Guided Growth in Tech Through Mentorship Communities
Photo by A while after I started learning to code, I realized that online tutorials and self-learning would not give me the hands-on experience needed to be fully prepared for a job. I needed to gain industry insights through shadowing senior developers or by one-on-one mentorship. Relying solely on pre-recorded and asynchronous interactions with tutors had been helpful but after some time was no longer enough to take my skills to the next level.
The Limitations of Online Learning
Online tutorials are a popular way to learn tech skills. Utilising them is a good way to start out but they have their limitations. They often lack the structure and depth needed to build a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Another issue is that the projects featured in these tutorials have pre-prepared solutions for every error learners will encounter while buidling however in the real world, debugging is a skill you have to develop independently. Furthermore, some of them did not have clearly defined modules with a roadmap to take me from beginner to proficient. The ones that did only scratched the surface of these important concepts. Then I was introduced to the Dot Campus mentorship community.
The Dot Campus Real-World Experience
Dot Campus offers an organized and supportive environment for skill development and career growth. The community provides structured curriculums with direct access to mentors, including senior software engineers. Soon after I joined as a mentee, because I had been learning React for some time, I was given a React challenge by the mentor assigned to me. I was tasked with building a fully functional React application with a clearly defined objective and timeline. I received project planning, coding and deployment guidance from my mentor. The challenges are designed to help mentees replicate real-world experiences and what professionals encounter daily. Whenever I met a blocker while working on the app, I first had to do some research myself using Stack Overflow, reading documentation, or any other helpful resource I could find. If I could not find a solution alone, I could set up a quick meeting with my mentor and we hashed out the problem. It was a taste of what working in the industry would be like. Much like the other mentors, Theo, my mentor, is not only very skilled and knowledgeable but also friendly and patient, making the learning process enjoyable.
Code Reviews and Constructive Feedback
The best part for me is receiving reviews and feedback on my code from my mentor. When I was learning on my own, I did not have that. If my code worked, I did not try to refine it. My mentor helped me learn to optimize my code, for example, optimizing for performance and memory. This is what sets Dot Campus apart from solitary online learning. Whenever I created a pull request while working on my React app challenge, I received invaluable and undiluted feedback. I learned not only what worked but why it worked. I started to learn the value of writing clean code. Code reviews are an important protocol where I am now employed and it is great that my mentor already exposed me to this before I started working full-time.
Learning Real-World Tools and Processes
Before joining Dot Campus, I only used GitHub to save my code online so I would always have remote access to it. As a mentee at Dot Campus, I was quickly introduced to the relevance of tools like GitHub and the process of creating pull requests, especially for collaborative coding. I also learned important git commands. These are essential skills for a developer to have while working in the tech industry and having mentors guide me through them was extremely helpful.
Weekly Retrospectives
One of the community’s highlights and my personal favorite is the weekly retrospectives. During these meetings, mentors and mentees share their achievements and setbacks from the past week. It is a time for all of us to reflect on our progress and set goals for the week ahead to keep us accountable. The diversity of experiences within the community means that there is always something new to learn or a fresh perspective to consider. These retrospectives continue to be a source of inspiration and a reminder to me that growth is a journey.
Finding a Job
In my short time working in tech, I have found that the quickest way to get a job is networking. People in mentorship communities are often well-connected and privy to job openings that only a few are aware of. Using myself to illustrate, I joined Dot Campus in December 2021. A few months later, a member shared a link to a job posting for a full-time remote frontend engineer, I interviewed and got the job.
Conclusion
In conclusion, joining a mentorship community made all the difference for me and my career. It allowed me to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. It provided a supportive environment for networking, learning, problem-solving, skill development, and gaining industry insights. For anyone looking to excel in the tech industry, I believe it is what you need to keep you accountable as you take your career to the next level.
📢 Ready to level up your skills? Visit dotcampus.co to connect with inspiring mentors and unlock your true potential! Register for our web development, frontend or backend engineering programme.