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Student Spotlight: Tech Transformation and Growing Representation

Here at Coder Academy, we don’t hide the fact that we’re extremely proud of our graduates (we couldn’t if we tried!) so we’d like to introduce you to two incredible alumni, who are out there kicking goals in their respective careers. 
We thought we’d start out by discovering just what prompted these two to cast aside their former careers and take up the challenge of an intensive <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/courses/bootcamp">Web Development Bootcamp</a>. 
“I’ve always had an interest in technology,” Lucy says. “Last year, I was in an admin role that required a lot of troubleshooting, something I hadn’t done before but really enjoyed. That pushed me to pursue study and led me to pursue a career in this field. I realised I wanted something more fulfilling &#8211; a career rather than just a job.”
Corina had a slightly different experience, coming to the realisation that she enjoyed coding as she pursued what seemed to be a very different path. 
“I’d just quit school teaching and was backpacking with my husband Dan,” Corina says. “He was starting out as a self-employed software developer but only wanted to focus on the code. I learnt how to manage Dan’s clients, draw up the designs (focusing on user and developer experience), and manage the projects.”
“This led to my attempt at starting a career in graphic design which to my surprise, required a bit of coding. So, I started coding. I fell in love and haven’t looked back.” 
<h2>Studying at Coder Academy</h2>
Taking the leap and deciding to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers">change careers</a> isn’t easy for anyone, and then <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/7-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-coding-bootcamp">choosing the right course</a> is another hurdle to overcome. But for many people there comes a time when the leap has to be made. 
“Dan did his best to guide me through the maze of what to learn and when to learn it but Coder Academy gave structure and focus to my studies,” Corina says. 
“I initially found <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development">backend development</a> daunting. However, Coder Academy&#8217;s excellent and patient teachers sparked my curiosity, and now I continue to explore backend and other things that I find challenging.”
“This course has filled a lot of my knowledge gaps and made me feel more confident in myself and my work. I now feel secure enough to say, ‘I don’t know how to do that but I know where to start looking.’” 
Lucy also found that her bootcamp experience gave her the grounding she needed to go on growing in her tech career. 
“My time at Coder Academy was great because it covered a broad range of subjects and gave me exposure to a lot of different areas in tech,” Lucy says. “The projects, in particular, were super helpful, giving me hands-on experience and a solid foundation in teamwork and collaboration, which has been really important in my role.” 
“I’m particularly proud of our final assignment at Coder Academy, which was a full-stack app. It was a collaborative project with a classmate where we built a simulated crypto trading app. It was a huge assignment, and I was really happy with how the finished product turned out.”
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The projects students complete at Coder Academy serve a few different functions. Students learn by doing, create a portfolio of work to show to potential employers, and sometimes even begin something that they can develop further, as Corina found.
“For the final assignment we did at Coder Academy, my classmate Karla and I built a lesson planner for a pole fitness studio,” Corina says. “Since there are no universal names for pole moves, it makes it tricky for teachers to teach and students to remember what they learnt in class.” 
“So, our website allows a teacher to log in and assign moves to the lessons and students can log in to view those moves. I have since taken our website further and am currently making it into an app for both Android and Apple. Hopefully with a release date later this year.” 
Of course, projects are just one of the many ways Coder Academy prepares students for their future careers. Another experience open to successful graduates is our partnerships program, and whether students are supported to move straight into work or to take up a placement, every student has the backing of our partnerships team as they embark on their new career.
“I was lucky enough to start an industry placement before I graduated, thanks to the partnership team at Coder Academy, with an amazing company,” Lucy says. “I got real-world experience and a taste of what working in the industry is really like. That placement actually turned into my full-time job.” 
<h2>Starting a Career in Tech</h2>
It’s no secret that developers and software engineers need to be lifelong learners, so how are Lucy and Corina coping with the transition from studying in a structured environment to learning on the job? 
“For me it’s definitely a work in progress,” Lucy says. “In tech, the learning never really stops, and as a junior I want to know everything NOW (not possible, unfortunately!). But I’ve learnt that it’s important to give yourself permission to relax, so I try to limit work-related stuff outside of my working hours. I also like to do fun personal projects as a way to keep learning without feeling too much pressure.”
“I stay updated by listening to the Syntax podcast (highly recommend), and I regularly read tech articles, browse Reddit, and use other online resources like LinkedIn Learning. The internet is full of free (or cheap) learning sources, so I try to take advantage of those to keep my knowledge current.” 
“Staying up to date with everything can be overwhelming, so I don’t,” Corina says. “I study what I need to know and remind myself that all the skills and concepts are transferable.”
“I subscribe to a YouTube channel called Fun Fun Function and receive coding newsletters to my inbox from various places. I also live with other software developers and we regularly chat about tech.”
“I’ve also learnt the hard way that if you don’t take a break, your body will and it won’t be convenient. So, on Sundays I don’t touch my laptop. I have a day off to do whatever I feel like.”
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As well as being prepared to be lifelong learners, coders must also commit to being perpetual problem solvers. Whilst studying, Lucy and Corina could problem-solve with educators and their classmates, and when asked how she approaches problem-solving in a professional environment it turns out that Corina has continued this collaborative approach. 
“My team has a diverse range of skills so I’ll reach out for a one-on-one discussion with someone who specialises in that area,” Corina says. “Other times we’ll have a team huddle where everyone takes part in the discussion.”
“On my personal coding projects, I’ll carefully plan what I’m trying to do and ask the people I live with. I even have a small whiteboard that lives on my desk for such occasions.” 
Lucy was also quick to acknowledge the positive influence of a supportive network. 
“This is a very collaborative role, so being able to communicate well and work in a team is essential,” Lucy says.
“I haven’t had any formal mentorship experiences yet, but I’ve definitely benefited from the advice of more experienced colleagues.” 
Of course, the constant need to learn and problem-solve can cause stress, so we asked Lucy and Corina for their top tips for handling the day-to-day stresses of their busy jobs. 
“I handle stress through self-care, regular exercise, and making sure I get enough sleep,” Lucy says. “It’s important to maintain balance and take care of your health.” 
“I make sure I have down time away from my computer,” Corina says. “I go to the gym, go for a walk, or I use a mental health app called Finch, as it has some great activities.”
<h2>Looking to the Future</h2>
Both Lucy and Corina have big plans when it comes to their futures in tech. 
“I hope to contribute to creating more inclusive digital experiences that cater to a diverse audience,” Lucy says. “I’m excited to see what technology can do, particularly in making tech more accessible and user-friendly.”
“I hope to continue growing my skills as a web developer, taking on more complex projects and eventually moving into a senior developer role.” 
“I never lost my love of teaching,” Corina says. “So, I want to combine that with coding to either run an internship program for graduating software developers or become a workplace mentor for those who are starting out.” 
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Our graduates were both keen to pay it forward, so we asked what their advice would be for anyone just starting out and considering a career in tech. 
“Just go for it! Don’t let self-doubt or thoughts of, “What if I can’t?” hold you back,” Lucy said. “The opportunities are there, and you’re more capable than you think. I honestly wish I had done this years ago.” 
“I love my job,” Corina says. “I love coding and solving problems and appreciate that it’s not as math-heavy as I initially thought. But it is hard work. You have to do the hours and there are no shortcuts… except for your keyboard ones.” 
“Be adaptable. You’re not always going to be coding in a software dev role so you have to be willing to switch it up. I’ve done grunt work for other departments so I could stay employed until more software work came along. It keeps things interesting and you pick up some cool skills too.”
“Soft skills are essential. Knowing when to stand your ground and knowing when to compromise. This is especially difficult when deciding what code to use for the project. I am biased when it comes to JavaScript (and all its forms) but <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-are-the-best-coding-languages">sometimes another language is better</a>. It’s not personal and sometimes you have to compromise.” 
And for those ready to start applying for jobs now?
“Have a few code projects ready to demo and talk about,” Corina says. “I’ve used some assignments from Coder Academy and some personal projects. Apply for everything, even if you don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. I’m currently in the process of onboarding at Black Sky Aerospace. I’m familiar with 70% of their code stack but I have a range of other skills they wanted too.” 
“I’ve been 1 of 300 applicants, so the jobs I really wanted to pursue, I followed up about a week later with an email. Be persistent. Be memorable. I used the line, “I know you have a lot of applicants but I’m an appli-can”. That got me three interviews and one resulted in a job. Hang in there, keep applying, and keep upskilling.”

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“Hang in there, keep applying, and keep upskilling”: From Student to Software Engineer

Lochie was kind enough to sit down with us for a (virtual) interview to help Coder Academy students on their own journeys into tech and cyber security. Lochie is deeply committed to contributing to the information security community and strives to provide the guidance he wished he had received early in his career. 
“My primary objective is to empower the next generation of cyber security professionals by helping them develop their skills and knowledge, ensuring they have long and successful careers in the industry.”  
<h2>What’s it Really Like to Work in Cyber Security?</h2>
Cyber security experts are essential to the businesses they work for, and Lochie’s role at Pax8 is no different.
“I&#8217;m responsible for managing our company&#8217;s security program in the APAC region. I work with both regional and corporate stakeholders to ensure that the program is enabling the business to achieve its goals in the region, while also reducing risk.” 
And of course, as with any role in tech, the pace of change means that things never get boring.
“Not one day is the same, I might be providing input to our overall security strategy in the morning, then assisting our security operations team with an incident in the afternoon. The variety of the role always keeps things exciting.” 
Not only do individual business needs change day to day, but the entire industry continues to evolve. On top of that, if you’re working in cyber security, then you’re sure to see the attitudes of your co-workers in non-tech roles change as more people come to see the value of the work you do. 
“When I first started in the industry, security was treated as an IT issue. From my experience, important information regarding an organisation&#8217;s security program wasn&#8217;t being reported to leadership in a direct manner. Because of this, no one in leadership was directly accountable for ensuring that security was satisfying the needs and requirements of the organisation. This has changed over time, and I&#8217;m seeing more and more organisations treat security as an important pillar of the business.” 
These changing attitudes are great news for anyone starting out in the industry. Cyber security roles have always been vitally important, but it’s nice to see them finally receiving the recognition they deserve.
<h2>Advice for Starting Out in Cyber Security</h2>
On that note, we decided to ask Lochie if he had any advice for newbies interested in the field.
“You need to understand what you&#8217;re securing to protect it. Every business is different in how they deploy and manage technology. Ensure that you&#8217;ve got a basic understanding of cloud computing, networking, identity and access management, device management, and other core IT domains.” 
When we asked Lochie what some of the biggest threats in cyber security are, the answer was a little surprising. 
“Burnout &#8211; sometimes security can be a thankless job. The very nature of the industry itself is extremely high stakes, you never know if the next security alert you respond to could be the one that makes the news. We&#8217;re seeing more and more folks in security leadership positions step down due to stress and burnout.” 
This very human side of the job means that sometimes there will be very low-tech solutions to ensure systems remain secure. 
“It&#8217;s important to remember that at the end of the day, we&#8217;re all human, and sometimes you need to step away to gain a new perspective on things and re-ignite your passion.” 
Roles in cyber security require just as much creativity and passion as those in more traditionally “creative” industries. Soft skills, interpersonal skills and communication skills are also highly prized, so if you’ve ever wondered if you might be cut out for a career in cyber security, then now is a great time to explore your options in this exciting and expanding field.

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Meet Lochie Wilson, Business Information Security Officer at Pax8

Your computer has crashed and the blue screen of death is staring back at you. You call the IT department for assistance, and unsurprisingly, the voice on the other end of the line is male. How did you know? Well, it wasn’t just a lucky guess. It turns out that while women make up 47% of the workforce, they hold only 29% of roles in <a href="https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/digital-pulse-2023.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the technology sector</a>. 
There are many reasons for this discrepancy, but what is clear is that this picture needs to change. 
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<a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/the-it-crowd-DUtVdGeIU8lmo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">via GIPHY</a>
Everybody loses out and our key industries suffer when underrepresentation like this persists. 
Women and non-binary individuals should have the chance to step into some of Australia’s most in-demand professions.
The people designing and maintaining vital systems and software for our communities should ideally come from a diverse range of backgrounds to better represent the society that will use those systems and software. 
<h2>The Importance of Including Women in STEM</h2>
Having more equal representation in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) industries isn’t just something that’s nice to aspire to. It’s vital for the wellbeing of our society as a whole. 
A report from the Australian Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/future-of-work-technology-and-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Future of work: where technology and work intersect</a>, found that when women are underrepresented in STEM, this influences the development of technology design and function, and creates a higher likelihood for biases that favour men.
Representation is not a tick box on a to-do list. It matters and has far-reaching implications. The WGEA report also found that working with ill-suited technology can negatively impact women’s productivity, safety, and health.
<h2>Taking a Seat at the Tech Industry Table</h2>
All industries, from farming to fashion, are becoming increasingly reliant on technology. The tech sector is booming, and women are being left behind.
Online employment marketplace SEEK predicts that the future need for developers will only continue to grow year on year, with a five-year projection of 27 per cent job growth for <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/full-stack-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full stack</a>, <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/backend-developer">backend</a> and <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/frontend-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frontend developers</a>. 
Salaries for the workers in these in-demand roles have also remained attractive in these turbulent economic times, with the Government’s <a href="https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/labour-market-insights/occupations/2613-software-and-applications-programmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jobs and Skills Australia</a> listing the median  weekly earnings for software and applications programmers at $2,496, or roughly $130,000 per annum. Their data also predicted strong future growth for the industry, with an estimate that the workforce will grow by 10,200 programmers annually. 
<h2>Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program</h2>
The Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program is an Australian Government initiative aimed at increasing the number of STEM-qualified women in the labour force by providing funding towards education in higher education programs. 
Receive over $16000 in government funding. Your employer receives a participation grant of $10,000. Open to women in the workforce regardless of how they personally identify. 

