After graduating college and spending a couple more years spinning my wheels working in the service industry, I decided I needed to set myself on a practical new career path.  I recalled how much fun I had learning HTML and building simple webpages as a teenager, and after some research decided web development could be a field I could really fall in love with.  I did a lot of research into various programs, but things really began to fall in place when I attended Tech Talent South’s workshops during NOLA Tech Week.  My interest fully piqued, I took the plunge, and enrolled in the winter cohort.

At this point, we’re on week three of the program and I have already learned more than I thought possible in such a short amount of time, but I’ve realized that learning to code takes much more discipline and determination than I ever exercised in college!   I’ve really had to devote at least several hours each day applying the concepts we learn in class to make them stick in my brain, and so far it has been equal parts frustrating and rewarding, but the challenge is at least half the fun.  There’s no more satisfying feeling than troubleshooting a problem and seeing it actually work!  I know I have a long road ahead of me to develop the coding skills I’ll need, but I also know it’s possible for anyone to get there with enough grit and practice.  I feel inspired and supported by the TTS team, and I’m confident that pursuing this path was the right decision for me.  I can’t wait to see what the future holds for myself and my classmates!