who would otherwise be curious about technology.
If you would like to learn more about WeThinkCode_ or want to speak to us about how you can sponsor or hire from us, you can visit our website https://www.wethinkcode.co.za/ or reach out to our Head of Partnerships, Dylan Richts via dylan@wethinkcode.co.za.
Follow us for more of our student stories and share with the hashtag #HireTheFuture