Interested students must register with an approved organisation, and Coder Academy is pleased to offer places within our beloved <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Web Development Bootcamp</a> for our January 2025 intake. 
Applicants for the program must also currently be engaged in paid employment, and will come to an agreement with their employer before enrolling. 
Students taking part in the Women in STEM Cadetship Program at Coder Academy will study part time over the course of 2 years through evening classes to gain an accredited Higher Education Diploma of Web Development while continuing to work with their current employer. 
Coder Academy is proud to offer places to students participating in the Women in STEM program. Diversity and inclusion have always been hugely important to the Coder crew, and something we strive to champion wherever possible.
Eve Ollerenshaw leads Coder Academy’s Accreditation &amp; Compliance division, and has been a key supporter of the implementation of the Women in STEM program at Coder Academy from the start. 
“It is somewhat frustrating that in Australia in 2024 we should need such a program as the Women in STEM,” Eve says. “But gee, I am glad that we do. This provides an opportunity to redress existing and continuing imbalances. It should be embraced.”
You can find further information on our <a href="https://info.coderacademy.edu.au/women-in-stem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women in STEM page</a> and submit an enquiry to learn more or contact us directly using the options below. 
We’ll be sharing more stories of Coder Academy’s Women in STEM in the coming weeks. So watch this space.

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Introducing the Women in STEM Cadetships Program

Read on for your regular round up of events happening here at <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/">Coder Academy</a> and out in the wider world of tech. Join a meetup, listen to an industry talk, or hear from some of our graduates. 
<h3>MEETUPS, HACKATHONS &amp; EVENTS*</h3>
<h4>All Locations &#8211; Remote:</h4>
<a href="https://info.coderacademy.edu.au/web-dev-info-session" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy Info Session, 2 October, 6.00pm (AEST)</a>
<h4>Western Australia:</h4>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/pythonwa/events/303480880/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Python WA, 3 October, 5.30pm, Perth</a>
<a href="https://itsocial.com.au/events/it-social-events-in-perth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IT Social, 4 October, 5.30pm, Perth</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/perth-linux-users-group-plug/events/303501678/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perth Linux Users Group (PLUG), 8 October, 6.00pm, Perth</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/perth-linux-users-group-plug/events/303596166/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PLUG + POSH Hack Afternoon, 13 October, 12.00pm, Osborne Park</a>
<h4>Queensland:</h4>
<a href="https://itsocial.com.au/events/it-social-events-in-brisbane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IT Social, 4 October, 5.30pm, Fortitude Valley</a>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/brisbane-coder-club/events/303577564/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunday Coder Club, 6 October, 12.00pm, Bulimba</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/producttank-brisbane/events/303292722" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ProductTank Brisbane, 8 October, 5.30pm, Fortitude Valley</a>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/brisjs/events/303047202/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brisbane JavaScript, 14 October, 6.30pm, Toowong</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/aws-brisbane/events/303405309/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AWS Brisbane Usergroup, 17 October, 5.30pm, Brisbane</a>
<a href="https://lu.ma/BrisRails" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruby on Rails, 17 October, 6.00pm, Fortitude Valley</a> 
<a href="https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-brisbane-presents-devfest-brisbane-android/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DevFest Brisbane &#8211; Android, 25 October, 7.00pm, Brisbane</a>
<h4>New South Wales:</h4>
<a href="https://itsocial.com.au/events/it-social-events-in-sydney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IT Social Sydney, 4 October, 5.30pm, Sydney</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/sydney-open-source-meetup-group/events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Open Source Data Meetup, 2 October, 7.00pm, Sydney</a>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/aws-sydney-well-architected-user-group/events/303598162/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AWS Sydney Well Architected User Group, 17 October, 5.00pm, Sydney</a>  
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/sydney-github-user-group/events/303345293/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Actions and GitHub Copilot, 17 October, 6.00pm, Sydney</a> 
<a href="https://www.sxswsydney.com/sxsw-2024/tech-innovation-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SXSW Sydney, 14 &#8211; 20 October, Sydney</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/innovatex-meetup/events/303478866/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InnovateX Meetup, 24 October, 5.30pm, Sydney</a>
<h4>Australian Capital Territory</h4>
<a href="https://itsocial.com.au/events/it-social-events-in-canberra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IT Social, 4 October, 5.30pm, Canberra </a>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/canberra-deep-learning-meetup/events/303112360/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canberra Deep Learning Meetup, 24 October, 5.00pm, Forrest </a>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/rust-canberra/events/303128131" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canberra Rust User Group, 29 October, 6.00pm, Barton</a>
<h4>Victoria:</h4>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/melbourne-python-user-group/events/303495628/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Melbourne Python, 2 October, 5.30pm, Melbourne</a>
<a href="https://events.humanitix.com/how-to-start-an-ai-startup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to Start an AI Startup, 2 October, 6.00pm, Docklands</a> 
<a href="https://itsocial.com.au/events/it-social-events-in-melbourne" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IT Social, 4 October, 5.30pm, Melbourne </a>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/microcontrollergroup/events/303503998/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Silicon Meets Code, 9 October, 7.00pm, Moorabbin</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/melbourne-cocoaheads/events/303495330/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CocoaHeads &amp; Android GDG Coding Night, 16 October, 5.45pm, Melbourne</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/micropython-meetup/events/303543741/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MicroPython Meetup at CCHS, 23 October, 6.30pm, Hawthorn</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/ruby-on-rails-oceania-melbourne/events/297781289/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruby and Rails Melbourne, 24 October, 6.00pm, Southbank</a> 
<h4>South Australia:</h4>
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/adelaide-microsoft-copilot-user-group/events/300390597/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adelaide Microsoft Copilot User Group, 2 October, 3.00pm, Adelaide</a>
<a href="https://itsocial.com.au/events/it-social-events-in-adelaide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IT Social, 4 October, 5.30pm, Adelaide</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/adelaiderb/events/dzcvqsygcnbgb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruby Burgers, 4 October, 6.00pm, Adelaide</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/adelaide-agile-community/events/303385358/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Great Agile Adelaide Dialogues, 17 October, 5.30pm, Adelaide</a> 
<a href="https://www.meetup.com/adelaiderb/events/dzcvqsygcnbxb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruby Burgers, 18 October, 6.00pm, Adelaide</a> 
*Some events may be subject to change, check the links for further details. 
&nbsp;
<h3>UPCOMING INFO SESSIONS</h3>
Join our next online info session to find out more about our bootcamp and how you can go from coding zero to coding hero in less than a year. 
Wednesday 2 October 
6.00pm &#8211; 7.00pm (AEST)
<a style="color: #1e993c;" href="https://info.coderacademy.edu.au/web-dev-info-session">LEARN MORE</a>

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Coder Connect: October

Apologies for the click-baity title. We know it’s not really possible to rank the “best” coding languages, because languages are like tools. You can’t use a hammer to fell a tree, and you’ll have a hard time nailing boards together with a chainsaw. You need the right tool for the right job, but preference also comes into play. 
Sometimes two tools are equally suitable for the task at hand, but if you (or the boss) have always preferred one over the other, then you’ll likely stick to that!  
All terrible trade-related analogies aside, we know that questions about coding languages are ones that you want answered, so here, we’re going to try our best. 
<h2>The Most Used Languages According to Stack Overflow</h2>
The results of the <a href="https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024 Stack Overflow Survey</a> are in, and developers around the world are taking note. 
Over 65,000 developers from 185 countries gave their thoughts on coding, the technologies and tools they use and wish to learn, and their experiences in the workplace. 
“Javascript (62%), HTML/CSS (53%), and Python (51%) top the list of most used languages for the second year in a row,” the 2024 survey summary states. “Javascript is a long-time mainstay for Stack Overflow users, it has been the most popular language every year since the inception of the Developer Survey in 2011.” 
According to the survey, Python overtook JavaScript as the most desired language this year, and <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/python-the-best-programming-language-for-beginners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Python was also found to be the most popular language for learners</a>. 
<h5>Stack Overflow’s Most “Admired and Desired”</h5>
<ol>
<li>Python</li>
<li>JavaScript</li>
<li>SQL</li>
<li>HTML/CSS</li>
<li>TypeScript</li>
</ol>
<h2>Language Rankings from HackerRank</h2>
The <a href="https://www.hackerrank.com/research/developer-skills/2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024 Developer Skills Report from HackerRank</a> gave a similar view of the popularity of many languages as the Stack Overflow report, however, there were differences. 
While the Stack Overflow survey looks into the languages developers use daily, and the most popular languages on their wishlists, HackerRank looks at the wishlists of recruiters, finding that, “Java and Python remain the top languages recruiters are looking for”. 
<h5>HackerRank’s Top Languages for Recruiter Demand</h5>
<ol>
<li>Java</li>
<li>Python</li>
<li>C++</li>
<li>SQL</li>
<li>C#</li>
</ol>
<h2>The Most In-Demand Languages on SEEK</h2>
Looking a little closer to home, SEEK has some insights for job searchers. Mining data from the languages listed in job postings, the SEEK line-up of languages gives an interesting insight into key skills for Australian developers. 
Knowing what recruiters are looking for can help job seekers to plan their next move, whether that’s through upskilling, or targeting the roles that are best suited to their expertise. 
<h5>In-Demand Languages for Full Stack Developers</h5>
Along with tools and frameworks, SEEK listed the following languages as being amongst the <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/full-stack-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most in-demand for full stack developer roles</a>. 
<ul>
<li>JavaScript</li>
<li>TypeScript</li>
<li>CSS</li>
<li>C#</li>
<li>HTML</li>
</ul>
<h2>Languages You’ll Learn in a Coder Academy Web Development Bootcamp</h2>
Coder Academy’s bootcamps offer a unique combination of academic rigour and practical skills to get you job-ready. The languages taught within our <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Higher Education Diploma of Web Development</a> have a dual purpose. They’re some of the most popular amongst junior developers, and the delivery method is designed to teach you how to learn new coding skills efficiently.
By building on each new language, framework and tech stack, and completing projects along the way, our students discover how to pick up project-specific languages, and to switch between the languages of different code bases or projects as needed. 
<h5>Languages You’ll Learn in a Web Development Bootcamp</h5>
<ul>
<li>Python</li>
<li>JavaScript</li>
<li>HTML</li>
<li>CSS</li>
<li>SQL</li>
</ul>
<h2>How to Pick the Best Coding Language to Learn</h2>
We hope you enjoyed learning a little more about the languages other developers are using and loving. Of course, just because a language didn’t make one of these lists doesn’t mean it isn’t worth learning. 
Learning any language will help you to learn others, and to make the most of code libraries and other tools.  
Katie Wilson, early careers specialist at Mantel Group, had this advice for Coder Academy students applying for jobs and <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-to-prepare-for-a-coding-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preparing for interviews</a>.
“When you’re starting out, we don’t expect you to be a guru in every language,” Katie said.
“What we look for is actually your ability to think and solve problems, and talk through your method.”
So whether you’re looking to learn your first coding language or your twentieth, feel free to use this list as a guide, but don’t despair if your favourite coding language didn’t make the cut. Programming languages will continue to rise and fall in popularity, and the most important thing is to always be a lifelong learner.

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What are the Best Coding Languages?

