Software Engineer

Student Success Story: Chris – From Operations Manager to Full Stack Engineer

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Chris Joubert worked in Customer Support but felt unfulfilled in his work. He felt he had no room for further growth in his career and was determined to reap more satisfaction and a higher salary from his work. To achieve this goal, Chris began researching his options. His sentiments and action led him to HyperionDev’s online Software Engineer bootcamp.

With a bit of coding knowledge and the determination to upskill for his imminent career shift, Chris was confident in his ability to learn new tech skills. He wanted to learn the inner workings of the software engineering industry and thought that a reputable online coding bootcamp would put him on the best footing.

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Chris’s journey to HyperionDev

One of Chris’s aims for the bootcamp was to receive support as he transitioned to a career in software engineering. He recalls the challenges of finding his first job as a developer without previous formal experience. Chris had previously worked on freelancer platforms, but many tech companies did not recognise his gigs as work experience.

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“The experience I built up as a freelance coder/tutor on Fiverr was not something a lot of companies wanted to consider as “official”, so I decided to sign up to make sure I get the basics covered and gain a better understanding of what’s expected / best practice.”

However, Chris notes that his greatest challenge was conquering his fears and overcoming the misbelief that he could not achieve his goals. His confidence had been knocked in the corporate environment he had formerly worked in, where one manager called him out for having a positive attitude. 

The confluence of these factors created a situation where Chris felt like he could not succeed and did not fit in. He no longer felt challenged in his workplace and decided that it was time for him to make a change by enrolling in the bootcamp and changing his career.    

When asked about this time in his life, Chris says,

“I went through a personal journey of self-discovery and soon found out my only limitations were the ones I created for myself.”

As his self-belief evolved, so too did his career prospects.

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How Chris’s life has changed since graduating from HyperionDev

Chris currently works as a Full Stack Engineer for Red Fund and says that his salary exceeds the expectations he had before starting the bootcamp. He plans to work at Red Fund for many years to come and enjoys the team he is working with. Working at Red Fund has expanded Chris’s tech skills and project management systems:

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“I’m personally utilising flow charts to help visualise functionality and databases. When you’ve got a new project like this, it can be tricky to keep track of everything and what needs to be connected. So building up your guides for yourself on how everything is connected can help you hit the ground running.”

Chris is now developing a new system from scratch. While the details are still under wraps, Chris predicts that the system will revolutionise its target industry once released, and he is passionate about its potential. At last, Chris feels he is being rewarded for his enthusiasm.

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Chris’s advice to future Software Engineers

Chris firmly believes in the power of coding to change the world in diverse ways. He wants to use tech skills to work towards positive change by developing prosthetic limbs that do not feel like prosthetics but feel like one’s own limbs. He wants to do more work in this field, similar to Elon Musk’s Neuralink.

Due to his belief in the possibilities that coding offers, Chris is passionate about encouraging people to learn more tech skills. He says that understanding the basics is essential, and from there, one should start trying to create and develop their project to build their portfolio for prospective clients and employers.

Chris’s advice for people who wish to become software engineers is:

“If the companies you want to work for use a framework, then learn to use that framework and make something with it to demonstrate to them. Nobody cares about the number of certificates anyone has. It’s about the experience that shows you can do the work.”

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If you feel inspired by Chris’s story and would like to journey into the fulfilling tech industry yourself, start your journey with HyperionDev here. Who knows, your success story may be next.

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