From Teaching to Tech: My Journey as a Self-Taught Software Engineer
I'm Francis Amartey Sampah, a professionally trained teacher who transitioned into the tech industry as a self-taught full-stack mobile and web engineer. With over six years of experience, my journey has been both challenging and rewarding. I'd love to share my unconventional path from teaching to thriving as a software engineer in the ever-evolving world of technology.
My Background
I enrolled in a basic school education program at the training college and obtained a teaching diploma. The idea of sharing knowledge and improving people's lives fascinated me, motivating me to pursue a career in teaching. However, my fascination with technology has been present since childhood. I enjoyed dismantling things to understand how they worked, as I grew, further interest was developed for how the apps and games I see and use on my phone came into existence, and this interest has persisted, driving me to delve deeper into it. It began as a hobby. During my free time, I started experimenting with programming languages and creating small projects. The logical thinking and problem-solving involved in coding captivated me, and soon I became completely engrossed in it.
The Transition
Transitioning from teaching to tech wasn't easy. Despite lacking a computer science degree or formal programming training, my teaching background instilled discipline and structure, aiding me in systematically learning programming. I relied on tutorials, short online courses, and extensive reading, including articles and books and worked on a bunch of small personal problems to put into practice all that I learn. This helped prepare me and put me in the position to deliver when the opportunity arrived.
Projects and Institutions
Along my journey, I've worked on various projects and with different institutions, here are a few “prominent” ones :
l Facio innovations technology - This company gave me my first short at proving and showcasing my skills when I had no prior experience but my personal project to show, over at Facio I did full stack development with PHP with main focus on WordPress (theme and plugins development).
l Invennico Techno labs (India) - Remote full-stack engineer
l Afro Tech labs - Full-stack mobile and web engineer
l Feenix Technologies - Full-stack mobile and web engineer
The Experience so far
As a full-stack developer, I've found immense benefit in applying my problem-solving skills in new and exciting ways daily. The dynamic nature of the tech industry ensures there's always something new to learn, keeping me motivated. While there were hurdles along the way, each challenge became an opportunity for growth.
Overall, my experience as a self-taught software engineer has been invaluable, emphasizing the importance of self-motivation, continuous learning, and adaptability. From my journey, I've learned that passion and determination can propel you forward, regardless of your educational background.
In conclusion, my transition from teaching to tech has been transformative. It's never too late to pursue your passion, and with hard work and perseverance, you can achieve your goals. If you're contemplating a career change or considering diving into the world of technology, don't let your background hold you back. Embrace the challenge, keep learning, and who knows where your journey might lead you!
You can follow me on LinkedIn for more access on my Tech journey.
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampah-francis
