After graduating university with an art history degree and a fair bit of job hopping, I have spent the last couple of years working as a studio coordinator in an architecture practice. While grateful for the experience, I found that the chances to make a contribution at work that felt more rewarding were limited as I lacked any specialised training. I became interested in web development for this reason: the skills allow you to be both technical and creative. I remembered how years ago I would get engrossed in making Wordpress blogs with friends and dip in and out of Codecademy exercises just for fun, without thinking to turn it into a career at the time.
There are a lot of things about code that excite me. I am interested in the ways we could make up for the proliferation of social media and its often damaging effects on mental health, whether by helping to refine existing platforms or by making new more socially responsible apps just like those developed in the Founders and Coders Tech for Better program. I am also curious about how code can be used to push boundaries of artistic expression in the creative fields. It is true that there is still a large diversity gap in tech, but the fact that people are openly vocal about the inequalities means change is more likely to happen. This positive outlook makes me want to be a part of the community even more.
By the time I heard about FAC in spring 2020, I was already working my way through the FreeCodeCamp curriculum, so seeing the prerequisites encouraged me to keep going and apply for the winter cohort when I would be more ready. The postponement of the course, although disappointing at first, allowed me to be fully engaged with the application process, from going to the weekly coaching sessions to organising extra meetups with other applicants. Besides being invaluable for my learning, it has helped me get to know and appreciate FAC's ethos of giving back, and I would be excited to mentor and support others in the same way.