<h2>Chalani &#8211; Empowering Success</h2>
Chalani is already immersed in the <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-types-of-programming-jobs-can-i-get">world of web development</a> as a freelance frontend developer, but until now has been self-taught. 
“I am enrolling in Coder Academy with a clear vision of enhancing my skills and expanding my knowledge in the field of web development,” Chalani says. 
“The primary motivation behind my decision is the opportunity to learn new frontend languages, which will not only broaden my technical expertise but also allow me to stay current with industry trends.”
“This course presents an ideal opportunity for me to identify and fill any existing gaps in my knowledge. Whether it&#8217;s refining my understanding of certain programming concepts or gaining practical experience in real-world projects, I am confident that Coder Academy will provide the resources and guidance needed to bolster my skills.” 
“Ultimately, my enrollment in this course is a strategic move towards achieving a bright future in the dynamic field of web development.” 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-8708" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chalani-Dissanayakas-Website-1024x518.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="405" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chalani-Dissanayakas-Website-1024x518.jpg 1024w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chalani-Dissanayakas-Website-300x152.jpg 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chalani-Dissanayakas-Website-768x389.jpg 768w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chalani-Dissanayakas-Website-1536x777.jpg 1536w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chalani-Dissanayakas-Website-32x16.jpg 32w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chalani-Dissanayakas-Website.jpg 1834w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />
“In my career, I am committed to cultivating diversity in the tech industry through various actions. I will actively mentor and support underrepresented groups, providing guidance and resources to help them thrive in tech roles.”
“Through these efforts, I aim to create an inclusive and supportive tech community where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed.”
“In my career, I am committed to cultivating diversity in the tech industry through various actions. I will actively mentor and support underrepresented groups, providing guidance and resources to help them thrive in tech roles.”
“Through these efforts, I aim to create an inclusive and supportive tech community where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed.”
<h2>Lina &#8211; Catalyst for Change</h2>
Just like Chalani, Lina has also come to Coder Academy with a clear vision to positively impact the industry.
“As the use of technology has become omnipresent, I’ve witnessed first-hand how abruptly and almost forcefully people whose mother tongue is not English have had to adapt,” Lina says. 
“I see a struggle and an opportunity for someone like myself to contribute to the solutions and this scholarship is key to propelling my aspirations for more accessible and compatible technological experiences that welcome everyone as we move forward in this digital era.”
“As a person of colour who identifies as queer and gender non-conforming, I am committed to advocating for the representation and inclusion of marginalised communities within the tech industry.” 
“I aspire to be a catalyst for change, actively promoting and encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue opportunities in tech. Embracing diversity not only fosters a more inclusive environment but also leads to the creation of more innovative and relevant solutions.” 
<h2>Jessica &#8211; Creating Strong Communities</h2>
Originally from Brazil, Jessica was studying law when a classmate relocated to Australia. This would prompt Jessica’s own move to Australia, and indirectly, her pathway into tech. 
“I am ready to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers">change my career</a> and fully immerse myself in the exciting field of tech,” Jessica says. 
“This opportunity would allow me to thrive in something new that will open many doors for my future and impact the tech industry positively.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-8711" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jessica-Vaz-Martins-Website-Homepage-1024x486.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="380" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jessica-Vaz-Martins-Website-Homepage-1024x486.jpg 1024w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jessica-Vaz-Martins-Website-Homepage-300x142.jpg 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jessica-Vaz-Martins-Website-Homepage-768x364.jpg 768w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jessica-Vaz-Martins-Website-Homepage-1536x729.jpg 1536w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jessica-Vaz-Martins-Website-Homepage-32x15.jpg 32w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jessica-Vaz-Martins-Website-Homepage.jpg 1850w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />
“After reading reviews, watching videos from past students, and even talking to girls who have completed their <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp">bootcamp with Coder Academy</a>, I was very confident the school would offer a high level of knowledge and skills that would prepare me to take my first step in the tech industry.” 
“The feedback I got from students was great; they were able to go from not having knowledge in the area to securing a job straight after the bootcamp.” 
“In the Women in IT group that I&#8217;m part of, we frequently discuss how to get started in tech, and what I see is that many girls want to learn but they don&#8217;t know where to start, myself included.” 
“This scholarship will give me an opportunity to learn about coding, gain new skills in a revolving industry, and be one more female in this area predominantly occupied by males.”
“Coming from not having a background or experience in tech, I find it very overwhelming trying to start from scratch in this field, which is vast and constantly evolving. 
“Once I&#8217;m in this area, I would like to help other girls who also want to start a career in tech from the beginning, sharing my personal experience and providing them with guidance and direction.” 
“I will connect with other <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-gender-diversity-in-tech">women in the industry</a> to create a strong community that shares support and opportunities. I believe women are capable of doing anything they put their mind to and if this opportunity knocks on my door, I&#8217;ll make the most of it to start my exciting career in this rapidly growing field in today&#8217;s world.”  
“I believe these efforts will contribute to a more friendly and welcoming environment for minorities in the tech industry, creating opportunities for everyone to succeed and fostering a culture of inclusivity and innovation.” 
Want to learn more about making your own positive impact in the tech industry? You might even be our next <a href="https://2106109.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2106109/4.%20ENROLMENT%20AND%20ADMISSIONS/Diversity_in_Tech_Scholarship_Flyer.pdf">Diversity in Tech Scholarship</a> winner. Be inspired by <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/meet-our-students-february-diversity-in-tech-scholarship-winners">past Diversity in Tech Scholarship winners</a>, or talk to a course advisor today about the unique opportunities a Coder Academy bootcamp can bring you.

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Fostering a Tech Culture of Inclusivity and Innovation

<h2>We Sent Our Bootcamp to Bootcamp</h2>
We sent our bootcamp for a bootcamp &#8211; now it’s stronger than ever. Each subject has been put through its paces and come back to us levelled up and ready to turn ordinary couch potatoes like you and me into lean, mean, coding machines. 
The core remains the same:
<ul>
<li>You can go from not knowing a single line of code to beast mode coding legend in less than a year</li>
<li>You receive an accredited higher education diploma</li>
<li>You benefit from industry relevant education and our industry placement program</li>
</ul>
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We’ve just made a few tweaks to allow you to really hone those skills: 
<ul>
<li>We’re introducing the ONLY Diploma of Web Development in Australia, and now, Australia’s most targeted bootcamp</li>
<li>We’ve introduced a muscled-up DevOps subject</li>
<li>An even more flexible, mindful, conscious timetable to fit your lifestyle</li>
</ul>
<h2>What’s Changing at Coder Academy?</h2>
Australia’s favourite web development bootcamp just got better. Since 2015, Coder Academy has been helping students to become job-ready junior web developers through a fast-paced bootcamp program. 
Thanks to the success of this delivery method and feedback from our students, we’ve been able to develop the <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp">Diploma of Web Development</a> &#8211; the first course of its kind in Australia. 
This new diploma has some new subjects and features, and now includes a subject devoted to DevOps &#8211; a growing field within the Australian market. 
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<h2>What’s So Great About the New Diploma of Web Development?</h2>
We’re glad you asked…
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<h3>Show Off Your Qualifications</h3>
This is the ONLY Diploma of Web Development in Australia, and now, Australia’s most targeted coding bootcamp.
Our higher education approved Diploma of Web Development means you’ll have access to Government student loans to help fund your study, just like you would at any Australian university or TAFE. You’ll also be able to follow a pathway for further study. Many of our students prefer to finish the diploma and go straight on to work as junior developers, but if you just love to learn, you’ll be all set.
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Upon completion of this course, you will possess strong foundational knowledge in programming, web development, DevOps and databases, which will enable you to pursue further development in qualifications such as a:
<ul>
<li>Bachelor of Information Technology</li>
<li>Bachelor of Information Technology Management</li>
<li>Bachelor of Digital Business</li>
<li>Bachelor of Data Science</li>
<li>Bachelor of Science</li>
<li>Bachelor of Information Technology (Mobile App Development)</li>
<li>Bachelor of Science in Mathematics</li>
</ul>
<h3>Make Friends and Influence People</h3>
A standard inclusion with every bootcamp is the optional industry work placement at the end of the course. Students who meet the criteria (most do) and who wish to take part (some of our students are offered jobs while still studying) can join a real company and gain work experience on real projects. 
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According to our 2023 placement survey, 80% of eligible students end up completing an industry placement, and one in five end up staying on as employees at their placement company. That’s right, you could walk into a job without going through the whole process of applying, waiting, interviewing, waiting… you get the drill. 
If you love your industry placement but it’s not quite the right fit for a permanent role then you can expect to have plenty of support as you go through the job application process. Our team are here to help you polish your CV, your LinkedIn profile and your GitHub profile too.
Learn exactly what’s expected of a junior developer and prep for interviews with a whole team in your corner! 
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<h3>Learn with the Support You Need</h3>
Although our 100% online model means you can learn from anywhere, you’ll never be learning alone. All classes are taught live, with an expert teacher. You’ll have access to support from real people, and be part of a cohort of classmates taking the bootcamp journey alongside you. 
Our delivery model and support services are all in place to help you succeed. With evening and Saturday classes, you can work while you study, and schedule your self learning hours for the times that suit you. 
If you get stuck during your self study hours you’ll have access six days a week, 9am-5pm to our online support team. And if you’re in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne and want a place to study that’s not your bedroom, then you’ll have access to our dedicated, in-person study hubs as well.  
<h3>We’re True Blue Mate</h3>
We’re the ONLY <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/7-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-coding-bootcamp">Australian owned and accredited coding bootcamp</a>. We understand the tech industry in Australia, and we know what employees are searching for. 
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When you study at Coder Academy, you’ll be taught by technical wizards with years of experience working as web developers, software engineers, tech leads, CTOs, and more.
From day one in the classroom, you’ll begin working on your own projects, being mentored as a junior developer by our senior developers. 
<h3>Learn the Skills Demanded by Industry</h3>
As a key component of the Diploma of Web Development, there’s an entire subject devoted to DevOps. Learning about development operations is important for any web or software developer, and if you do decide to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-makes-a-good-devops-engineer">specialise as a DevOps engineer</a>, then you’ll have a rewarding career ahead of you. 
At the end of the Diploma of Web Development, you’ll be an experienced, employable, full stack developer with knowledge of some of the most in-demand programming languages. From here, you can specialise in frontend or backend web development, or continue to hone your skills in both. 
You’ll have hands-on experience, a portfolio of projects, and know what’s expected of a junior developer entering the industry. 
So, why are you still reading? Go sign up for a bootcamp already.
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Australia’s Favourite Coding Bootcamp Just Got Better

We’ve been hearing for years now that Australia (and the world) is suffering from a shortage of tech professionals. But is that still true? And what about full stack devs in particular? With AI tools and a changing workforce will there still be demand for developers who can code in both the frontend and the backend, or will roles become more specialised?
<h2>Are Full Stack Devs Still in Demand? Or Will AI Steal Our Jobs?</h2>
Have you heard? The hottest new programming language is English. That’s the very memeable quip going around. It refers to the fact that anyone can code with the help of AI. Ask ChatGPT to build you a website from a screenshot and it will spit out the code. Surely no one needs full stack devs, well-versed in a range of coding languages in a world like that.
Of course we still need full stack devs. Rather than taking jobs away, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/will-ai-steal-my-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI presents a range of opportunities for developers</a>. Now, we can all have our own personal JARVIS. No need for Tony Stark’s fortune, just bring up ChatGPT to help you plan your holiday and GitHub’s Copilot as your virtual assistant while you code. 
With the growing demand for generative AI, full stack developers will have a virtual assistant capable of taking on their mundane and repetitive tasks, while demand for skilled, problem-crushing developers will only grow in this new tech-hungry world.  
<h2>Are Full Stack Generalists Still in Demand? Or Will Developers Specialise in Frontend or Backend?</h2>
According to the <a href="https://www.hackerrank.com/research/developer-skills/2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024 Developer Skills Report</a> from HackerRank, there has been a surge in demand for backend developer roles, which were ranked first amongst the top 5 most in-demand roles of 2023. 
But don’t go dropping all frontend skills and languages just yet. The report went on to note that amongst the top 5 momentum builders since July 2023, senior software engineer was number one &#8211; a role which usually requires full stack skills.  
At the end of the day, someone who works to become a full stack developer will always have more options. Full stack devs can work in frontend or backend, and they can more easily manage teams. 
If you’re just starting out, it’s a good idea to learn both the frontend and the backend &#8211; this will help you work with your counterparts in future if you do decide to specialise. It will also help you decide if you do want to specialise. 
Whether you work as a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frontend, full stack or backend developer</a>, your work will be about creating, fixing and refining things through code. 
Do you love solving the impossible to make the backend work, or do you want to see the results of your labour on the screen as your frontend skills help you build the impossible?
There are many reasons to choose a specialisation or to remain a generalist, but at the end of the day, the demand for all developers is on the rise. 
<h2>What are the Job Prospects for Full Stack Devs in 2024 and Beyond?</h2>
According to the most recent report from the Australian Computer Society (ACS), the need for technology skilled workers is growing by the day, and Australia is not on track to build the skills required. 
The <a href="https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/digital-pulse-2023.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACS Digital Pulse 2023</a> states, “At a minimum, Australia needs 445,000 more technology skilled workers to reach the 1.3m workers projected as needed by 2030 to keep pace with international economies. That’s a net increase of 60,000 tech workers each year.” 
Online employment marketplace SEEK also predicts a strong future need for developers, with a five-year projection of 27 per cent job growth for <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/full-stack-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full stack</a>, <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/backend-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backend</a> and <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/frontend-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frontend</a> developers. 
And workers can expect to be well compensated for filling these in-demand roles. 
If you’re searching for the type of programming job that offers security, then according to the Government’s <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/occupation-profile/software-and-applications-programmers?occupationCode=2613#earnings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Labour Market Insights</a>, you should consider software engineering. The unemployment rate for software and applications programmers is below average, while median full-time earnings sit at $2,208 per week, or roughly $115,000 annually. 
Job site <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career/full-stack-developer/salaries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indeed</a> paints an even rosier picture, listing an average Australian salary of $119,000 per year for developers.
So, are full stack developers still in demand in 2024? Absolutely!

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Are Full Stack Devs in Demand in 2024?

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news.com.au Interviews Coder Academy Educator Alex Holder

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7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Coding Bootcamp

