Emma Wood

How I Got Into Software Development

         Throughout my high school years and the initial phases of college, many instructors and peers told me I'd need to figure out what to do with my future as soon as possible. Countless days were spent contacting counselors about career paths, interviewing people I knew about their own careers, and much more trying to get ideas of anything I may enjoy doing as a career.

         Eventually, I started losing faith in my future thinking I'd end up in a career I hated, or worse, no career at all. I thought hard about my hobbies and what I enjoyed doing and it mostly came down to technology. From there I decided to broaden my perspective and learn something new, so I looked at the available classes relating to technology at my college and software development was the first thing to appear. Before I knew it I was meeting with the counselor in charge of the program and I was enrolled into a class I knew nothing about. It was scary, but I kept a positive mental attitude and told myself that I'd never learn what I'd want to do if I didn't try new things.

         Currently, as of June 2024, I've graduated from the bootcamp at Boise CodeWorks. Many twists and turns have taught me a lot since I graduated from my software development course there and at the College of Western Idaho (graduated 2022). I've improved much on my skills and continue to learn new things every day as I work towards being hired as a junior developer. The one thing I've learned above all else is there's no "end" to learning, and keeping up has proven itself to be a daunting task by itself. That, however, is a challenge I'm willing to take if that means getting to contribute to the tech that will continue to shape our world for the better.