So who is this bloke doing a coding boot camp in Birmingham?
Born in 1981, I have always had an interest in Computing, and also computer programming. Going back to as early as about 4 or 5, My parents purchased me my first computer — the ZX Spectrum 48k. I loved this, as me and my father put together the kit and he explained to me which bits did what. I was astounded by the complexities of what this marvellous machine could do and I quickly began to learn ZX Basic Programming — writing small games and applications on the Spectrum which was a fascinating concept to me. I could make things that were not only fun to write, but fun for others to use. By the age of 10 I had written a few small games and stored them on what was then the best storage going — a magnetic tape!
Being given the spectrum was the first of many steps towards becoming permanently fascinated with computing. At the age of 13 I was given the next computer I ever owned. The Amiga 1200. The step up from the spectrum was awesome! (this was in 1993). I loved this huge upgrade — and it gave me the opportunity to extend further my programming skills at an early age. I don’t even begin to pretend that this was the best programming ever, but the idea that what i write in text form made things happen on the Computer was amazing!
At the age of 16 I left school, and began a summer internship in the Information Technology Department of the NatWest Bank PLC. I found a whole new world open up to me of computing — the Windows Based PC — this was amazing! I had obviously used Windows PC’s before this, but this was the first time I could actually do anything constructive with them beyond word processing and other simple basic things like that. I was involved in assisting with the Roll Out of Windows NT for the bank, and learned about computer networking here. this again increased my interest in computers.
I left there to go on to Cannock Chase Technical College to study a BTEC National Diploma in Computer Studies. I finished this with a distinction 2 years after starting. During that course I learned the principles of computer programming which was the most fascinating subject for me in that course. On the course I learned five languages: X86 Assembly Language, Pascal, Delphi, C++ and Visual Basic. I also learned what was then HTML. It was amazing to be able to apply the principles i was learning to multiple languages. I left with a passion for computing, both hardware management and computer programming.
I then went on to set up my own web design and network management company. I was able to sustain a self-employed living in both of these fields. The highlight of this time was achieving a large contract with a local council. Unfortunately, due to ill health I had to close down the company after 10 years. I took time out to recover from the illness that hit me, but in the time i was out of the industry the industry moved on without me. I found myself unable to get a footing back into the industry until The School Of Code Bootcamp became available to me.
Beginning in September 2017, for 16 weeks, I am training in MongoDB, Node.js, React, HTML5 and CSS3. I have bought my skills up to date again. Alongside this, through Udemy I have learned PHP and MySQL programming, and will be able to work in my dream job — a full stack web developer