If you’re afraid that AI will replace programmers, don’t be. It’s understandably nerve-wracking for someone with their sights set on becoming a junior developer, but even as AI models learn to write and correct lines of code, your future as a developer remains safe. 
AI is replacing low-skilled, repetitive tasks. It simply doesn’t have the same adaptability and range, creativity or critical thinking skills as a person.
In the future (and it already can be used this way) artificial intelligence will be your co-pilot, or assistant. It will automate mundane tasks, and it will help you to be more productive.
In fact, in a recent experiment, <a href="https://www.itnews.com.au/news/westpac-sees-46-percent-productivity-gain-from-ai-coding-experiment-596423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Westpac gave their software engineers generative AI tools</a> to test and saw a 46 per cent productivity gain with no noticeable drop-off in code quality.
<h2>Why AI Can’t Replace Human Developers</h2>
AI cannot replace knowledgeable, human developers, because using AI to its full advantage requires skill. 
If someone with no knowledge of coding expects ChatGPT (or any other AI) to create software, a website or an app for them then they won’t have the knowledge needed to refine their prompts or to correct the AI’s mistakes. And there will, inevitably, be mistakes. 
Large language models like ChatGPT can predict, while other generative AI tools are being trained on specific datasets and can surface information on coding languages to answer questions much faster than a human can. 
But these tools still don’t think in the same way humans do. When asked for assistance, they can’t truly understand someone’s intent. They aren’t able to show true understanding or to create human connection with a client. 
Read: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/6-things-that-make-a-great-software-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 Things that Make a Great Software Developer</a>
Coder Academy’s lead academic, Jairo Bilbao isn’t worried for the future of his students. 
“In my opinion, it&#8217;s a great tool to boost the efficiency, but not able to replace a developer/engineer as you still need to ask the right questions in the right way, and you need to be a professional that totally understands the big picture to do that,” Jairo said.  
This seems to echo the experience of recent Coder Academy graduates, who are already using AI in the workplace as a tool. Although they’ve found it useful, they’ve also tested and experienced its limitations, and do not believe it’s a suitable substitute for junior developers. 
Stephen and Cameron are two Coder Academy graduates who <a href="https://youtu.be/cznoGrL6ASk?feature=shared&amp;t=3100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently joined us for a webinar</a>, and were asked by an anxious audience member whether coding would be replaced by AI. 
“I mean, I can’t predict the future, but personally, no, I don’t think so,” Stephen said. “I think it’s definitely shown that it can enhance our jobs and maybe it will have an impact on the programs you’ll see out there, or organisations, but I kind of get the feeling that it will probably just make us more productive which just means we’ll end up writing more code.”
Cameron was quick to agree, and talked about some of the ways he is using AI as a tool in his daily work.
<div style="width: 1920px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-8372-2" width="1920" height="1080" poster="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/01_Coder_YouTube_Thumbnail_Template_Will_AI_Steal_My_Job_Oct2023-scaled.jpg" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Will_AI_replace_coding_jobs_Stephen_Smith_Cameron_Taylor.mp4?_=2" /><a href="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Will_AI_replace_coding_jobs_Stephen_Smith_Cameron_Taylor.mp4">https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Will_AI_replace_coding_jobs_Stephen_Smith_Cameron_Taylor.mp4</a></video></div>
“My response would be identical,” Cameron said. “It just makes you a lot more productive. It lowers the barrier to entry. If I’m coding, I will have ChatGPT on one screen, and I will have <a href="https://github.com/features/copilot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Copilot</a> in my IDE [integrated development environment].”  
But Cameron also pointed out that you have to use your judgement when making use of AI tools.
“If you’re learning to code, don’t have that stuff there, and sometimes I will consciously say, this is not helpful right now, and I’m going to turn off this, and go back to thinking through the problem. 
“But in many instances, what we’re doing, we’re working through solved problems. We have an interface, we communicate with a database, and those are solved problems, so why not use a tool that helps you do that much quicker?”  
“I would add as well though, that AI cannot do the high-level, complex thinking of, this part connects to this part, connects to this part. It cannot do that, that’s creativity, and that’s being an engineer.”   
So it looks like human developers are pretty confident that <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-types-of-programming-jobs-can-i-get">their jobs are safe</a>. But what about AI, does it have any plans to take our jobs? 
<div id="attachment_8374" style="width: 865px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-8374" class="wp-image-8374 size-full" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OpenAI-ChatGPT-Answer.jpg" alt="" width="855" height="511" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OpenAI-ChatGPT-Answer.jpg 855w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OpenAI-ChatGPT-Answer-300x179.jpg 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OpenAI-ChatGPT-Answer-768x459.jpg 768w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OpenAI-ChatGPT-Answer-32x19.jpg 32w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 855px) 100vw, 855px" />From: <a href="https://openai.com/chatgpt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://openai.com/chatgpt</a></div>
We decided to <a href="https://openai.com/chatgpt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ask ChatGPT</a>, feeding it the prompt, “I&#8217;m a coder, will you steal my job?” 
The little chatbot was very humble when admitting its own limitations, noting that advanced language models cannot match human coders in critical areas, and that ChatGPT lacks “true understanding or creativity.”
<h2>What Does the Research Say? </h2>
AI is becoming more of a polarising force in our world, with many individuals and organisations keen to adopt it, while others fear its harmful potential.
In <a href="https://www.weforum.org/press/2020/10/recession-and-automation-changes-our-future-of-work-but-there-are-jobs-coming-report-says-52c5162fce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Future of Jobs Report 2020</a>, the World Economic Forum (WEF) predicted that between 2020 and 2025, as many as “85 million jobs may be displaced by a shift in the division of labour between humans and machines, while 97 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to the new division of labour between humans, machines and algorithms”.
No wonder people are worried. Jobs will be lost, but the net gain in jobs is encouraging for developers, who are in the best position to take advantage of emerging technologies. 
In more good news for coders, the WEF also found that “In 2025, analytical thinking, creativity and flexibility are among the top skills needed; with data and artificial intelligence, content creation and cloud computing the top emerging professions”.
Rather than stealing our jobs, AI is likely to create more jobs, and with the need for the very human skills of analytical thinking, creativity and flexibility, those new jobs won’t be filled by machines. 
Australia’s <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/developer-jobs-amongst-australias-10-most-in-demand-professions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">need for programmers</a> is on a steady upwards trajectory, with no signs of generative AI disrupting the need for more workers in this field. 
The Australian Government’s Labour Market Insights research predicts <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/occupation-profile/software-and-applications-programmers?occupationCode=2613" target="_blank" rel="noopener">future growth of 27% for software and applications programmers</a>, reaching a workforce of 198,400 by 2026, with even higher demand expected in our major cities. 
<h2>The Challenges of AI in the Workplace</h2>
There’s no doubt that AI will bring disruption and change, but developers have always needed to adapt to changing technology. This is not a career bound by tradition where things remain as they were for generations. It has always been the case that programmers cannot afford to allow their skills to stagnate. 
This need for lifelong learning is something graduate Stephen has certainly experienced.
“I’ve worked in hospitality, and you know, once you learn how to make a good coffee, you can make a good coffee, and then you just do that every day,” Stephen said. “But in tech, you learn something, and then next week you have to learn this other thing, and, you know, tech evolves constantly, so you’re constantly having to learn new skills, and I love that, and I enjoy that.”
When starting out, junior developers will need to master the fundamental skills so that they’re smarter than AI. Understanding the essential building blocks, including different coding languages, debugging and testing, information systems and more will help you to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers">embark on a career</a> where you won’t be replaced by a machine.
Once they’ve completed a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp">Coder Academy bootcamp</a>, our graduates are already far more valuable to a potential employer or client than an AI tool can be. But the journey doesn’t stop there. Throughout your career, you will always need to keep pace with changing technology. With further development AI will become more capable, but so will you. 
If you have the right foundations in coding, then you can even choose to specialise in the field of AI. As different models are trained, developed and deployed, there will be a real need for human workers in this growing field. 
Robots can’t take your job if you’re the one programming them, right?
<iframe loading="lazy" class="giphy-embed" src="https://giphy.com/embed/IZY2SE2JmPgFG" width="480" height="272" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/terminator-IZY2SE2JmPgFG">via GIPHY</a>
Unless this all turns into some dystopian nightmare where the machines rise up against their creators… but in that case you’ll definitely want to know how to code. How else are we going to defeat Skynet? 
All sci-fi horror stories aside, the bottom line is that developers don’t need to fear being replaced by AI. The world of programming is constantly changing, and if anything, learning to become a full stack web developer just got a whole lot more exciting.

Coder_Blog_Header_Will_AI_Steal_My_Job_1060x630_Sep2023

Will AI Steal My Job?

With so many programming languages out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here at <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a>, we teach a range of programming languages, and one of them is Python. Why? Well, we’ll leave that to educator <a href="https://github.com/Oliver-CoderAcademy/ACS_Masterclass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oliver Lavers</a> to explain.
“Python is an elegant, readable, practical language that can be used in almost every application thanks to its open-source licence and prolific community of contributors,” Oliver says.
“It is a powerful high-level language that was made with the core philosophical goal that, ‘There should be one &#8211; and preferably only one &#8211; obvious way’ of performing a given task. This, combined with its simple, English-like syntax makes it easy to learn and a joy to work with.”
<a href="https://www.python.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Python</a> is incredibly popular. You’ll find it used as part of the tech stack for well-known brands, including Instagram, Spotify, Uber, Netflix, Pinterest, and Google.
Originally <a href="https://www.w3schools.com/python/python_intro.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released in 1991</a> by creator Guido van Rossum, Python is a multi-paradigm programming language that can be used to perform almost any task, and concepts and techniques are transferable to other popular languages like Ruby, JavaScript, C# or C++.
In terms of job demand, Python may just be the most in-demand language in the world right now. At the end of December 2021, a round-up of <a href="https://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-best-programming-languages-to-learn-in-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn job listings in the US and Europe</a> saw Python come out on top &#8211; suggesting that it will be incredibly important in 2022.
According to Stack Overflow’s <a href="https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 Developer Survey</a>, Python was the <a href="https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2021#most-loved-dreaded-and-wanted-language-want" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most wanted programming language</a> amongst developers who are not developing with the language currently, but who wish to do so in the future.
<h2>Learn Python at Coder Academy</h2>
<h3>Introducing Python to Our Web Development Bootcamp</h3>
We’ve recently introduced Python to our full stack <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp">Web Development Bootcamp</a> syllabus.
In this course, students learn HTML 5 and CSS for website creation and design. They learn JavaScript and apply it in the MERN (Mongo Express React Node) stack as they work their way towards a nationally recognised and accredited Diploma of Information Technology.
Students also learn the fundamentals of programming, information systems (IS), discrete mathematics as part of computer science, database systems, software engineering skills, and more.
Until recently, bootcamp students have come to grips with these foundational programming techniques using Ruby on Rails. Now, we will be introducing students to programming with Python.
So why the switch from Ruby to Python?
We still stand by Ruby as an easy to understand, general purpose language, but the popularity of Python is impossible to ignore. Our educators work in the tech industry, and they adapt to new languages whenever needed.
We strive to create learning environments that mimic workplaces, with the educators standing in as senior developers, and the students as junior developers &#8211; working on their own projects as they receive mentorship and advice. So it made sense for us to make the shift and train students in another versatile, widely used, and increasingly in-demand language.
At the end of the day, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-are-the-best-coding-languages" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one language isn’t necessarily better than another</a>. There are languages that are easier to learn and to use, but everyone will have their own preferences, and certain languages will be better suited to different projects than others.
That’s why we teach our students how to become lifelong learners, so that they have a solid foundation to work from, while also possessing the required skills to go on learning new languages, new technologies, and new ways of working as needed.

python

Is Python the Best Programming Language for Beginners?

Developer jobs may have once been niche roles that were little understood, but now software and applications programmers, web developers, and ICT business and systems analysts are amongst some of the most in-demand professionals in Australia.
If someone asks you if there is a demand for developers in Australia, then the answer is definitely, “Yes!”
According to recent reports from the Australian Computer Society (ACS), the National Skills Commission and The Sydney Morning Herald, these professionals have well and truly taken their place alongside more traditional in-demand roles including civil engineering professionals, registered nurses and electricians; with job growth only expected to increase over the next five years.
<h2>Developer Jobs on Australia’s National Skills Shortage List</h2>
According to the ACS, <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">web developers</a>, database admins, and business analysts have just been added to the list of some of the most in-demand roles in the country.
The <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/content/ia/article/2022/govt-adds-10-more-it-occupations-to-shortage-list.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACS article</a> looked at the National Skills Commission’s 2022 Skills Priority List and found that ten new IT roles had been added to the list. The newly added jobs included:
<ul>
<li>Analyst Programmer</li>
<li>Computer Network and Systems Engineer</li>
<li>Database Administrator</li>
<li>ICT Business Analyst</li>
<li>ICT Systems Test Engineer</li>
<li>ICT Quality Assurance Engineer</li>
<li>Network Administrator</li>
<li>Network Analyst</li>
<li>Systems Analyst</li>
<li>Web Developer</li>
</ul>
We simply don’t have the tech talent needed to fill the roles available in Australia. This is something that has been noted before by Scott Farquhar, co-founder and co-CEO of <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/atlassian-the-game-changer-in-tech-roles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">software company Atlassian</a>.
“There are still more tech jobs out there than there are people to fill them,”<a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2022/atlassian-launches-recruitment-drive--literally.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Farquhar has said</a>.
<h2>Programmers Amongst Top 10 In-Demand Professions</h2>
Following an analysis of the Skills Priority List, data on job vacancies and projected growth in employment over the next five years, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-s-most-in-demand-professions-revealed-but-migrants-wary-of-returning-20220821-p5bbho.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sydney Morning Herald</a> reported that ICT business and systems analysts and software and applications programmers made up two of the top ten in-demand professions for the next five years.
While the article focused on skilled migration as a means to plug the skills gap, there are other ways to ensure Australia has the developers and technology workers it needs for the future.
<h2>Can Australia Fill Vacant Developer Roles?</h2>
Just because there is a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/can-australia-solve-its-technology-industry-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skills shortage</a>, doesn’t mean it’s easy to walk into a job. There may be a high demand for developers, but this demand is for developers with the right skills. And this doesn’t always mean years of experience. It could mean someone with transferable skills, outstanding soft skills or a proven ability to learn the skills required for the job.
ACS CEO Chris Vein believes that Australia needs to look to untapped sources of talent when it comes to <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/content/ia/article/2022/govt-adds-10-more-it-occupations-to-shortage-list.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creating the tech workforce</a> that our country needs.
“One of the quickest ways of addressing our skills shortage is harnessing our national assets, particularly Australia’s educated, flexible and diverse workforce, through upskilling workers and boosting the industry’s diversity,” Vein says.
This approach was thankfully backed by the Government’s recent announcements following the <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/outcomes-jobs-and-skills-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jobs and Skills Summit</a>, with the promise of generous joint Federal-State funding for education of Australian workers in in-demand areas.
Here at Coder Academy, we have long believed that <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">career changers</a> can make great developers. By bringing skills and knowledge from previous roles into the tech space, career changers help <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-gender-diversity-in-tech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improve diversity</a> while proving to be flexible and adaptable workers.
Career changers are also adept at learning new skills as needed &#8211; something that remains necessary for developers throughout their careers. If you’re searching for a career in a growing industry, then a developer role might just be for you.

