I make my hobby my profession
In short
Johan, what do you do in daily life?
I'm now going to make my hobby my profession. I recently completed the Full-stack development course, so you can probably guess that I love working with computers and websites. I will soon be looking for a job where I can put the skills I have learned into practice.
Why did you choose Full-stack Development?
I chose the Full-stack Development course because, in my opinion, it was useful to control the entire package. During the course, I noticed that the Front-end in particular appeals to me very much. That's where I can express my creativity and develop the fun ideas I have. Especially adding fun “gadgets” such as moving buttons and photos that come up make me very enthusiastic.
Was the course as you expected?
I didn't really have a clear expectation of the course beforehand. This was because I wasn't sure what Full-stack Development meant exactly yet. I mainly chose the course because then I had the entire package together and at the end was able to choose whether I wanted to do Back-end, Front-end or Full-stack.
Did you learn all that through Winc Academy?
Before I started the course at Winc, I already had a little bit of HTML and CSS knowledge, but that was really just the basics and, of course, not 'real' programming languages. As the course progressed, we delved deeper into this and I learned how to program with Javascript and Python. I really learned a lot of new things!
Did you have any doubts before you started?
No, I had no doubts at all before I started the course. After my previous job, I actually knew it already. I want to go in this direction because this is where I've always been interested. It was the perfect opportunity for me to make my hobby my profession with this retraining.
How did you get the idea to retrain?
I had been thinking about this for a long time. Actually, I've always been interested in computers. At my previous employer, I was always the “computer expert”, even though my job had nothing to do with it. As soon as someone had computer problems, they always knew where to find me.
Due to circumstances, I had to quit my old employer. Then I thought, now is the time to do what I really enjoy. If I don't do it now, I'll never do it again and that's of course a shame. Because hey, who wouldn't want to turn their hobby into a job.
What are your plans now that you have completed the course?
I am now looking for an employer that is a good fit for me and where I can do something in the field of Front-end. I notice that's what I like the most. But I'm also in for a position as a Full-stack Developer.
What do you think about Winc Academy?
I think Winc is a very fresh and smooth company! The teachers respond very quickly and are always there to help you. The course material is also structured in a good chronological order. That works super well. In fact, I only have positive memories of my education at Winc Academy.
Do you have any tips for people who also want to follow the course at Winc?
The tip I would give you is: try to find a rhythm in following the study. The best thing to do is to work on the course for a while every day. So you can stay comfortable in it. As soon as you don't do anything about the course for a week, you'll notice that you really have to take 1 or 2 steps back to get back on track. That is, of course, a shame.
What is that rhythm for you?
I studied best at home in front of my computer. My wife was at work every morning, so I just kept up with her rhythm. Every morning, I went to study for at least 4 hours. When I was really comfortable, I often went on in the afternoon. This way, I was sometimes able to study for up to 8 hours in a row.
When I wasn't feeling well, I would have a good lunch and then try to focus on other things so that I could go on in good spirits the next day. At least I tried to do something every weekday, sometimes even on the weekends.
Did you enjoy studying?
Yes, I certainly enjoyed studying. Besides learning a lot of new things, this study fits in well with my hobby. So I really enjoyed following this course.
They often say that if you like something, it's also easier to learn, that's how I've experienced it. At my age, it's not easy to go through an entire course. But I had absolutely no problem with it. Especially because Winc Academy offers good guidance and I really enjoyed doing it.
Did you have a stereotypical idea of what someone in IT would be like?
Not necessarily, but the stereotype is, of course, that they are a bit dusty guys who are not very socially skilled. But I've noticed that's not the case at all, in fact, I haven't met anyone like that.
In addition, the ratio between men and women at Winc Academy is almost the same. While normally, the IT sector is known as a world where mostly men work. I was positively surprised by this.
What are you most proud of.
I am most proud to have completed the course within a year. This was also the time I had given myself beforehand. On average, there are 9 months before the training, and that's what I tried to achieve. But I noticed that with my age, things are just a little slower. I had also estimated that a bit that way. I am glad that I can and should still study at my age and that I have also completed it successfully. I am more than proud of that!
