What is your long term goal or career pathway?
My intention to build on my current skillset and keep my future open to possibilities remains the same. I always like for the work that I do to have a positive impact and to align with my morals as much as possible. A potential destination is back to Otago but I'm certainly not fixed to anything in particular. Ideally I want my future to have some freedom of location to be able to be closer to family than I have been.
What do you think your biggest strengths and limitations will be in Bootcamp?
I don't think anything has changed from my initial answer to this one. Possibly that my natural learning method of working through new information until I'm 100% on it has been tested a little by the pace and moving on before I feel ready. This has been working quite well though, apart from feeling not completely there most of the time which is starting to feel quite normal.
The last few years I've developed more a sense for when something is enough, which isn't to say that I'm happy to leave things in a poor state, but that I've learned that so much extra time can be spent on potentially unnecessary extra polish. I'm thinking more from a design perspective with this but can probably be applied to dev to some degree as well, especially where steep learning curves and tight times are involved.
What do you think your biggest non-technical challenge at Bootcamp will be?
I'm not huge on public speaking, not terrible at it but definitely prefer not to, so the idea of a lot of group work does make me worry a little that it'll take an extra toll on me when I'll already be stretched with workload etc. I have done plenty of work in groups before but do find it much more challenging in a zoom situation.
What non-technical skills - human skills - would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?
I would like to be more confident opening up and knowing that I have value to contribute. I am more in the introvert camp which makes it a little harder at times. This is a fairly short but significant answer I suppose.
What are your expectations from the Bootcamp team?
My expectations are to help us grow and gain the skills we need for the next steps. I have found so far that this works, even given the fast pace. Also to help us to work in ways that help us feel as comfortable as possible, to be able to maintain through it all.
What are your expectations of yourself on Bootcamp?
To keep up! And to stay happy throughout. After what I have learned through the core research, I am wanting to remember that when I do have the struggles that it's part of the learning and growth, and to know when to reach out. A big thing I have learned through foundations is that by working out a solution with someone else or getting help.
What is your long term goal or career pathway?
My long-term goal is to develop a diverse new skillset, opening up my options to give me a happy and exciting future. I would like for this to build on my career as a designer and to see how this can all pair up, although I'd like to not necessarily restrict myself to any particular path.
I may potentially have a front-end role in my old team at the University of Otago to go to, which is very exciting but also scary considering I can't do it yet!
A description of your strengths and limitations when it comes to learning.
A learning strength that I believe I have is the ability to imprint key chunks of knowledge as I go. I really like to repeat back over points until I feel like I've made complete sense of them, and then put them in to real practice.
A limitation that I can struggle with is the fear of breaking the ice with an entirely new subject. I've always been a little OCD with hobbies and interests and find it hard to let go of having to be good at things. I know I'll have to embrace being uncomfortable in not-knowing, and realise that's what it feels like to learn.
3. What skills (non-technical core/human skills) would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?
I'd quite like to see myself be able to open up a bit more and be comfortable sharing my work and knowledge. I've already had that uncomfortable feeling when sharing links to what I've done, going from feeling ok about my work to suddenly thinking 'oh no this is rubbish and everyone's going to think it's crap'.
A commitment to how you will manage your workload in this programme.
I am dedicated to doing my best to keep up with the programme schedule, which will involve daily and weekly planning, and a willingness to commit and move forward – even if I'm tempted to obsess and polish projects. I fully realise that between us all we will have the ability to overcome anything and everything, so to remember that reaching out and combining thoughts is the most powerful way to get over the hurdles. If/when things build up and get to me, I need to remind myself to take stock, breath, remember how far I've come and to not keep the problem to myself. I know that I'm always happy to help anyone and that others will be happy to help me.
A commitment as to how and where you will seek help in a timely way.
Similar to above, I need to remember to not keep struggles to myself. After a period of trying to work something out, the group is there and will to help in the tech and core question channels. Also that the facilitators are there. I also have my brother who works in tech who is really keen to help me out where he can, and is even willing to have a look at some of my work.
A description of what you expect from the Facilitation team.
As I have already seen from the Facilitation team, they are a comforting and informative presence, many of whom have recently been in my position. I suppose the best that I can expect the facilitators to do is to point us in the right direction, be there to help if we need and to let us know if we need to get back on track in any way.
Any scheduling information such as block-out times when you are committed to other things.
Lunch, dinner, sleep and occasional mountain biking. So nothing really.