Future of work

Developer Jobs Amongst Australia’s 10 Most In-Demand Professions

There are many different types of programming jobs available today, from <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full stack developer</a> to software engineer or DevOps specialist, or something in between. 
When The Sydney Morning Herald drew up a list of the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-s-most-in-demand-professions-revealed-but-migrants-wary-of-returning-20220821-p5bbho.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top ten in-demand professions</a> based on the Government’s <a href="https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/skills-priority-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Skills Priority List</a>, data on job vacancies and projected growth in employment over the next five years it’s no surprise that software and applications programmers made the top ten, alongside registered nurses, electricians and civil engineering professionals. Programmers have become as indispensable as teachers and tradies &#8211; although the <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career/entry-level-developer/salaries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay for programmers</a> is much better.
What follows is a brief outline of five types of coding jobs that a trained full stack developer could expect to walk into. Although one of the reasons many people choose a career in tech is the variety of work available, and with the many opportunities out there this list only just scratches the surface.
<h2>5 Types of Programming Jobs</h2>
<h3>1. Frontend Developer</h3>
Frontend development is the type of programming job often recommended for more creative, right-brain thinkers &#8211; but this isn’t always the case. Because frontend developers will deal mainly with the parts of the website, software program or application that an end user sees, they may be visual thinkers, or someone empathetic who enjoys working more directly with clients to meet their expectations.
Frontend developers will work with presentation languages, such as HTML and CSS, as well as JavaScript.
Sara Fishburn graduated from Coder Academy’s Accelerated <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Web Development Bootcamp</a> in 2021, and shortly afterwards found herself working as a frontend developer at <a href="https://www.codenation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Code Nation</a>.
“I didn’t do an internship, as the partnerships team organised an interview for me with a company that offered me a job straight out,” Sara says. “I now work as a frontend developer for Code Nation, a company who creates websites for progressive organisations. Before Coder Academy, I was working full-time in a call centre.”
“Web development has changed my entire life. My job is fully remote with flexible hours so my days are spent doing my work on my terms with little stress. My work life balance is great and I have so many more opportunities to learn and grow.”
Job satisfaction is high for frontend developers, <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/frontend-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to SEEK</a>. Job growth is also strong, with 30 per cent expected job growth between 2020 and 2025. And the typical salary in Australia is currently sitting at $120,000 annually.
<h3>2. Backend Developer</h3>
Backend developers work with databases, APIs and server-side functions. There are many programming languages that they could be called upon to work in, depending on the type of coding job that they are doing.
Some typical languages a backend developer might be familiar with include Python, Ruby, C#, Java, PHP and SQL. And although JavaScript was developed for use as a frontend language, its versatility often sees it used in backend development as well.
Ihab Bou Hassan graduated from Coder Academy in 2021, and is now working as a backend developer for <a href="https://netengine.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NetEngine</a>.
“Before joining Coder Academy, I took different career paths,” Ihab says.
“Food, cars and technology are the three things I’ve always wanted to be part of in my career. After working in the food and auto industries, I decided to complete the trilogy and focus on tech. It wasn’t easy for a father of two to go back to class, but the teaching methodology and the support Coder Academy provides the students makes things easier. From Coder Academy, I went to join the Scout Talent Group at NetEngine. It is tough to switch careers after years of experience because I had to start fresh, but my love for technology, can-do attitude, and support from my peers and colleagues at my workplace makes it easier.”
SEEK paints a rosy picture when it comes to future opportunities and career expectations for <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/backend-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backend developers</a>. The typical Australian salary ranges from $115,000 to $135,000, and job growth is expected to increase by 30 per cent between 2020 and 2025.
<h3>3. Full Stack Developer</h3>
One of the most sought-after types of programming jobs would have to be the full stack developer. Their ability to perform <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backend and frontend roles</a>, and to oversee teams who work in the frontend or the backend will mean these professionals are always in high demand for a wide variety of coding jobs.
Junior full stack developers can find work as adaptable generalists, while more senior full stack developers can specialise as needed to manage particular projects.
To build websites, software and applications, full stack developers generally have a good understanding of different tech stacks, frameworks, languages, tools and libraries.
Caleb Leung is a Coder Academy graduate who completed his business degree, and worked in retail and HR before deciding to make the switch to software development. Now, Caleb is a full stack software developer at rostering and attendance company <a href="https://www.tanda.co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tanda</a>.
So what does he think of his career switch?
“There’s great career optimism, you do rewarding work, it’s a high potential job, you make really great friends along the way, and every day at work you’re always thinking, so there’s no boring day at work,” Caleb says.
“That snap decision became one of the best ones I’ve made in my life. Coder Academy really sort of opened up the software industry because I didn’t really know about it at the time.”
“You can build anything when it comes to tech.”
“I fix bugs, I build new features, I work really closely with other non-engineering people within Tanda to solve problems.”
“It doesn’t feel like work every day.”
While having engaging work is reward enough for many, you may be interested to hear about full stack developer salaries where you live.
Although the industry is trending towards offering more remote work, salary expectations for full stack developers do still seem tied to location. If we look at a full stack developer salary in Sydney, for example, we see an average of $138,000 per year, which is above the Australian average of $122,000 per year, but below the $229,000 offered to Canberra full stack developers, <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career/full-stack-developer/salaries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Indeed</a>.
<h3>4. Software Engineer</h3>
Software engineers are responsible for designing, developing and maintaining software systems. Many tech workers may switch back and forth between web development roles and software engineering roles, as there is actually a lot of overlap between these two types of programming jobs, and some companies may simply use the titles to distinguish between levels of skill and seniority, or to describe the work involved in a particular role.
People are often surprised to hear how well <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">career changers</a> suit tech roles, bringing their previous skills and life experience with them, and software developers are no different. Soft skills are a surprisingly important part of the job, as is a commitment to continual learning, as different languages and tech stacks will be required for different roles.
Louise Flanagan is a Coder Academy graduate who worked in various industries, including marketing and travel, before completing our <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Web Development Bootcamp</a> and completing an internship that turned into a junior developer role at <a href="https://futurefriendly.team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Future Friendly</a>. Now Louise is working as a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/atlassian-the-game-changer-in-tech-roles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">software engineer for Atlassian</a>.
“So for those who don’t know, Atlassian make tools like Jira, Confluence, Trello and Bitbucket,” Louise says. “That’s just to name a few though. When I was researching them before my interview I discovered they have, like 5,000 apps in their marketplace, which is crazy. I think there are over 9,000 people across offices in seven countries, so it’s a huge team compared to what I was doing previously. I’m specifically on a frontend team. I work with about 16 engineers directly, and they range from intern, all the way to senior architect, so, yeah, all different levels of experience and background.”
“I don’t want to downplay it, but honestly, I feel like ‘software engineer’ is just a title. What I’m doing now is not all that different to what I did at Future Friendly in my first role. It is slightly different, but regardless, you learn on the job. There is always going to be something that you don’t understand.”
If you’re searching for the type of programming job that offers security, then you might consider software engineering. According to <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/occupation-profile/software-and-applications-programmers?occupationCode=2613#earnings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Labour Market Insights</a>, the unemployment rate for software and applications programmers is below average, while median full-time earnings sit at $2,208 per week, or roughly $115,000 annually.
<h3>5. DevOps Engineer</h3>
A DevOps (development–operations) engineer is responsible for building, testing and releasing new software. They oversee both the development side, and the day-to-day operational side, which means a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-makes-a-good-devops-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DevOps engineer</a> might find themselves managing a team, or specialising in certain processes within the pipeline, including cloud deployment, server capabilities or security.
Paul Kukiel is a senior solutions architect at AWS Enterprise. During an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7i_IGh0jhE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">industry panel discussion with Coder Academy</a>, he talked about the different roles a DevOps engineer might fill.
“You’re combining the skills that are required as a developer, as a programmer, with what’s required to be able to host and run and operate that service, combining those two things together is DevOps,” Paul says. “You develop it, and then you operationalise it and look after it.”
“A DevOps role can be significantly different depending on the organisation that you’re working in. So if you were to work within a smaller organisation, so when I’ve worked in smaller organisations, there was a lot more ownership. You didn’t have the time to be a specialist in one area.”
SEEK lists the <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/devops-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average annual salary</a> for a DevOps engineer in Australia as ranging between $130,000 and $150,000.

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What Types of Programming Jobs Can I Get After I Complete a Bootcamp?

If you’re pursuing a career as a developer, then at some stage you will want to know how to prepare for a coding interview. Here at Coder Academy, we see a lot of students who have a wealth of life and work experience, but when it comes to coding, they’re relative newbies. This article will be particularly useful for <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">career changers</a> and emerging tech talent, but also offers advice for anyone seeking a role in tech.
To make sure we’re offering tips from someone in the know, we’ve taken some advice from Katie Wilson, early careers specialist at <a href="https://mantelgroup.com.au/emerging-talent-programs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mantel Group</a>. Katie <a href="https://twitter.com/CoderAcademy_au/status/1544218287734771712?cxt=HHwWgMC-gbyWle4qAAAA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently gave a talk</a> for Coder Academy students and offered actionable advice as well as coding challenge examples used by Mantel Group.
Mantel Group is a Coder Academy industry partner and includes eight tech-focused businesses under its umbrella. Their focus on fostering emerging talent has helped them to refine their traineeship, mentoring and hiring programs, and makes Katie a great person to go to for advice.
<h2>How to Prepare for Different Styles of Coding Interview</h2>
There are a number of ways you may be asked to interview for a position. Informal or formal phone interviews, in-person interviews and video interviews are all common. Then there’s the tech interview &#8211; this one is often dreaded by new and experienced coders alike &#8211; the interview where you must show your coding prowess live.
Katie stresses that it’s important to look at “all aspects of interviews, because I know the technical interview is probably the most scary one and the one that everyone kind of thinks of as the most important one during the interview process, but actually, I think every stage of the process is as important.”
<h3>How to Prepare for a Phone Interview</h3>
Depending on the organisation, Katie says, you may be expected to take part in a scheduled or unscheduled phone interview. An unscheduled interview may be a fairly informal call letting you know that you’re through to the next interview stage. A scheduled phone interview may be more formal and be used to screen candidates before the next round of interviews take place.
When the phone call comes unexpectedly, Katie says that applicants shouldn’t feel afraid to reschedule the call at a time that is more convenient, and to take their time to prepare. If you have applied for multiple positions and you can’t recall in the moment everything that you need to about the company and the role, then you are doing no one any favours by bluffing your way through the phone call.
“This is really to understand your motivations, what have you been studying, and really, is our program what you’re looking for, and fit for purpose in terms of where you want to start your career,” Katie says.
So that both you and your interviewer can get the most out of any scheduled or unscheduled phone calls, make sure that you keep track of the positions that you have applied for in a spreadsheet or other convenient format. Prepare questions to ask during interviews, and make sure you’ve researched each company so that you can show genuine interest.
<h3>How to Prepare for a Video Interview</h3>
Usually, video interviews are only used by larger companies when they are running bulk recruitment. If you are asked to complete a video interview then preparation will be crucial. You will likely be given a set amount of time for each answer, so make sure you know what you want to say, and practice keeping your answers succinct.
Test your internet connection, audio and visual set-up and practice looking directly at the camera.
<h3>How to Prepare for In-Person or Virtual Interviews</h3>
Face-to-face interviews are just as likely to take place online these days as they are in-person. Either way, your preparation will be fairly similar. Find out beforehand what type of interview this is &#8211; are your interviewers looking at this from a cultural, behavioural or technical standpoint, or, most commonly, a combination of all three.
Having the right tech skills will always be important, but Katie says that for junior developers especially, these may be second in importance to other skills. What she is most commonly looking for at Mantel Group is applicants who will be able to grow into their role &#8211; people who are passionate, keen to learn and who fit the company culture.
“When we talk about human skills, that’s what is usually referred to as soft skills. So, what kind of transferable skills you have from a previous career, if you’re a career transitioner, what sort of skills you’ve learnt from jobs you’ve worked while you’ve been at uni or at school, or something like that, that can help with the different elements of the role that aren’t technical,” Katie says.
Remember that the interview also offers you a chance to work out if your values and goals are aligned to the company’s. Ask questions, not just with the aim of impressing your interviewer, but with the goal of working out if the role you have applied for really is right for you.
Talk about the company in your interview. Make sure you’ve done your research, as Katie says it’s surprising how many people get to interview stage without knowing much about the company.
When your interviewer asks you to give examples of your past work and achievements, make sure you give real-life examples. They don’t have to be from a tech-related role, as long as they give the interviewer the information that they need. It’s important to recognise the transferable skills that your potential employer could value.
It’s also a good idea to structure your responses using the STAR method.
Situation &#8211; Talk about the circumstances in which the task was performed.
Task &#8211; Detail the task and what it involved.
Action &#8211; Tell the interviewer what actions you took specifically, not just what your team or organisation did.
Result &#8211; Make sure you talk about the real outcomes. Things don’t always have to have gone to plan &#8211; you can still explain what you’ve learnt from “failed” projects.
In the early stages of your career (or career change) Katie says it’s also perfectly reasonable to use examples of class projects or to frame a learning experience as a project in itself &#8211; detailing how you went about learning something new.
“Use academic if you don’t have work-related examples.”
<h3>How to Prepare for a Technical Interview</h3>
When <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-types-of-programming-jobs-can-i-get" target="_blank" rel="noopener">job seekers</a> think about how to prepare for a coding interview, they will probably spend most of their time thinking about the technical interview. This one seems to scare people the most, but Katie stresses that all parts of the interview are equally important and that your level of coding ability should be equal to the task.
“What companies are looking for at this early careers level is very different to hiring a software engineer further on in their career.”
Interview coding challenges will vary, but typically, the technical interview might consist of a coding test sent to you by the company to complete, or they may ask you to present a project that you have worked on.
“Come prepared to talk about your code and documentation.”
Technical interviews do test your coding ability, but interviewers are still looking at those soft skills &#8211; evaluating how you tackle problems, follow instruction and seek and respond to feedback.
If the technical interview is project-based, then come prepared to talk about a project that you have completed in detail. Tell the interviewer about the project &#8211; what was it, what were you hoping to achieve, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-are-the-best-coding-languages" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what language did you choose?</a> And remember to mention any key considerations that came out of the project.
Don’t worry too much if you have a lack of work-related projects. Students who have been through Coder Academy’s <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp">Web Development Bootcamp</a> will have built projects in class, and worked on various tasks and projects during their <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/wickys-nakul-pednekar-on-the-value-of-industry-placement-programs">industry placement</a> programs. In reality, however, anyone can devise and complete a coding project, and doing so will show your passion and commitment to ongoing learning.
If the company is asking you to complete a combined interview and coding challenge, then Katie recommends that you choose the language you are most comfortable using, rather than choosing one to impress the interviewer.
If you know that the company works with a predominant language or tech stack, then you can learn as much about this as possible before the interview, and talk about it with your interviewer, but for the test itself, it’s best to feel prepared with a language you know well.
“When you’re starting out we don’t expect you to be a guru in every language, even the language you’ve chosen to code in, we don’t expect you to know absolutely everything. What we look for is actually your ability to think and solve problems, and talk through your method, and sort of justify why you’ve chosen to do something a certain way.”
Being able to explain your work is a vital component of the technical interview. Spend some time in your coding interview preparation thinking about why you do things the way you do. As Katie points out, “there are about 25 different ways to solve the problems we send out.”
What interviewers are looking for is not the right answer, but how susceptible are you to feedback, and how you look to solve a problem.
Another reason Katie has for not fearing the technical interview, is that it is a learning experience in itself. Even if you aren’t selected for a particular role, you will have something to take away and use for your next interview.
The people who interview you are experienced programmers. This is actually a rare opportunity to gain access to some very senior people at different companies, and to experience the way that they work and instruct juniors.
<h2>Some Interview Coding Challenge Examples</h2>
One of the best ways to deal with your nerves as you prepare for a coding interview is to go into it having completed plenty of practice.
Katie says that some great interview coding challenge examples can be found via <a href="https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GeeksforGeeks</a>. Alongside practice exercises, you will also find helpful articles and tutorials.
Don’t forget to check out the resources available through <a href="https://github.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GitHub</a>, either. Many people in the community have gone through the experience of coding interviews before you, and alongside written advice, you may even find others willing to give you specific examples and feedback. One day, you’ll be on the other side, and able to offer advice to the junior developers who come after you.
There are many other coding challenge examples out there, but one of the most helpful things you can do in your coding interview preparation is to practice and to compare notes with your peers.
<h3>Remember, You’re Not Alone</h3>
If you’re a recent graduate, then you already know a group of people who are going through the same process of applying for tech roles as you. If you’re from a smaller program, such as a bootcamp, then you know that the rest of the cohort are your allies, not your competitors. Make sure you keep in touch, and help each other along as you apply for jobs and prepare for interviews.
This doesn’t have to be complicated. You can share your most recent interview experience on <a href="https://twitter.com/CoderAcademy_au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> and congratulate your peers when they post updates to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/school/coder-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn</a>. But you can also organise face-to-face or virtual meet-ups to go through mock interviews or coding challenges.
Share examples with each other, hold each other accountable as you practice and continue to learn together just like you did in class. You might even find job applications and interviews less daunting if you stop seeing it as an individual struggle and start seeing it as something your coding community is working on together.
Good luck out there!

