What is your long term goal and/or career pathway?

My career plan is to find an area of software development that excites me, working for a company that is forward thinking and wants to make a change in peoples lives where and what type of development that is I am still not sure. I think I would also at some poiint like to make use of my teaching background and maybe go into teaching software development further down the track. Even if this is on the side to my own job.

What do you think your biggest strengths and limitations will be in Bootcamp?

Looking back on my Sprint 2 strengths and limitations I think my self-confidence in my own ability is starting to increase, knowing that I have been able to complete some of these challenges on my own and actually fully understand what the heck I just did has ben awesome. However I think I still have a limitation of self-doubt when I hit a brick wall and making sure I take the time to have a break. Making sure I put my mental wellbeing first and am being mindful of how I feel in a moment and using the tools around me. I think being at bootcamp and being around others it might be easier to remember this as others will also need breaks and time for mindfulness. I think my strengths are still the same but I would like to add knowing where and how to look for help if I need it.

What do you think your biggest non-technical challenge at Bootcamp will be?

For me it will be speaking and presenting in front of big groups. I absolutely hate doing this. Even if I am confident in what I am talking about I get so nervous that I stutter and forget what it is I am trying to get across. This is a big one for me! Give me a class of 90 kids and I am all good, a room with 10 adults and I fall to pieces!

I think also the long hours and not being the primary caregiver of my son will be tough but knowing this is all so I can be a better person for him helps!

What non-technical skills - human skills - would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

I would say recieving feedback, I am all good when it is constructive and specific but for me it is all about the delivery and I guess my own reaction when they are delivering it in a rude way. Making sure I take what I can from it and leave the emotion out of it.

What are your expectations from the Bootcamp team?

To build a safe space where I feel welcomed, supported and valued. I want them to use humour to help us get through the long hours and to also genuinely believe and be invested in our learning journey. I know we are adults and our motivation should be intrinsic but I also believe that a teacher plays a powerful role in how a student sees themself! For me this will look like them taking the time to listen and offer advice, being present in times of anxiety and stress, and also encouraging when we need it!

What are your expectations of yourself on Bootcamp

To dive straight in, to be resilient and brave when taking on new challenges. To make sure I am asking for help when I need and not worrying about looking stupid. Also to make sure I take the time to reflect on how well I am doing and what is a stressor or worry for me at that moment and what can I do to help me through!

What is your long term goal or career pathway?

My long term career goal as a developer has a few different paths 1 . I would like to work for a company that creates something to help support the education system i.e. something like Storypark or Schooltalks. 2. I would also like to have some experience in the cloud Azure or AWS area as I know this is a big need across NZ at the moment however I am not sure if it would fulfil my creative side hence the goal to work for a company that creates new things. 3. To work for a company that has a great culture, supports growth and development and is supportive. I am still not sure which area I want to focus on within this career goal, I know this is a step I need to take so I am more present in my son's life and am able to have more flexibility within my career. I also like that there are so many avenues I can take in software development, one thing that was hard in teaching was that there wasn’t much of a career path if you did not want to go into management. I love the possibilities that come with being a software developer.

A description of your strengths and limitations when it comes to learning

My strengths when it comes to learning is I am organised, I like to stick to timelines and also clear roadmaps of what is expected. My time as a teacher has meant I have developed excellent planning skills and being able to break down tasks into small simple steps. Also as a teacher we are constantly having to reflect on our practice so I have strong skills on reflecting on my learning and identifying my gaps and making a plan on how I can fill them. My limitation is probably my self-confidence. In teaching I feel confident in my ability, I know my pedagogy and my skills, I feel comfortable in trying new approaches as my core skills are solid. Going back to being a complete newbie is scary and I don’t feel like I have core skills to fall back on. So I guess making sure I am not afraid to ask for help, ask stupid questions and the biggest thing is not comparing myself to others and their learning journey.

What skills (non-technical core/human skills) would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

The core skills I would like to see develop is how to share when I do not agree in the corporate world. In teaching we don’t really get a say about the approach we are using, the lead informs us and then we do. It is odd knowing I am going into a world when I can voice if I’m not sure something is the correct way to go or there might be a different approach, so I guess being able to voice my opinion in the right way.

An explanation of how you will manage yourself to work productively and safely with other learners, Facilitators and industry/community representatives

One way that I think is important in making others feel safe is understanding that everyone learns differently, changing your approach if the other person is not understanding, asking them to explain in a different way. Being patient with one another and not being afraid to be vulnerable with my group and ask for support when I need. One tool that I have learnt is asking people what is important to them to be effective in a group before starting any work. Knowing what each other needs to be successful. Also Flex and core, when working in a group knowing what is a core thing for someone and what they are willing to flex on. For example I am flex on creativity but I am core on being on time. One way I will ensure I work productively is making sure I organise myself and I am clear about what my role/participation is, knowing what is expected of me. Making sure I am always on time with my work.

What you will do when things are building up and starting to get to you?

When I feel things are building up I find I need to step away for a moment. Break down what is needed into small chunks, and write a to do list based on priority. I find being able to check things of a list helps me to stay on track. I also have a very supportive husband who is willing to take on more responsibility and give me the support I need to succeed. Another thing would be to use the support available to me within this course, look at what is causing me the most issue, and figuring out how I can approach it.

A commitment as to how and where you will seek help in a timely way

As I go through the day I like to write on a post it the areas I needed more support in. I then try and find more resources to support these learning needs, if I still feel unsure I then will seek help from my fellow students and facilitators. As a learner I know I do not feel comfortable moving forward until I am feeling confident in my learning so far. This means I need to act quick on areas I am unsure in. Again fighting my anxiety about asking a stupid question will come into this too.

A description of what you expect from the Facilitation team

My expectation would be for them to be understanding and supportive. Making sure I feel safe enough to ask a question and not be worried about the response. To be encouraging and to add lightness and fun into what will be an intense time in our lives.