College education meant to prepare us for our future careers. But the sad truth is that some educational institutions are still stuck with traditional teaching methodologies. They sometimes fail to meet the demands of the ever-changing and fast-paced tech industry producing graduates that aren't hireable or job-ready. Some IT graduates would enroll in coding boot camps or spend months of self-studying, making portfolio projects before they land their first programming job.
On the developers' side, there is a low adaptability to new technologies. When a new framework is stable and released, it may take years before developers use it and for job opportunities to appear for that particular technology. Another dilemma is that most developers end up being mere consumers of technology and less to none are innovating.
These are the problems I come to realize throughout my years in the tech industry and this is where tech communities come in. Aside from helping professionals further their skills by learning a new technology or providing an inclusive space where they can thrive and collaborate, I also believe that tech communities help bridge the gap between the academe and the tech industry by reaching out to schools, organizing code camps and encourage student participation in meetups/events.
I started going to local tech events when I was in college. To be honest, I attended these events at first because of the swags and free food. But throughout the years, I have realized the value of finding your tribe - people who’ll be your cheerleaders, mentors, and friends; people who will support you and grow with you. And for me, it was the developer community that supported me in my career. I became who I am now not solely because of my efforts but because of the community and the people who helped me along the way. The developer community has made a huge impact on me that I decided to pay it forward and become a volunteer myself. Later on, I was blessed and honored to lead a community of my own. I think developer communities, in general, are highly essential in the growth of a developer. It doesn't only give you an avenue to continuously learn and collaborate with other devs but it sparks up volunteerism. It creates a ripple effect and a continuous pool of people who want to help others, altogether lifting the tech scene of a particular area.
Do you get paid by being an organizer or community lead?
No, you don't but no amount can measure up to the thank you's and the smiles of the attendees or the spark you see in their eyes when they learn during workshops. It gives you a purpose that you are creating opportunities for your fellow developers. So whenever you attend a local meetup, be sure to give the organizers a hug and a smile! That would mean the world to them.
We hope to raise the tech scene in Cebu and the Philippines collectively. We are thankful for kababayans like @adriennetacke who love to help in bringing international conferences in the Philippines and showcase Filipino talent in IT. We surely can't wait to materialize all of our on-hold plans and do more when COVID is over. Better days are coming!
About the photo:
We are one JavaScript Cebu community! - JavaScript Cebu is a community-driven organization formed by volunteers who want to promote and share knowledge on web technologies especially JavaScript. Three sub-communities for the three most popular front end JavaScript framework: Angular Cebu, React Cebu, Vue Cebu.
Shoutout to these amazing guys who lead these communities:
Angular Cebu - Cyrus Hiyas
React Cebu - Dorell James Galang
Vue Cebu - Harlequin Doyon
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