How to Prepare for a Coding Interview

Want to understand the difference between frontend vs full stack vs backend web development? For that, we’ll have to go into a short history of web development.
Websites have become incredibly complex, but they’re really just made up of files. Just like any other file that you might use on your computer, we open these files using programs (in this case, browsers), and from there we can read and interact with them.
Back in the day, you could create a website file using HyperText Markup Language (HTML). These early websites allowed the internet as we know it to be born, but they were plain and unresponsive compared to what we have today. Why was that?
<h2>Frontend vs Full Stack: The Internet Evolves</h2>
Because HTML is a presentation language, it only allows you to set up how a web page should look. It doesn’t give you any opportunity for interactivity.
Now, HTML is an incredibly useful language. Web developers still use it today, but now it can be used in conjunction with other languages, allowing us to make the distinction of frontend vs full stack web development.
This all came about with JavaScript &#8211; a programming language that could be used with HTML to allow for user interaction. Suddenly websites weren’t just static files. The combination of languages made them responsive to individual users’ needs. And that’s basically why we can have the whole frontend, backend, full stack distinction today. Right from the beginning, developers were programming things in the backend that the end user would never see, but with backend and frontend capabilities becoming more complex, it has led to specialisation, and made the people who can do both (full stack developers) incredibly valuable.
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Want to Listen To a Developer Explaining the Difference?
Two Coder Academy legends, Oliver Lavers and Dallas Hill, sat down to discuss what it means to be a frontend developer vs a backend developer. You can watch their talk, Backend vs Frontend &#8211; What’s the difference? 👇
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<h2>Full Stack vs Backend: Distinct Roles Emerge</h2>
To help JavaScript in its functionality, databases became larger and more complex. With the ability to load data that can be left hidden in the backend or accessed when wanted, websites could do a lot more. Application programming interfaces (APIs) make the information available, JavaScript accesses that information in the user’s browser, and it can be presented to the end user through the magic of presentation languages like HTML and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).
<h2>Frontend Developer vs Backend Developer: The Roles Today</h2>
From these simple beginnings, web development has continued to, well… develop. Now you will hear about the role of a frontend developer vs a backend developer as though the two were opposed, when they’re really complementary. You need both sides to develop a website.
So, with the roles and responsibilities separated, are certain people more suited to one than the other?
<h3>What Does a Frontend Developer Do?</h3>
Frontend developers deal with everything that the end user sees. This will include making a website look appealing, but a large part of the job will involve creating the best user experience &#8211; ensuring nothing gets in the way of the website’s functionality and the user’s interaction with it.
This will include optimising a website for use across devices, including for mobile functionality.
<h3>What Does a Backend Developer Do?</h3>
A backend developer takes care of the server, APIs and databases that comprise the backend of the website.
Backend developers will set up and maintain organised database systems, manage APIs, and create and modify website architecture.
<h3>What Does a Full Stack Developer Do?</h3>
Full stack developers bring it all together. With the ability to work on both sides, they still might find themselves working more heavily in backend or frontend. They could also oversee teams, or liaise with outside teams (graphic design and SEO for frontend, security or cloud computing for the backend).
Here at <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/">Coder Academy</a>, we train <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp">full stack developers</a>. It might seem daunting, but it really is the best way for a beginner to learn, as you get the training you need in order to build a “whole” website. It may be simple at first, but it’s the full stack.
From there, you can decide to specialise, but whether you do or not you will have a better understanding of the bigger picture. All websites need the backend and the frontend to work, so it’s always going to be useful to know what’s going on “on the other side”.
<h3>Frontend vs Full Stack vs Backend: The Skills You Need</h3>
As a frontend developer, you’ll need to understand presentation languages, such as HTML and CSS. Learning JavaScript will also be essential. Frontend developers will need to think about the end user’s experience.
Backend developers will deal with databases, APIs and server-side functions. They will need to familiarise themselves with programming languages such as <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/python-the-best-programming-language-for-beginners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Python</a> or Ruby. JavaScript often crosses the boundaries between frontend and backend, so it will also prove useful.
To build websites, software and applications as a full stack developer, you’ll want to understand tech stacks like the Mongo, Express, React, Node (MERN) stack. You’ll need frameworks, such as Flask for Python, but you’ll also require adaptability to learn new languages, tools, frameworks and libraries as needed.
<h3>Job Outcomes for Full Stack Developers</h3>
The future looks bright for full stack developers. SEEK projects 30% job growth over the <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/full-stack-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">next five years</a>. Full stack developers are valued for their adaptability and ability to see the larger picture. A junior full stack developer may fit more easily into a team in any role that is required, while senior full stack developers can be trusted to oversee complex projects and to assist junior developers working in the frontend and the backend.
Full stack developers will always have the opportunity to pursue the areas and projects they become passionate about. By gaining comprehensive knowledge of the frontend and the backend, full stack students can more easily choose the career path they want.

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Frontend vs Full Stack vs Backend Web Development

It’s always exciting when a new cohort of students starts their journey in a Coder Academy bootcamp. The first intake of students for 2022 are well underway in the <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Web Development Bootcamp</a>, and we’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to some of them.
Gisele Lima, Hardeep Singh, Megan Van Der Weide and Lily Nöel are four incredible women and <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers">career changers</a> who share a love of coding and a determination to succeed in the tech industry. Something else they have in common? They’re all recipients of <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/diversity_in_tech_scholarship/about">Coder Academy’s Diversity in Tech Scholarship</a>.
For each bootcamp intake, we offer Diversity in Tech Scholarships for students who are learning to code at our campuses in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane and online through our virtual classroom. It’s our way of helping to combat the long-standing inequalities in the tech industry, introducing talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to an exciting new career.
<h2>Gisele Lima</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-8115 size-medium" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/gisele-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/gisele-300x300.jpg 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/gisele-150x150.jpg 150w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/gisele-32x32.jpg 32w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/gisele.jpg 750w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Gisele Lima is a production engineer specialising in manufacturing management and continuous improvement systems. Born in Brazil, Gisele spent two years in the USA before moving to Australia six years ago.
Now, Gisele volunteers as a tutor with Melbourne AMEP &#8211; helping new arrivals to settle in Australia.
“I worked in the manufacturing industry for the last 13 years, and I have always been the only female representation in the production leadership at the companies I worked for.
“I know how hard it is to break into a field where you don’t see anyone who looks like you achieving successful career paths. Where people challenge you from day one, just to see if you can handle and for how long.
“Coming to Australia brought another layer into that challenge as, besides the gender gap, I could not see many immigrants sitting on roles I was aiming for.
“The resilience and perspectives that come along with being part of minority groups, make us particularly especial and value-adding to the STEM businesses. Therefore, I am embracing the current diversity gap in tech as my new chapter to be explored and overcome. Receiving this scholarship [was] the booster I needed to kick off my journey in tech, with the vision of being a vehicle of change, not just for myself, but for others like me also.”
“As soon as I assumed positions of leadership as a production engineer, I decided to give the support I did not have to young women in manufacturing, so they could pursue their career aspirations, regardless of the limitations imposed to them by the society.
“I am super proud of having the opportunity to do the same here in Australia, now working with recent migrants trying to ingress in the job market in the same field they used to work back home.
“I cannot wait to have more knowledge and experience in tech so I can start sharing my career journey with even more people like me. I would be extremely happy to encourage them to believe that if I made it, they can make it too.”
<h2>Hardeep Singh</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-8569 size-medium" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hardeep_Singh_Portrait_Round-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hardeep_Singh_Portrait_Round-300x300.png 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hardeep_Singh_Portrait_Round-150x150.png 150w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hardeep_Singh_Portrait_Round-32x32.png 32w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hardeep_Singh_Portrait_Round.png 534w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Hardeep Singh graduated from university in 2007, completing a Biomedical Sciences Degree at the height of the GFC.
“I fell into a career in sales and didn&#8217;t look back until 2014. I had three kids and I found a new part of me; loving, nurturing and fierce. But I lost my individuality, independence and identity.”
“It&#8217;s been a challenge to keep up with my hobbies. I used to play the sitar, footy and go kick boxing”.
“Locked down, I stumbled across a free coding bootcamp on YouTube and learnt basic HTML, CSS and JavaScript. I felt my brain exploding as the lessons stimulated my mind and gave me a love for learning again, a new hobby to enjoy and grow into a tech career, just for me.
“I found an aspiration to become a coder. A means [to get] back into work after being a stay-at-home Mum for so long and a large part of my goal to regain my individuality, independence and identity again.”
“I can&#8217;t say I should receive this scholarship above anyone else, it&#8217;s been a rough two years for many and I know people have struggled in ways we didn&#8217;t even know was possible. For myself, it would make my journey into a tech career easier&#8230; I already have plans to pay it forward.”
“I personally know immigrants in Australia who have completed computer science degrees overseas and speak English as a second language. They struggle to find work in their field of study here due to not fitting in with the workplace culture or [facing] somewhat of a language barrier. What a waste of talent!
“Having emigrated from England, I have never faced this barrier in finding work in my industry of experience up until I became a stay-at-home Mum. All of a sudden, my experience isn’t recent enough and the feeling is frustrating and disheartening.
“I feel with my experience within the recruitment sector, I would be well placed to help immigrants, as well as candidates who have been out of work for a period with securing work. Once a web developer myself, I aim to assist with interview prep and through my own networking contacts to assist these candidates in securing internships and paid employment.
“I strongly believe that by having an inclusive and diverse workplace you gain a variety of perspectives and experiences that can only strengthen your business and I believe this will be my so-called selling point when discussing candidates with a potential employer.
“Should I find myself in a position where I am able to impart my knowledge and experience, I know I would gladly do so in the hopes of being able to support other women, POC and immigrants.”
<h2>Megan Van Der Weide</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-8570 size-medium" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MeganVanDerWeide2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MeganVanDerWeide2-300x225.jpg 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MeganVanDerWeide2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MeganVanDerWeide2-768x576.jpg 768w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MeganVanDerWeide2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MeganVanDerWeide2-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MeganVanDerWeide2-32x24.jpg 32w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Megan Van Der Weide works in the entertainment industry, specialising in automation and rigging.
“The best way I can describe this job to my friends or my family who aren’t in the industry, is I make things like walls or stages or people move using computers.”
“My life in tech has been a journey of using technology to do my job. My career has been facilitated by tech. I already have a career in tech, I just want to pursue it that little bit further, push the boundaries a little bit more and perhaps learn in a different direction. Maybe to bring it all back and tie it all into the arts world, because tech and arts are so intertwined together.”
“I want to be a part of the conversation. I want to be in the room where the tech happens.”
“Receiving the honour of this scholarship will not only financially propel me into my Diploma of Information Technology but also instil the confidence that I have what it takes to achieve great things in this space.”
“I will have a positive impact on the industry by embodying a representation to women that this is a realistic career option. I deserve this scholarship because I am someone who has faced the challenges that <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-gender-diversity-in-tech">gender diversity</a> imposes on our workplaces.
“I was one of the few women in automation/rigging in my industry, a job that was seen predominantly for men. I stayed and progressed in these roles even when the odds were against me. Having my opinions shut down and questioned created motivation for me to push even harder to ensure safety and efficiency in my workplace. I will use this leadership mindset and passion to progress myself as a figurehead in the space to endorse fellow young women to embark on a similar career path.”
<h2>Lily Nöel</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-8571 size-medium" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lily_Noel_Portrait-259x300.png" alt="" width="259" height="300" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lily_Noel_Portrait-259x300.png 259w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lily_Noel_Portrait-28x32.png 28w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lily_Noel_Portrait.png 354w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 259px) 100vw, 259px" />
Lily Nöel is a passionate beginner in the tech space, determined to follow her chosen career path and to encourage others to do the same.
“The tech space is my design studio, my canvas and my muse.”
“After spending some time searching for my purpose as a creative, as a professional and in general as a person through travel, work and study, my keen interest for digital creation has illuminated the answer that has been there all along.
“The tech space is where I have been exploring, learning and experimenting as an artist for most of my adult life. In 2022, I will continue to grow my skills not only creatively but also professionally as a full stack developer. I have found my niche where the chaos of creating meets the form and function of coding.”
“It is my hope and intention to be part of the diverse representation of women in the tech industry, autistic women in particular. As a woman with autism, I’d like to signify that there are no limitations to what can be achieved when you work hard and believe in yourself and your ability to thrive regardless of your starting point.”
“If selected as the recipient of this scholarship, I will have the opportunity to embark on my coding journey and make a contribution as an autistic woman in the tech industry. It is my hope to empower other women to do the same by continuing to celebrate tech through my work, to inspire important conversations that encourage diversity, equality, inclusivity and accessibility in this field, to learn, grow and invoke thought within the tech space and to <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-neurodiversity-in-the-tech-industry">pave the way for other neurodivergent women</a> who dream of a career in tech.”
“My existing skill set is entirely self-taught and most of my work has been created and delivered from a hospital bed. I believe that anything is possible if you believe in yourself”
“Today I am healthy, strong and ready to explore this new frontier and experience all of the ways that learning to code will help me grow my skill set in pursuit of a rewarding career in tech.”

