It’s only been one week into Juno College’s Web Development Bootcamp, and I feel excited and thrilled to be taking a leap into something new. Going into the field of web development has been has at times been challenging and intimidating, and it can be easy to have personal doubts: “Is this the path for me?” “Do I even belong here?” Something said during my first Career Services class has allowed me to put these feelings in perspective: “You don’t have to be different, but seek out opportunities for people to meet you where you are.” So I’d like to reflect on where I am right now, and the opportunities I hope to find on my journey.
It hasn’t been a straight line to get to where I am. Before entering this program, I went to university to study music. I learned and grew so much, but I always felt a nagging sense of uncertainty about my future and where I would belong. After graduating I realized that although I had a passion and love of music, the music industry was not the place for me. During this time, I happened to talk with a friend of mine from school. He brought up that he was working as a web developer now. Impressed with his career transformation and curious about how he had pivoted into a completely new industry, I asked him how he had done it. He told me that he had taken the Juno College bootcamp, and had nothing but good things to say.
As a result of this recommendation, I decided to take the web development introductory course at Juno. I wanted to see if this was the path for me, as I had never coded before. Learning code proved to be engaging and rewarding, and before long, I felt that I needed to pursue it further.
Throughout my Juno experience I have seen how inclusive and collaborative a space there is here, and this has been a big factor in why I decided to start bootcamp. Seeing how students and instructors have come from all walks of life has been inspiring. It really has made me feel less embarrassed and anxious about my own winding path, and helped me to see my varied experiences as a positive. Also, being in an educational environment where instructors really care about their students and really take the time to help them has been amazing, and makes me look forward to continuing this journey.
I know that there are going to be challenging moments ahead, but I feel hopeful. Being a part of a workplace that values creative work, constant learning and growth, and collaboration would be a dream come true. I’m hoping Juno helps me find it.