The Gamer’s Guide to Breaking into the Tech Industry and Landing Your Dream Job

"My long-term career goal was to have a job that mattered, that helped, and I got it right out the gate."

In the world of career transitions, some stories stand out not just for their success, but for the wisdom they offer others considering a similar path. Bianca Ploss's journey from manufacturing to software development is one such story, demonstrating how the right combination of determination, support, and education can lead to a fulfilling career change.

As a former production and purchasing manager in manufacturing, Bianca had achieved what many would consider a stable career. "I probably could have been very financially comfortable and retire from that job if I chose to stick with it," she reflects. But for someone who thrives on continuous learning and growth, the role eventually lost its shine.

"In my personal life, everything has to have a novelty to me. I have to keep learning, like I have to keep growing. Otherwise, I get very bored very quickly," Bianca explains. This drive for continuous learning led her to explore coding through an unexpected route – her love for games like D&D and Magic the Gathering.

"All of those games have a lot of statistical things," she says. "That's what first got me coding again, like trying to learn how to make some tools for myself in my personal life. And I'm like, 'Oh yeah, this is like a complete career field that I could get into.'"

With encouragement from family members in the tech industry, including a CTO cousin and an uncle who works as a senior developer, Bianca began researching coding bootcamps. After careful consideration, she chose Nucamp, citing two main factors: cost-effectiveness and scheduling flexibility.

One of the most valuable insights Bianca gained during her bootcamp experience was understanding the learning process itself.

"It was kind of eye-opening to see that you didn't need to learn every little bit of the language," she shares.

"When you start speaking English or Spanish or French, you don't learn every word in the dictionary. You pick up what you need to know and slowly acquire more vocabulary as you go. And coding is no different."

This realization was particularly liberating for someone transitioning from self-study. "You also don't know when you're self-teaching, like where do I stop?" Bianca explains. "Going through the first couple courses with Nucamp, it was nice to see like, 'Oh, okay, that is enough.' We did these projects. I do feel confident to say I know Python."

Bianca's approach to job hunting was equally pragmatic. She began applying for positions after completing just her first module at Nucamp. "The worst thing they can say is no, right?" she says with a laugh. "I just started applying after I finished my first module. I know some basics now, I'm just going to start looking and seeing what's out there."

This bold strategy paid off. Before completing the bootcamp, Bianca landed a position as a software developer at Davey Tree Expert Company, working on a program called iTree, a collaboration with the USDA Forestry Service.

"It's honestly kind of a dream job first go because it's actually something that's helping protect the environment," she says enthusiastically. "My long-term career goal was to have a job that mattered, that helped, and I got it right out the gate."

For those considering a similar path, Bianca offers some candid advice: "Try it out on your own first before signing up. Make sure it's something you enjoy doing because it will be worth every penny that you pay for this boot camp as long as you enjoy coding. You can't do it for the money... It's a career that won't disappoint you if you're a lifelong learner."

To current bootcamp students, she emphasizes the importance of collaboration:

"Make sure you work with other developers... You need to learn how to work within a single code base with another person and how to be able to divide and conquer. Or at least learn how to pair program, spend some time doing that."

Today, Bianca's work involves multiple programming languages and frameworks, updating legacy code, and developing new features. The variety keeps her engaged and learning – exactly what she was looking for in a career change. Her success story exemplifies how Nucamp's practical approach to coding education can help career changers not just learn to code, but find their way into meaningful tech careers that align with their values and aspirations.

For those standing where Bianca once stood – considering a career change into tech – her journey offers both inspiration and practical insights. Through Nucamp, she found not just a new career, but a path to continuous growth and meaningful work.