MY TIIDELab Cohort 4 Experience (1.0)👨🏽‍🚀
INTRODUCTION
Looking back at all the achievements I’ve made and knowledge I’ve gathered, little will believe that all this was accomplished within the last 4 weeks! To me, it didn’t feel like yesterday I was chosen to be part of the 4th cycle of TIIDELab Cohort Program. It felt like longer. Follow me as I guide you throw my exciting journey to self-reliance.
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Every success story begins with a dream…and failures that very little get to hear about. My backstory began in my room. There I was, about commencing the 2nd semester of my 4th year as a Computer Engineering student at Nile University, looking through several online articles for the best company to intern. Why? My University requires all Engineering students to complete a 6 months Industrial Training program. I applied to three different companies, two of which never replied and one that didn’t even consider my offer. I was searching desperately everywhere, not for a company who simply work with tech, but one I would be able to learn and also showcase the skills I knew I had.
That is when my mom reached out to me one day and mentioned the name Techspecialist Consulting Ltd. I had honestly never heard of them. Their name however ignited something in me to look more into the company. Over the next few weeks of learning about I was not only accepted for an interview but also suggested to join one of their sister companies Tech Program. That was when the name TIIDELab was first introduced to me. Everything since then has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Let me tell you about it…
APPLICATION PROCESS
Before the on-boarding ceremony, I would love to briefly talk you through what TIIDELab is and the 3 stages admission processes to becoming a potential cohort fellow.
On their website (which I was privileged to work on), you simply apply for a slot to attempt a CCAT test, which brings us to the first stage:
- The first stage is an online test with a cut off mark of 70%. It is meant to test your general knowledge, problem solving skills and your basic knowledge in HTML and CSS.
- In the second stage, you are given a mini project, to work on. This year, it was a web page with a search functionality. Following the video guide you are expected to code a working Back-End and design the page to your preference.
- The third stage and final stage is the interview process, which was conducted at the main office. This process allows the “council of elders” to test your ability to express yourself, communicate properly and solve skill based problems.
Now that we are all caught up, let’s dive into the numerous things my team and I have accomplished over the past few weeks!
ON-BOARDING CEREMONY
We finally here, the on-boarding ceremony! It was truly one to remember. Prior to the ceremony we had already been warmly welcomed by our program coordinator Mr. aderoju shamsudeen.
I was given all the documents needed to understand what I was really getting into. Later I was added to the main communication groups. There we were able to introduce ourselves extensively before our first in-person meetup/on-boarding ceremony on Fri, June 10th.
The ceremony was held in a very coordinated manner. I met all of the Abuja based fellows, some of which were very familiar faces while others were not. We all gathered in, along with the Lagos Team online, to listen to Mr. aderoju shamsudeen formally welcome us into the program. He spoke on the priviledge we all had to be part of something beyond the surface level. We were to brace ourselves up for an intensive 5 month worth of work. We also had Mr. Pishikeni Tukura speak to us on the matter of knowing how to properly communicate with others and grasp the attention of our audience. Which I aim on doing through these articles ; ). I equally had the priviledge of listening to our founder Mr. Kadir Salami, welcome us as well into the program.
“Do not overestimate the world and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.” —Mr. Kadir Salami
With that simple yet weighty statement, I felt more than ready to begin my journey!
TECHNICAL EXPERIENCES — (1.0)
This section is for all my tech bros\sis!
I believe it’s safe to say I have learnt more in the span of 4 weeks than I could have ever imagined. Granted I have always known myself to be a fast learner, able to adapt to most environments. This program has truly tested my abilities to not just learn, but to put my knowledge into practice.
“If knowledge is not put into practice, it does not benefit one.”
― Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Hence I have made it my aim to keep practicing until the knowledge becomes engrained in my actions. So what have I done so far? Let me show you:
- Git and GitHub: Before being able to work on any projects, I learnt about the functionalities and uses of Git and GitHub. I had already acquired very basic knowledge on the subject, but with the detailed guidance from our beloved tech support team and Mr. Ayodele Samuel Adebayo (unclebay), I was able understand how to proper use Git as a version control and GitHub as an online repository.
- Data Structures and Algorithms: This course in university gave me the hardest time. Revisiting it as a learning requirement in the program was like jumping back into war after a successful victory. TIIDELab however was able to make to learning process more interactive and practical. The war flashbacks were not as bad after-all :D.
- HTML and CSS Basics: Quick Story — During my 3rd year in university I decided to add web development to my list of skills. So I downloaded an app on my phone called MIMO which added me to revisit basic Front-End concepts almost everyday. In the program we were given several materials on the subject of website designing. I am now able to design a functioning responsive website using these basic skills.
SOFT SKILLS EXPERIENCES — (1.0)
In this section I will talk you through the different soft skills I have learnt and been introduced to.
Mr. aderoju shamsudeen has always emphasized the importance of soft skills. Those non-technical things you just have to do in order to be successful. Of course anyone learn to code or design websites.
The most important accept of self-reliance however, is being able to communicate your ideas with the right attitude. This is something Mr. Shams has hammered time and time again, for good reason too. Great and effective communication\interaction stems from having the right attitude. Without that conveying your ideas to others would be non-effective or even impossible.
Another skill I was taught was during these first few weeks was how to craft an article and profile. Writing is very important and I hope to be able to put my ideas and thoughts into writing, for all to read and enjoy :D.
HIGHLIGHT GALLERY
Closing Note
Some of my favorite moments include the Head Of House challenge (H.O.H). These challenges come in all forms and sizes. They are always multi-faceted, fusing problem-solving skills with your ability to present and communicate ideas to your audiences.
Another highlight are the Friday meet-ups where I get to meet with my team members and others in the fellowship. We discuss, play team based games, talk more on personal matters and more. These meet-ups are a way for me to relax, after the long week I had (despite all the prep that goes into setting up these meetings). In our recent meet-up, we were opportune to meet Sultan and Samson Goddy, two tech enthusiast and open source advocates. They shared their experiences about being in the tech industry as well as the business aspect of it, while thoroughly shedding more light on how to succeed professionally as developers.
“Be valuable. Be Findable…” — Samson Goddy, Hack Sultan
All these being said, I extremely looking forward to watching myself and all the other fellows grow throughout the next 5 months. My skills will be unmatched I promise you that. Don’t believe me? Keep following this monthly series to find out how I fair. Don’t be shy to leave comments and feedbacks as well ;)
SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK — See you in the next article Experience (2.0) 👨🏽‍💻
