Marina began programming after her mid-twenties, proving it’s never too late to start learning and excelling in programming. She is now a Software Engineer (Android) at Raizlabs.
Hi, I am Marina, one of your mentors for the upcoming Girls in Tech Android Developer Bootcamp, Powered by CodePath, launching in Singapore.
I started coding more than 4 years ago. Shortly after I moved to New York City (NYC) in 2010, I took a C++ advanced programming class out of curiosity and got instantly hooked. I always loved math and at the same time wanted to explore my creative side, and programming offered it all.
Since enrolling at a university to pursue my Computer Science degree, I never looked back.
I was teaching while interning at a start up in NYC and a few years later ended up in California working full-time as a Software Engineer at Cisco Systems.
Having graduated from the CodePath program in September this year, I found the course to be a fast-paced, challenging program that provided me with everything I needed to succeed. All exercises are hands-on and by the end of the program, I added several fully functional Android apps to my portfolio.
I first heard about the program from Uber’s Engineering blog. I liked how the program was structured and carried on, taking into account recommendations of my friends working in engineering field, and testimonials from previous classes.
I have never felt as fulfilled as when I was working on mobile applications, probably because it gave me an instant gratification. I could see right away how my code changed the look and feel of an app.
Right after finishing the course, I transitioned into an Android Developer role and felt confident doing it.
Of course, I still have to learn a lot every day. That is always the case if you want to hone your craft, but the program provided me with everything I needed to make a successful transition into the work environment.
I chose to be a mentor for the CodePath program because it is built on the efforts of its co-founders and the alumni. Dedicating time to the cause is my way of giving back to the CodePath community. It was an amazing opportunity and I am very grateful to everyone involved. I would like to share my experience of the program and help as much as I can so that many more people can benefit from participating in it.
Engineering can be an intimidating field for all, regardless of whether you are just beginning to learn and looking to enter the field, or are already working in it. By offering mentorship one can create a friendlier and more empathetic environment, offer advice when it is needed the most and encourage more women to join.
If you are a passionate engineer who wants to make a difference, join hands with Marina as a Mentor at our Android Development bootcamp. Apply here before 31 December 2016.
Want to advance your career as mobile developer? Register as a student for the fully sponsored Android Developer bootcamp classes in Singapore by 29 January 2016.
*This blog post series was originally named “GIT X CodePath Meet our Mentor” to support our advanced Android Development Bootcamp classes. This program has been postponed due to a lack of qualified signups. Stay tuned for updates on when applications reopen.
