AMA Mentoring - How Did You Begin Learning?

AMA Mentoring - How Did You Begin Learning?

Ok, so in terms of CS degree, I have done scratch, the IOT & wireless comms. Covered html etc. The next module is python, which again is taking me down a different road... they are the resources I use a lot or did do to help me. How did you begin learning?

As a software engineer I literally never stop learning (and I've been out of school for 8+ years). I feel like I learn something new every day. There are a few ways to go about this:

One is setting annual goals. Every year I've made a list of things I want to learn or improve. When I first started working I wasn't very good at JavaScript. I made it a priority to take on tasks and ask for help learning JavaScript at work. In a subsequent year, I wanted to improve my SQL skills. I volunteered for every DB task my company allowed me to do!

Secondly, I am very ambitious. I love to build things! Therefore, sometimes I have an idea for an app and I just figure out how to do it! I find other apps that are similar and I try to use that as a starting point. I read articles on related topics. I try to talk to individuals who have done something similar or the same thing and ask for advice. This requires a lot of patients and you need to be driven!

Thirdly, I try to fill voids in my job or make improvements. Recently, we started doing a lot of AWS work. I asked if my company would pay for training. They agreed and now I am certified. I am now my companies go to Amazon guy. As an engineer, you need to try to solve problems!

I am not going to lie, this is NOT going to be easy. It is going to be hard. You are going to have to go outside your comfort zone and learn many foreign concepts. It will be like climbing a mountain. But at some point, the path will start to flatten out. You will find a comfortable pace and meet people to help you along the way. You don't need to do this alone. There is a great community out there just waiting to help you!

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