Turn a side project into a career with Nick DeJesus
Nick DeJesus talks to Joel Hooks about how he went from a gamer to a developer because of one side-project.
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Show Notes
T7 Chicken was where it all began with Nick's journey into development. Nick had no development experience. Still, he wasn't satisfied with the websites and apps available for Tekken framerate data, so he took it upon himself to learn Android development to create his mobile app.
Nick had the support of the Tekken community and received programming help from people online. Projects like these are so crucial for rapidly growing as a developer, and you won't get the same experience at work. It's making something you need for your community. It's also a place where you are free to experiment with new technologies.
Most of us wouldn't be where we are today in our careers without the help of the online programming community. Nick gives back through his work as a mentor at the Resilient Coders bootcamp.
Resilient Coders is different from most bootcamps. They pay their students to learn to code! They are a non-profit and rely on donations from generous individuals and companies to operate. Paying their students allows them to be truly inclusive by providing an opportunity for people who don't have the privilege of being able to survive without some form of income.
Transcript
"Why do you do it? With Nick DeJesus" Transcript
Resources
- Resilient Coders
- T7 Chicken Twitter
- iOS: T7 Chicken
- Android: T7 Chicken
- Apprenticeship Patterns: Guidance for the Aspiring Software Craftsman