| | Alastair Sumner | It wasn't without trepidation that I decided to hand in my notice and look towards a career in development. I had no idea what to expect at Makers, especially after we were told that the entire course would be remote. After having a tour of the facility in Shoreditch, it was a bit disappointing that we would be spending no time there. However the Makers team made things very easy in terms of what was needed to get set up, pre-course learning materials, the interview itself.
Once the course started and we had our initial full cohort Zoom session the feelings of anxiety were replaced with excitement. I could see that even though everyone came from wildly different backgrounds, we were all in this together and that brought an instant feeling of calm. The course was run extremely well and whether I was just lucky or not, the cohort themselves were just amazing. I have really made some friends for life.
There are times when you feel that some of the coaching could be a little more hands on rather than sticking to the ethos of 'teaching you to teach yourselves' to the letter. But having said that, I never would have thought that just a few weeks in I could be able to pick up SQL queries and a new language in JavaScript within the space of a week!
Once the course had finished I think you really get a sense of where the strength of Makers lies. The course is fantastic, don't get me wrong, but the help guidance that you have at your disposal from the careers advice team is wonderful. They assist with putting CV's together, writing cover letters, or just picking you up when you're feeling down. And you will feel down at times.
Looking back at my time at Makers, I can honestly say that it has been one of the greatest experiences I've ever been through. I have cried, laughed (a lot), pulled my hair out, helped others, had others help me (a lot), stared in wonder at the things I can now create and build, and just generally had an amazing time.
I look forward to getting started in my new career and will always look back fondly at my time at Makers and could not recommend them enough if you are thinking of taking the plunge.
Best of luck!! |
