Our swarm: Josefine would like to encourage more women to dare to change careers

I was very afraid of contact with technology

I studied languages ​​and communication. During my master's thesis I used a statistics program. That was my first point of contact with programming and on the one hand I enjoyed it, on the other hand I was very inhibited. As a linguist, I could not imagine that programming suits me.

After my studies, I gained my first work experience in a PR agency and a start-up. I was already familiar with everything to do with the topic of communication and marketing from my studies. My job was diverse and varied. Still, I realized that I was missing something. Due to the often wide-ranging tasks, I lacked specifics in my work, processes were often lengthy and coordinating with customers was a challenge. In the search for effectiveness, I developed the desire to develop further.

The restructuring of the company gave me the last push, albeit involuntarily at first. What was initially unwanted and uncomfortable turned into a stroke of luck. I had time to take a deep breath and review the last few years after my studies. I took this chance. I'm glad that I had the courage not to look for a new job directly, but instead applied for a place in the web development boot camp at neue fische.

12 weeks of compact learning is the perfect solution

Although the desire for professional development was great, studying was out of the question. When I was in my late twenties, I no longer wanted to start from scratch, but wanted professional development. The bootcamp was the solution for me.

I knew from a friend that further training at neue fische means 12 weeks of compact learning and that I have to really get involved. So I had a vague idea and was happy that after a long phone call with the founder Dalia Das, I was invited to an interview with a small programming exercise.

In the last two years, neue fische has become a household name in Hamburg's digital economy. This helps when looking for a job and it is therefore good that the participants are carefully selected. I felt it was a real privilege to be able to learn in a great environment. I wasn't alone in that. Although everyone started with different previous knowledge, the team spirit was great right from the start. We quickly understood ourselves as a team that started together.

Learning in a bootcamp is like riding a roller coaster

When I think back to my time in bootcamp, I think of a roller coaster ride. One day I had a great run, made incredible progress in my learning and thought, now I've got the hang of it. The next day it went down again. In such situations, it has helped me to trust in the neue fische learning system and to accept that this emotional roller coaster ride is part of the process.

The coaches always caught us and we learned as a group that this up and down is normal. In my opinion, this is a big difference to an online course. At neue fische nobody learns alone, the course works as a team. In 12 weeks of boot camp, each of us had ups and downs. It is important not to give up in the moments.

Before the boot camp, when it came to technology, I gave up far too quickly and didn't continue. That's different today. I don't stick my head in the sand, I rise to the challenge. During my time at the boot camp, I not only received the right tools for starting a job. I also learned a lot about how to approach problems and how to find solutions. If I solve a problem while programming, a change is often immediately visible and that is exactly the tangibility I was looking for and found.

Encouraging women to change careers is a matter close to my heart

At the end of the bootcamp is the digital capstone piece. In this mostly very personal work sample, learned knowledge is applied and illustrates the learning curve of 12 weeks in the neue fische bootcamp. I programmed a digital diary for exchange students because I went to school in China for a year myself.

In addition to the capstone piece, I had to master another challenge. Although neue fische always has an eye on starting a job and the team supports the participants, I put a lot of pressure on myself. When I review my application phase, I look back on many conversations. Of course everyone is highly motivated, but looking back, my job search seems so intense because I wasn't sure what to expect in the new work environment and whether I was up to the challenges. Only a new job could eliminate this insecurity.

While the bootcamp is probably not fully representative of an entire industry, my impression was that we female participants found it harder to trust the newly learned skills.

It is therefore a matter close to my heart to empower other women to believe in themselves and to encourage them to take the step towards programming. Looking back on my learning curve with professional experience, I can only advise everyone to believe in the concept with confidence. A fresh start with a bootcamp may seem unfamiliar at first, but the concept works. neue fische adapts the curriculum for each course and makes sure to impart knowledge that is also sought after. Learning in the bootcamp also means learning the right things and giving preference to practical skills over theoretical backgrounds.

Working in a digital agency is the perfect match

Through my numerous job interviews, I not only gained self-confidence, but also changed the way I approach job hunting. Getting a new job is not enough. Success and satisfaction only come about if the job and the environment are right. That's why I decided to join a digital agency in Hamburg.

I felt comfortable in the agency from the very first interview. As a frontend developer, I can pretty much do what I enjoy and I work with the technologies I learned in boot camp. Every day I see my progress and I'm happy about my new start. In addition, thanks to my professional experience, I can empathize with our customers very well and many areas are connected. That's a nice feeling. When I think about my future now, it feels good. I would like to develop further, to get better. Above all, I am pleased when my story encourages other women to venture into the digital economy.