Mentor spotlight featuring Rising Odegua
a typical workday for me starts with 45 minutes of learning
Mentors at the #Laptops4Developers program are the oil that keeps the wheel spinning. Today, we spotlight Rising Odegua, a returning mentor who works at Nossa Data as a full-stack developer. He tells us what he enjoys about mentorship and his continuous learning process.
How did you get into tech?
I am a computer science graduate, and I got into tech fully when I was in my first year of university. I have always been a fan of technology but didn’t really know how to make a career of it. This became clearer when I got into the University and attended my first tech event hosted by Andela.
What was your experience like mentoring at the bootcamp? Was it your first? Is there something that can be improved?
My first experience mentoring at the Bootcamp was excellent. I enjoyed the process, especially the avenue to watch and experience beginners learn and grow over the duration of the bootcamp. Seeing my mentees pass out of the bootcamp and go on to join great companies and do amazing things in the tech space is the major reason why I want to do this again.
You can apply to be part of the next cohort to meet Rising and other amazing mentors here
Away from the bootcamp, what is a typical workday like for you?
A typical workday for me starts with 45 minutes of learning. I try to learn something new every day. Sometimes it can be a course, an article, or a science paper. Then I get ready for work. I work in a hybrid fashion, so sometimes I might go into the office, and other times I work from the house.
After work, I hit the gym to get some exercise as this is really helpful for my mental and physical health. After that, when I’m out with friends chilling, I work on my open source projects or catch up on the latest happenings via Twitter.
For people who are just venturing into a tech field, what would you recommend as a starter pack?
A starter for backend is to be a good problem solver and logical thinker, a majority of the things you do on the backend do not involve things you can test visually. I also encourage backend devs to learn some of the foundations of frontend technology, as this helps you build better backend services.
What informed your decision to major in your tech field?
I am a full-stack developer, so I do both backend and frontend. So I won’t say I major in both, as I am pretty good at both of these.
How were you able to juggle volunteering and your current job?
I ensure my schedule for volunteering falls outside my work hours.
What should interns look forward to in the new cohort?
Look forward to a new phase of learning and growing. The DevCareer platform is really great, and I hope interns are inspired by the success of the previous cohorts and resolve to be serious with their learning.
If you were not doing what you currently do, what would you be found doing?
I would probably be a music producer.
What are you currently watching on Netflix or reading?
I am currently watching Suits on Netflix. I’m currently reading the Architectural patterns with Python (https://www.cosmicpython.com/#buy_the_book)
How did tech change your life?
Tech has changed my life for the better by giving me a career that I love. It has also given me access to opportunities, networks, and life-long friends.
DevCareer runs a number of programs with the goal of supporting tech talents such as:
- #Laptops4Developers: A yearly 3-month long program to support aspiring developers and designers on their journey to become word-class with laptops, courses, and mentorships.
- A DevCareer community on Slack. Use this link to join over 10000 tech enthusiasts who support one another.
- A DevCareerXProgate scholarship that gives 5000 community members access to pro-plan on Progate to learn any course of choice, exclusive to community members.
If you have got questions about applying for #Laptops4Developers, check here.
Check out what DevCareer alumni are up to here, here, here, and here.
