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My Pivot Journal is a Ventures Africa weekly sequence documenting folks’s profession transitions from one trade to a different, particularly to tech.
Onyinyechi Odiegwu’s journey into coding was not a easy one. All she needed was to achieve a brand new talent and begin incomes ‘tech cash’. However and not using a laptop computer, there was solely a lot she might do. After a number of weeks of shuffling between babysitting, evening studying, borrowing laptops, and even dropping out of a course, Onyinye lastly grew to become a tech sis. Right here is Onyinye’s pivot journal.
The way it begins
Onyinyechi earned her BSc in geology from Delta State College. After her first diploma, she received a instructing job in a major faculty whereas ready to be known as for the obligatory Nationwide Youth Service. “Instructing was a pleasant expertise,” she says. “Earlier than my arrival, among the pupils had difficulties understanding some topics. I needed to provide you with new methodologies that made it simpler for them to assimilate,” she provides. Onyinyechi labored there for six months earlier than she left to serve in Calabar. In Calabar, Onyinechi was posted to function a geologist within the Division of Environmental Influence Evaluation below the federal ministry of surroundings. “There, I used to be in control of documenting and assessing environmental impacts on completely different places. I labored carefully on initiatives and wrote opinions on the environmental impression these initiatives would have,” she notes.
epiphany
After her NYSC, Onyinyechi moved to Portharcourt and centered her vitality on job searching to no avail. “The roles have been simply not coming by,” she recollects. It didn’t assist that it was throughout the Covid-19 lockdown. So, she determined to pause the fruitless job search. She wanted to search out one thing else to do along with her time. That was when she heard about tech. “A good friend introduced my consideration to tech. And it simply appeared so attention-grabbing. Like how do issues on the web make it there? How does it work? she recollects. Onyinyechi determined she would spend her time discovering out. “Ultimately, I simply could not get my thoughts off the concept of tech,” she provides.
Onyinyechi Odiegwu
transit
Onyinyechi began studying how you can code. “It was not a easy studying course of for me as a result of I didn’t have a laptop computer which is the fundamental studying instrument,” she says. She would use her smartphone to look at each video on coding she noticed on YouTube. However when it got here to follow, there was solely a lot she might do with a cellphone. At a degree, studying grew to become much less attention-grabbing and extra worrying. However she was already offered on the world of tech. “I knew if I utilized myself and practiced sufficient, I’d be a grasp very quickly. I simply wanted the precise instrument and dedication,” she says. So she borrowed a laptop computer from her good friend.
Sooner or later, whereas browsing the web, Onyinye got here throughout a flyer. On on-line digital faculty, was operating a 3 months intensive program for tech fans. “They have been providing a reduction on the charges for his or her programs. So I seized the chance,” she recollects. Her sister agreed to assist her with half the cost. She commenced this system, hoping to finish the charges as this system glided by. “Throughout my time there, I realized extra about HTML and CSS,” she recollects. “I spotted I used to be comfy studying about codes. I hear when folks complain about coding, nevertheless it got here simple to me. So I knew I used to be on the precise path with software program improvement.” Sadly, Onyinye couldn’t full her charges and needed to cease this system.
However Onyinye was not glad. This system had succeeded in heightening her curiosity. So, she determined to proceed her coding journey by self-learning. “I nonetheless didn’t have a pc so I’d ask my sister’s husband for his laptop computer to make use of it at evening,” she says. “It was an attention-grabbing interval. I’d babysit my niece throughout the day and be taught at evening. It turned out to be a routine.” Onyinye’s purpose was to be wonderful in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. She began posting her learnings and outcomes on Linkedin. She was additionally intentional about creating connections in her area of interest. “That’s how I received a mentor who assisted me each step of the best way,” she states. “Being public with my work at that stage additionally helped me achieve publicity.”
After two months of studying about software program improvement, Onyinye’s sister launched her to somebody who wanted the companies of an internet developer. Onyinechi took the gig and was paid her first N100,000 upon completion. “It was later I discovered from one other developer that the gig was value as much as N400,000,” she recollects. That job deserves her referrals. Very quickly, she received her second gig. This time although, she determined to work with a good friend who was additionally pivoting to tech. “We labored on it collectively, leaned off one another’s abilities and shared the proceeds,” she says.
Onyinye used the cash she raised from her first two jobs to buy her first laptop computer. “After getting my laptop computer, studying grew to become simpler and extra enjoyable,” she says. “This time there was no limitation to what I needed to realize. I used to be extra environment friendly and productive.” After some time, Onyinye grew to become bored ready for gigs to come back. She knew she was prepared to maneuver to the subsequent degree and begin incomes large from tech. She spoke to one in all her buddies on Linkedin, who instructed her a couple of distant internship place at Subsequent Counsel Restricted, Lagos. She determined to go for it. It was at NextCounsel, Onyinye received a greater understanding of front-end applied sciences.
“The corporate had a Udemy account and as an intern, I had entry to make use of their sources,” she recollects. She realized about Typescript, Tailwind CSS and Vue js. “The expertise was worthwhile. I used to be studying quite a bit and getting month-to-month grants,” she provides. After her internship at NextCounsel, Onyinye took a brief journey to Lagos to go to her buddies. Though she was there to chill out, she stored her eyes open for job alternatives. Whereas on the journey, she met the founding father of an early-stage logistics startup, who noticed her abilities and agreed to onboard her. The end result was Onyinye constructing her first web site, a logistics platform known as Carry go.”It was my first large gig. I labored alongside sensible tech-savvy people like challenge managers and product designers. It was on that challenge I received to make use of a key framework I had realized.”
How is it going
Onyinyechi presently works with Wema Financial institution as a software program developer and robotics course of developer. She began as a graduate trainee and after three months of intensive coaching with the financial institution, she was inducted as a full-staff software program developer. “The coaching was useful,” she says. “It was throughout the coaching I realized the coding language C-sharp,” she recollects. She received a job provide to work within the financial institution’s head workplace and relocated to Lagos completely.
Over time, Onyinye has taken programs on Coursera to advance her profession in tech. She received certifications in Introduction to information analytics, Introduction to cyber assaults, Design considering for innovationand AI for everybody. She now wears the hat of a robotics course of developer. “RPA is in the end about automating among the most mundane and repetitive computer-based duties and processes within the office,” she says. Onyinye has additionally created two different web sites – chief basisand amukpe group.
profession hack
Do not observe the group.
“Do not go into tech since you really feel like everyone seems to be doing it. In case you’re not keen about it, you’ll actually stop alongside the road as a result of chances are you’ll not sustain with the technicalities that include it. It’s essential to love what you need to enter, discover your area of interest, and stand out.”
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