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Meet Our Students: February Diversity in Tech Scholarship Winners

Many students studying with <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> have incredible stories, and most have chosen a bootcamp because they want to transform their lives in some way. But when it comes to incredible stories, Mohammad Saman Fayazi’s stands out.
Like a handful of other students, Saman (Sam) is studying remotely. Unlike other students, Sam is studying from an immigration detention centre.
Despite the enormous challenges that Sam has faced, he is determined to make a better life for himself, and for his family.
Everyone who meets Sam speaks highly of this resilient, talented, and patient man. As one of his educators says, “He&#8217;s our best student even if he&#8217;s been 100 per cent remote on the other side of Australia the whole time. Fantastic skills, puts in effort 24/7 (literally codes over weekends for fun), and super communicative in class.”
Originally from Iran, Sam is studying our <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Web Development (Standard) Bootcamp</a>, and throughout the course, he has been known as a student who helps his fellow learners. Someone who is passionate about passing on whatever he learns, in order to offer support to others.
Likewise, many people have come together to support Sam in his journey. His parents and brother offer their support from Sydney, his friends from throughout the world have sent encouragement and advice, and <a href="https://thebigsmoke.com.au/2019/10/23/villawood-i-felt-ashamed-and-angry-every-australian-needs-to-see-this/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anna Buch</a> and Bobbi Waterman of Supporting Asylum Seekers Sydney (SASS) have been instrumental in advocating for Sam, and helping to raise funds to support his studies.
Our Academic Manager, Dr. Bianca Power, recently sat down for a virtual chat with Sam.
<h6>Bianca: Thanks so much for joining me today Sam.</h6>
Sam: No worries. Thank you for inviting me.
<h6>Bianca: Being able to join us remotely &#8211; because we run the course in a hybrid model, where we have some people joining us on campus, and some people who are joining us from wherever they may be online &#8211; that opportunity to <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/the-reality-of-virtual-learning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">join remotely</a> has presented a unique opportunity for you, hasn’t it?</h6>
Sam: Yes, actually it did… I guess joining remotely, and being all by myself here, it gave me more time to focus on the subjects we learnt and to study. Because when you’re doing it remotely, in my opinion, you can push yourself more to pursue what you want to learn, you know, and to learn more, I guess. And, yeah, that was kind of a good experience too.
<h6>Bianca: That’s a really good point. And how did you feel that you were supported by your educators and your classmates as you were going through the course?</h6>
Sam: It was absolutely fantastic. I had a really great support from Nandini and Alex &#8211; especially Nandini &#8211; she was always really kind and nice to me, especially in the beginning of the course, and I always hope they get the best in their life, because they really helped me a lot, and I could, with their support, learn a lot.
Nandini helped me to overcome some of my fears &#8211; feelings I had, like the <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/overcoming-imposter-syndrome-in-the-tech-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">imposter syndrome</a> I had. From the beginning, I thought, “I’m not good enough, I can’t, I’m not like others,” you know? But somehow I could manage, with their support, just to get through the course.
And actually, since starting the last assignment, I have the kind of feeling that I can learn any language now.
<h6>Bianca: That’s fantastic. And, yeah, I think imposter syndrome is a big one… it’s something that so many of our students and developers, and people, in general, will experience, and will face. Let’s go a little bit backwards, back to before you enrolled. What was your overall motivation for doing the bootcamp?</h6>
Sam: When I was younger, when I was a teenager, I started learning Visual Basic. It was back in 2007, it was Visual Basic 6.0, but because I was a teenager, I didn’t care about study that much. I was trying to enjoy life as much as I can, and yeah, I just gave it up.
I didn’t touch any coding since 2007 till 2020. I started to learn on my own, and I started just by learning some basic JavaScript, and HTML, CSS &#8211; and then I came across a Coder Academy bootcamp, when I was browsing to see if I can find any good courses.
<h6>Bianca: Alright, let’s see. We’ve talked about studying remotely, and the things that led you to do the bootcamp. Was there any particular subject or any area of interest that you have that… you want to pursue in the future?</h6>
Sam: I think I have gravitated to <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backend</a>, more than the frontend. But still, I like to know the frontend, and I like to know more, to learn more about React and some other frameworks of React. But after the course, I will mainly focus on backend, especially with Node.js, and once I feel comfortable with Node.js and extras, I might start learning C# on my own. But we’ll see.
<h6>Bianca: Yeah, awesome. And that’s the awesome thing about coding as well, right? Once you <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learn how to code</a>, it’s pretty easy to pick up another language. And even though you’ve focused on web development, you can absolutely go and pick up C# and use it to make desktop apps, or whatever you might want to pursue. It’s really exciting, I think.</h6>
<h6>So, as you’re coming to the end of your course… what are you hoping to do next? What’s next on your career journey?</h6>
Sam: Ah, one of the problems I have &#8211; because I’m at the moment in an immigration detention centre &#8211; I’ve been here since 2013, and I’m not sure when I will be able to go and live in society. While I’m here I have no option to work for paid work, but if there is some kind of job as a volunteer role or as an internship, an unpaid job, I can do that.
I’m not sure if I get that opportunity, but other than that, if I get my visa and get out of here &#8211; soon hopefully &#8211; I would like to start a career as a developer. If it’s possible.
<h6>Bianca: One of the things that I’ve heard is that you’re so keen to learn and to keep learning, and I’m sure that whatever the future brings for you, you’re going to take that into your future, and continue to have a great deal of success, as you have been over the past ten months as well.</h6>
Everyone from Coder Academy would like to wish Sam the very best for the future. In the words of Tamara Popper, who was our industry and internship liaison manager throughout Sam’s studies, “It has been delightful getting to know and work with Sam. He is an exemplary person in all ways.  His life circumstances have been extraordinary, to say the least.”
“Once Sam is out of detention, he’ll navigate his way with the support of his family and the many friends he has made. Above all, he will succeed in achieving whatever his goals are, due to the person he is. We will all be hearing about him in the future.”

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Student Spotlight: Mohammad Saman Fayazi

Nakul Pednekar is a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/corporate/partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy partner</a> and owner of Sydney startup Wicky.
From its origins as Nakul’s passion project, Wicky has grown into a full-fledged sports analytics company, offering data-driven insights for sports fans and organisations.
Nakul is passionate about giving junior developers a positive experience, and an opportunity to get a foot in the door in the tech industry. Not only has he offered Coder Academy bootcamp graduates the opportunity for fully remote four-week internships at Wicky &#8211; but he has also employed these graduates on a casual basis once their internship has been completed, and until they have found full-time employment elsewhere.
At the end of 2021, when Wicky rebranded, Nakul put his trust in our bootcamp graduates once again, and together they created the new Wicky website.
We caught up recently with Nakul to find out more about Wicky, the industry placement program, and how our bootcamp graduates and his startup have been able to grow together.
<h6>Coder Academy: Hi Nakul. Can you tell us how long you’ve been a partner with Coder Academy?</h6>
Nakul Pednekar: Since July 2020.
<h6>Coder: That’s great. And being a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/linkedin-top-startups-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">startup organisation</a>, what challenges have you overcome with the help of Coder Academy students?</h6>
Nakul: We’ve had three pairs from Coder Academy join us. In August 2020, February 2021 and August 2021. They’ve been our first ever developers and built our data products, built our most complicated product and built our new website from scratch in those three groups!
<h6>Coder: What does your company offer Coder Academy students?</h6>
Nakul: Real-life exposure to working on our data products on our website, plus end-to-end experience working with the <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-data-analyst-with-kshira-saagar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data science team</a>.
<h6>Coder: Why do you feel it is important to support tech students?</h6>
Nakul: We feel this is a win-win, giving them exposure to real-life experience and being their bridge to getting permanent, full-time employment.
The internship, plus casual role with us is a perfect opportunity for them to get flexible employment with us that gives them real-life examples to be able to discuss in their interviews.
<h6>Coder: You’ve recently rebranded. Can you tell us how Coder Academy students helped you with this?</h6>
Nakul: We worked with an external UX consultancy and our two Coder Academy interns to build our whole website! It seemed daunting at first, but we’re confident of being able to train the interns in the first two weeks so they can deliver on any given task within the next month. They did an amazing job on <a href="https://wicky.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wicky.ai</a>.
<h6>Coder: Thanks Nakul. Is there anything else that you would like to say about the partnership program with Coder Academy?</h6>
Nakul: We are so confident in the capabilities of the Coder Academy interns that we now base our interviews on personality/cultural fit, etc. rather than technical skills.
We know the interns will have a reasonable technical base to go off and if they’re motivated to make the most of our internship then they can genuinely <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-to-start-your-journey-as-a-data-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launch their career in tech</a>. Coder Academy has been an invaluable asset for our company to become the rapidly growing sports analytics startup that we have become today!

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Wicky’s Nakul Pednekar on the Value of Industry Placement Programs

The tech world is always changing, and yet, some things seem to remain fixed. Despite being known as an industry that leads innovation in a number of areas, there are many times when those in the tech world seem committed to keeping the status quo.
The <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-gender-diversity-in-tech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lack of diversity</a> and <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-neurodiversity-in-the-tech-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">representation</a> in the industry is something that is very slow to change. As is the centring of tech hubs around key locations such as Silicon Valley.
The last couple of years, however, have seen a number of forced changes &#8211; many of them requiring companies to undertake rapid digital transformations.
<h2>Preparing for Digital Transformation</h2>
Even with the accelerated pace of change in technology development and adoption, the industry itself has been slow to change when it comes to personnel and daily operations.
The tech industry wasn’t immune to worker shortages when overseas travel dried up and Australian states and territories went into successive lockdowns. Companies in the tech sector also won’t be immune to the coming workers’ revolution, when up to 48 per cent of workers are expected to leave their current roles in search of something else.
However, there are plenty of tech companies ready to look at their own systems, and take part in a digital transformation. One company who seems to not only be surviving this revolution, but thriving, is Atlassian. They’ve seen what’s coming, and they’ve decided to change the narrative.
<h2>Proving that Remote Work Really Can Work</h2>
While other companies struggled as they lost access to the global workforce, and then lost local workers who were reluctant to return to the office, Atlassian implemented their <a href="https://www.atlassian.com/practices/use-cases/team-anywhere" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Team Anywhere</a> initiative. By allowing for remote and flexible working arrangements, Atlassian gave themselves further options for attracting top talent, and managed to double their workforce in the midst of the pandemic.
This wasn’t about farming out undesirable work to overseas workers. The new arrangement allows for employees to work from countries where <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/four-times-a-year-in-the-office-atlassian-goes-all-in-on-wfh-20210428-p57n4w.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atlassian has a corporate entity</a>, and teams are assembled around complementary time zones. All of this ensures that workers stay connected and supported, without having to uproot their lives and move to the nearest tech capital.
Atlassian has acknowledged the advantages of drawing people with the right skills from wherever they may be located, but they’re still committed to growing their Australian workforce. In fact, they plan to <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/content/ia/article/2022/atlassian-wants-to-hire-5-000-australian-it-workers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hire 5,000 local IT workers</a> in the coming years, bringing their overall workforce to include over 7,000 Australian staff.
<h2>What it’s Like to Work for Team Anywhere</h2>
Last month we caught up with a handful of Coder Academy graduates from our <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">web development course</a> at our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i8HVNC7cME" target="_blank" rel="noopener">i.CODE virtual event</a>. The panel included Louise Flanagan, who is now working as a software engineer for Atlassian.
“So August last year, so a year after I graduated, I became a software engineer at Atlassian, and that’s where I’ve been ever since,” Louise says.
“I’m specifically on a front-end team. I work with about 16 engineers directly, and they range from intern, all the way to senior architect, so, yeah, all different levels of experience and background. We’re remote as well, so everyone’s all over the place. But, very supportive team, and I’m super happy to be there.”
“My contract is 100 per cent remote, but I can go into the office if I want to. And the previous place I worked &#8211; that was kind of blended. There’s lots of remote jobs now.”
The landscape is changing, and Australian companies like Atlassian are making sure local tech professionals aren’t left behind.
The tech industry has always been known for innovation, and by taking an innovative approach to other, tradition-bound areas of work, tech companies can lead the way as the world of work continues to change.

