As a coder coming from a minority group in tech, my career path was not that straightforward. Though, as a Finnish woman working in Finland, I must admit, I am very privileged. Had I, for example, had a name that is not Finnish, the path could have been even harder.
When I was something like 14, I spent a summer learning HTML, CSS and some JavaScript. At that time, virtual Hogwarts was a thing and there were so many people having their wizarding schools on the internet, or attending one. I was one of them, and it encouraged me to get into the wonderful world of web development for the first time. It was so much fun, and I learned a lot - and loved it.
I wish I could insert the phrase "Nevertheless, she coded" here, but I can't. Where I grew up, girls did not code, so there was no support for me to continue with coding. My path led me to university to study the Russian language, and the whole time I knew this is not what I want to do. All the years studying, I was looking for something else. I took a minor in Youth studies and education and went to study sports instructing for a semester.
Finally, when writing a master's thesis, I found my way back to the magical world of programming. Starting with some tutorials in FreeCodeCamp and then continuing with other sites and Programming MOOC from Helsinki University, I ended up learning a little from a lot of things. That process was so enjoyable, that when I finally graduated, I started looking for programming jobs, and soon after started in a small consultancy with the job title Web Developer.
I have been working as a developer for about three years now. During these years my learning curve has been exponential, and I have fallen love even more with what I do. Yet, there have been situations when someone has questioned me based on my gender or the fact I do not have a CS-degree. Even I have questioned myself based on these and it has been a long way to accept, that I really am a professional. And good at what I am doing. So...
Nevertheless, Eevis coded.
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