Dropbox Ignite Apprentices Kathryn, Jovaun, and Josh reveal how they scored their dream careers in coding
When we think about dream jobs, we usually imagine the careers people have yearned for since they were young children: a firefighter, a ballerina, a rock star. But many dream jobs don’t present themselves until we are well into our adulthood. Some coders don’t discover their love for it until later in life, even after they’ve spent years studying or working in other industries.
Such is the case with Kathyrn Chew, Jovaun Jackson, and Josh Alamillo, three Dropbox Ignite apprentices. The Ignite program was created specifically for coders with non-traditional backgrounds in computer science and introduces them to the triumphs and challenges of working in the field in a professional capacity. But for all three of these apprentices, their previous employment and educational experiences were exactly what gave them the skills to succeed in coding.
“Before I started coding, I was getting my PhD in chemistry,” said Josh. “I got into coding about 2 years ago and started off with online classes before doing a coding bootcamp with Hack Reactor. Analytical chemistry really emphasized knowing how to design experiments and handle and analyze data. My team at Dropbox does these things constantly, so these skills were very transferrable; it’s just that instead of applying them to experiments done in a lab, we’re applying them to software.”
Kathryn was also pursuing a PhD, hers in Archaeology, before she decided to look into jobs outside of academia. After a few years working for a startup in the Bay Area and attending the Hackbright coding bootcamp, she learned about the apprenticeship courtesy of their alumni network. But making the jump from ancient Egyptian mud brick to coding wasn’t easy, and wouldn’t have been possible without some bulletproof inner confidence.
“Switching to something like software engineering, you have to have a lot of internal motivation. There are a lot of unexpected challenges that can pop up from anywhere that nobody can necessarily prepare you for. You have to be on the lookout for those challenges and figure out on your own what the best path forward is. If you can keep that momentum up, you’ll eventually get somewhere good, but it takes a lot of work and you’ve got to be willing to really push for it!”
As a mechanical engineering graduate, Jovaun also learned the necessary self-motivation that helped him transition into coding. Support from others at work was just as important; after completing an internship at a large tech company where his coworkers weren’t very close, the friendly culture at Dropbox was a huge change for Jovaun.
“When I was introduced to my team, everyone made time to meet up and get coffee and get to know me. In other jobs, I’ve felt like I was working with strangers, so working at Dropbox has been very different.”
Indeed, both of Jovaun’s fellow apprentices also backed up this statement. These apprentices have found a home away from home with likeminded people who make every work day a success.
Said Kathryn, “Every time I find myself stuck on a problem because I haven’t learned something yet or I don’t know how to implement something, there are always people around who are willing to help me, answer my questions, or just give moral support.”
Interested in becoming an apprentice at Dropbox? Applications are being accepted now through August 14. Click here to learn more an apply!
