Learner Spotlight: From a 7-Day Trial to Course Completion – Meet Ononuju Fortune Chijioke
At DotCampus, more than anything, we are very invested in the success of our learners. We build systems and initiatives that allow our learners to maximise every opportunity and resource. As a Nigerian and African project, we understand the financial constraints that hinder many young and creative minds in Africa from accessing tech skills, which have become increasingly important in today’s world.
For that, as a learner’s first platform, we launched a 7-day scholarship program and it delights us that many Africans are maximising the opportunity to motivate them to start learning digital skills.
One of DotCampus’s 7-Day trial scholarship recipients is Ononuju Fortune Chijioke. Fortune joined DotCampus on our 7-day Scholarship Trial, where every day of learning keeps your access active for the duration of your course. The scholarship trial became a launch pad for Fortune because six months later, Fortune went on to complete his Data Analysis course without ever losing access.
Through the scholarship, Fortune can now confidently refer to himself as a Data Analyst. We sat down with him to learn more about his journey and how greatly DotCampus’s initiative has helped him. Enjoy the conversation!
DotCampus: Hello Fortune. How are you today? Could you, briefly, tell us a little about yourself?
Hello. I am well. My name is Ononuju Fortune Chijioke. I am from Imo State and recently graduated as a Mechanical Engineer.
DotCampus: Great! Tell us what made you decide to learn Data Analysis?
I decided to learn Data Analysis when I realised I had some traits that aligned with the skill set required to become one. When I realised Data Analysis was actually a thing, I looked back at some situations where I had worked with data, either to clean and arrange it or draw insights from a collection of data, even though it was for a small organisation. Then I decided that Data Analysis would be a better platform for me.
Before joining DotCampus, what was your experience with Data Analysis or tech in general?
Before joining DotCampus, I had never actually found a tech community that could stir up a drive to pursue a digital skill outside the “formal education” we are all used to. I was searching for a platform that provided a structured guide to learning Data Analysis.
So, you started learning at DotCampus through the 7-day Scholarship Trial and stayed consistent throughout your learning journey. What would you say kept you going?
Yes, I started with the 7-day Scholarship Trial and, surprisingly, I finished with the 7-day scholarship window. What made me keep showing up, beyond discipline, was the urge to become a certified data analyst. I never really had the opportunity to practise Data Analysis as a professional, perhaps even at an entry level, and there’s this norm that being certified is almost a basic requirement to put yourself out there.
I simply prioritised my learning journey above everything else I was doing. I had some challenges along the way, as no journey is without them. But I’d just say that priority was my thing, and I had to work with self-set deadlines.
You mentioned challenges. Did you have moments when you felt like giving up?
Yes, definitely. There were moments I felt like giving up, especially when my code always returned errors. There was also a point where I was running the scholarship program and the Aspire Leaders Program simultaneously, and it was almost overwhelming, considering the power challenges in the country at the time. I was just privileged to insist on showing up for my future every day.
We are very happy you continued to show up. What are you most proud of after completing the course, and how do you think completing the course has changed your confidence or career plans?
I am so proud of the mindset I have currently, upon completing the course. I’m proud of my analytical skills and definitely the ability to ask questions that make me seek answers.
To a very large extent, completing the course has definitely reshaped my mentality, approach, and disposition to Data Analysis as a professional path altogether. A positive reshape, to be much more precise.
What would you say to someone who thinks seven days isn’t enough to start learning?
Simple. If you know what you want, you will make use of what you have to get there.
How would you describe your learning experience with DotCampus, and what advice would you give to new learners joining DotCampus?
It’s rare to come across a learning platform with such structured and detailed content with free access. So, maximise it! My learning experience, I’d say, was not smooth, as much as I might not want it to sound that way. But enjoying the discipline of believing that what I start, I can finish, was really beautiful.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us, Fortune.
Thank you, DC, for having me.
Be like Fortune. Be consistent and keep showing up. He began with just a 7-day Scholarship Trial, stayed committed to learning, and six months later, completed his Data Analysis course. You can even do more than Fortune. ```