atlassian

Atlassian the Game-Changer in Tech Roles

According to our most recent <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> Industry Consultation Survey, the number one skills gap within IT businesses is DevOps.
The goal of DevOps is to build, test, and release software faster and more reliably. DevOps engineers develop, code, design, and test. They manage servers and handle the scale, bandwidth, security, and backups. For all of this, they need a thorough understanding of coding, cloud technologies, and cyber security.
DevOps engineers are in high demand, and SEEK has projected job growth at <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/devops-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30 per cent over the next five years</a>.
So, what skills or qualities does a DevOps engineer need in order to be good at their job?
<h2>DevOps Engineers Need to Appreciate Automation</h2>
Bill Holder is a <a href="https://youtu.be/B7i_IGh0jhE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DevOps specialist</a> for a Sydney startup. He specialises in <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/ransomware-attacks-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cyber security</a> and his career in DevOps has taken him all over the world since he first made a start working with physical infrastructure, “running cables for Telstra all those years ago”.
Bill stresses that a large part of his love for DevOps, is an affinity with the possibilities of automation.
“DevOps is the lazy person’s way of doing IT. You never do the same thing twice. You automate everything ‘cause you don’t want to do it again,” Bill says.
It’s hard to reconcile the idea of a hardworking DevOps engineer with someone who is lazy. But it’s really all about working smarter, not harder. If you’re the sort of person who looks at clunky processes or repetitive tasks and thinks, there must be a better way, then perhaps DevOps is something you should consider.
<h2>DevOps Engineers are Adaptable Generalists Who Enjoy Variety</h2>
“Being a DevOps engineer, you have to have a really good core set of skills, and then you have to deploy them without fear or favour to new technology,” Bill says. “We don’t get much time to specialise in anything, but we have to be good at everything.”
“If you want to get into DevOps, you’ve got to be able to think on your feet, you’ve got to be able to learn really fast, apply it, and not be scared to make mistakes. Fail fast, fail often, and fail forward.”
Bill isn’t the only one who believes in the importance of having good general knowledge and the ability to adapt to new situations. Paul Kukiel is a senior solutions architect at AWS Enterprise. He also believes that everyone who wants a career in DevOps should start out learning the basics, and to continue learning and adapting in each new role they take on.
“You could specialise and say, ‘That’s what I’m going to do,’ but you’re probably going to limit some of the role opportunities that you’re going to go to,” Paul says. “So, you have to have a good general idea, then you take the role, and, ok, sure, I need to learn <a href="https://www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/terraform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terraform</a> at this role, or I need to learn <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/v2/guide/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CDK</a>, or something, then you go ahead and you learn that.”
<h2>DevOps Engineers Need to See the Whole Picture</h2>
Paul believes that good DevOps engineers are people willing to see a project through from concept to completion.
“You’re combining the skills that are required as a developer, as a programmer, with what’s required to be able to host and run and operate that service, combining those two things together is DevOps,” Paul says. “You develop it, and then you operationalise it and look after it.”
“You don’t just chuck it to someone and say, ‘Well there you go.’ Your role is then to decide how do we go ahead and deploy it to production? Do I need to build a pipeline? What are the steps in that pipeline?”
Bill points out that this doesn’t mean you have to know everything, or that you have to do it all on your own.
“The confidence and experience to be able to say, ‘I don’t know,’ is incredibly important,” Bill says. “Too many people try to bluff their way through it.”
“On the flip side, you can’t just say, ‘I don’t know,’ and walk away and hope someone else fixes it. You’ve gotta say, ‘I don’t know, but here is my thinking, and I will go check here, here, and here, what do you think?’”
<h2>DevOps Engineers Need to Communicate Well with People Who Don’t Understand DevOps</h2>
Effective communication will be essential for anyone working within DevOps. Not only communication within a team, but communication with other stakeholders who don’t necessarily understand the DevOps’ role.
“You’re selling yourself to people who don’t really know what they want to buy,” Bill says. “They need a car, but you’ve gotta tell them they need four wheels, doors, windows, things like that, and that you can provide them all. Otherwise, they’re going to get four people that lift them up and carry them on a chair, and they don’t know any different.”
<h2>DevOps Engineers are Passionate and Creative, and They’re Not Necessarily Good at Maths</h2>
When asked whether DevOps engineers need to be good at maths, Bill says he believes passion and perseverance are far more important than academic markers of success.
“I failed HSC&#8230; I think if you have a passion for it, and you know you have some deficiencies, like you’re not very good at maths or something, you have to build up a basic skill set,” Bill says. “But then, we all carry phones, and they’ve all got calculators in them now.”
“So you build on your strengths and weaknesses, but you can’t just sit back and say, well, I can’t do maths so I’m never going to use a computer. It’s like, no, what am I lacking? What do I need? If I really want that job, I’m going to build myself up and take it.”
“The deficiency can be fixed, but the passion can never be injected. Don’t ever let anything hold you back.”
Cintia Del Rio is a lead site reliability engineer, which she explains as, “just a flavour of DevOps.” She also challenged the idea of DevOps engineers as purely left-brain thinkers who are good at maths but lacking in a creative side.
“Not creative? You have no idea how many workarounds we come up with! The hacks we go through. We are very creative. We might not be artsy, but creative, we are.
“And we don’t need maths skills.”

What Makes a Good DevOps Engineer?

There’s growing concern that the number of ransomware attacks in Australia may be on the rise, despite a fall in the overall number of data breaches that have been officially reported. Reports from last year indicate that ransomware is making up a larger percentage of all data breaches, and that the actual figure may be higher than reported, with many data breaches flying under the radar.
<h2>The Problem with Ransomware Attacks in Australia</h2>
According to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s (OAIC’s) most recent Notifiable Data Breaches Report, ransomware incidents were up 24 per cent on the previous reporting period.
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) believes that Australia is particularly vulnerable to ransomware groups, and that the problem could be <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2021/australia-has-a-ransomware-problem.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">far more widespread</a> than the reported figures suggest.
Investigations conducted by the ACS suggest that many businesses are either unaware of the data breaches that occur within their own companies, or that they are reluctant to report the breaches because they have chosen to dismiss official advice and to <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2021/australia-has-a-ransomware-problem.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay the ransom</a> demanded for the safe return of their sensitive data.
Another factor contributing to the potential growth in ransomware attacks is the shift in tactics amongst ransomware groups who will try more nuanced approaches, such as <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2021/lockbit-2-0-gang-recruiting-ransomware-moles.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paying employees</a> to infect their own organisation’s systems. This reportedly happened with the recent spate of LockBit 2.0 ransomware incidents within Australia.
<h2>Cloud Computing Provides Solutions and Risks</h2>
Australian businesses continue to move more of their computing systems and data storage into the cloud. The <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/technology-and-innovation/characteristics-australian-business/latest-release" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)</a> predicts that adoption of cloud technologies will continue to grow, as more and more businesses see the benefits.
Storing data off-site allows companies to have a backup in place, should ransomware be used to lock them out of their own systems. However, that data must be stored securely. The OAIC has detailed instructions for organisations considering the <a href="https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/view-all-content/publications/cloud-computing-security-considerations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security risks of cloud computing</a>.
With many businesses facing both a lack of skilled IT workers within their ranks, and also facing the pressure of increasing ransomware attacks, it’s little wonder that there’s growing demand for DevOps engineers who are well-versed in cloud computing and cyber security.
<h2>Australian Businesses Need to Fill Their Skills Gaps </h2>
Our own industry consultation survey found that DevOps is the number one skills gap of IT businesses, while a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/can-australia-solve-its-technology-industry-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report</a> from recruitment agency Hays listed cloud engineers, cloud architects, and security governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) experts as being amongst the top five skills required of digital technology and information technology professionals. <a href="https://www.hays.com.au/it/cyber-security-trends-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hays further stated</a> that the skills shortage was leading to a “war for talent” as organisations struggle to meet their cyber security needs whilst undergoing digital transformations.
DevOps engineers are being well rewarded for their in-demand skills at the moment, with <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/devops-engineer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data collated by SEEK</a> suggesting that the profession will see 30 per cent job growth over the next five years. Current DevOps engineers also reported high salaries, and high job satisfaction, which stands in contrast to the many workers in other fields expressing job dissatisfaction, and planning to make a job change within the next year.

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Ransomware Attacks in Australia

LinkedIn has released its list of the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-top-startups-2021-25-australian-companies-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top startups in Australia</a> for 2021.
The companies had to meet certain criteria, including being privately held, headquartered in Australia, with at least 50 employees, and established within the last seven years.
The startups were ranked on factors such as jobseeker interest, employee growth, and attraction of top talent.
Amongst the 25 companies to make the cut, five were companies with a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> connection. Some of the companies have taken on students as interns, whilst others have employed Coder Academy alumni.
<h3>1. Linktree</h3>
Headquartered in Melbourne, Linktree is an exciting startup to watch.
If you’ve spent any time on social media, then there’s a good chance that you’ve benefited from Linktree’s services. The problem of having only one link in your social media profiles has been solved through social media reference landing pages such as Linktree’s, that allow users to turn that single link into branching connections to their content, websites, and other web presences.
LinkedIn notes that there is demand within the company for software engineers with skills in JavaScript, web development, HTML, and more.
<h3>2. Valiant Finance</h3>
Headquartered in Sydney, one of the initiatives that impressed LinkedIn with Valiant Finance’s performance over the past year was their dedication to keeping their workforce connected whilst <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/the-reality-of-virtual-learning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working virtually</a>. The business loan marketplace kept employees engaged with online initiatives aimed at making virtual collaboration easier.
<h3>3. Mr Yum</h3>
With over 260 days in lockdown, hospitality businesses in Melbourne did it tough during the pandemic, and many had to pivot to takeaway options to survive.
In just nine days, Mr Yum built and launched pick-up and delivery functionality for its platform to support local businesses so that they could continue trading. That’s a very impressive feat for the tech team at this startup.
Now, their mobile menus allow customers to order and pay when wining and dining in person at their favourite hospitality and entertainment venues.
<h3>4. Lexicon Digital</h3>
Melbourne’s Lexicon Digital has had success building web and mobile applications for high-profile brands, however, it’s their commitment to employee wellbeing that has seen them added to LinkedIn’s top startups list.
Some of the most commonly found skills within the company included agile methodologies, JavaScript and SQL.
<h3>5. Swyftx</h3>
Headquartered in Brisbane, Swyftx has grown swiftly from a staff of 11, to over 100 in the past financial year. With LinkedIn listing their most common skills as JavaScript, <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/coding-starters/what-is-an-sql-injection-and-how-can-they-be-prevented" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SQL</a>, and software development, and the most common job titles as software engineer, senior software engineer, and customer support officer, this cryptocurrency exchange offers exciting opportunities for programmers in Queensland.
This list only goes to show the variety of businesses that you could end up working with as a Coder Academy graduate. From startups to high-profile companies, every industry and sector <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/can-australia-solve-its-technology-industry-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">needs skilled ICT workers</a>.
<h2>Coder Academy Connects Students to Industry Leaders</h2>
One thing we often hear from graduates is that their new <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-to-start-your-journey-as-a-data-analyst">data analysis</a>, programming, or <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/top-10-careers-in-cyber-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cyber security career</a>, has allowed them to combine their interests in a job that they love. Whether you are a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers">career changer</a> who can bring their previous experience in a different sector to their new tech job, or just someone who loves to combine left-brain and right-brain thinking, the technology sector will most likely see you in a job where you use your new technical skills alongside other existing skills and passions.
By working with a range of companies of different sizes in different sectors, Coder Academy can provide students with valuable exposure to the industry they will be entering at the end of their coding course.
Throughout the course of our <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps">coding bootcamps</a>, we facilitate industry excursions and events, as well as weekly visits from <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-data-analyst-with-kshira-saagar">industry experts</a> who present talks and run masterclasses with our students.
<h2>Finish Your Coding Course with an Industry Placement</h2>
Thanks to our <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/corporate/partners">involvement in industry</a>, we also teach the skills demanded by industry, which means our graduates are highly sought-after for work placements and permanent positions.
At the end of their coding course, all graduates will have the opportunity to participate in a structured, one-month placement program. This could be at a startup like those listed above, at a development company, or a larger organisation. Students are carefully matched with placements, and many are hired straight out of their internship.
Whether an internship leads to employment or not, students will gain valuable experience, a network of contacts, and an introduction to industry. In a sector that changes so fast, it’s important to be immersed in industry trends and current techniques, and that’s exactly what Coder Academy students can expect.

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LinkedIn Top Startups 2021

Ashleigh Wilson is an educator at <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy’s</a> Brisbane campus. She is also a meetup organiser, an accomplished speaker, and a neurodiversity advocate.
At the WomenTech Global Conference 2021, <a href="https://twitter.com/ashlebug">Ashleigh</a> shared her thoughts on the ways Australian and international companies could work to increase awareness around neurodiversity, and the ways we can encourage neurodiverse thinkers to use their unique approaches and ways of seeing the world to benefit their workplaces.
<a href="https://theeducationhub.org.nz/an-introduction-to-neurodiversity-and-neurodivergence-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neurodiversity</a> can refer to conditions that are life-long and those that can develop throughout life, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyscalculia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, intellectual disability, mental health, Tourette syndrome, and acquired illness or brain injury.
The term and the concept emerged through the work of <a href="https://neurodiversity2.blogspot.com/p/what.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian sociologist Judy Singer</a>, who wished to express that humans are diverse and that that diversity will naturally include neurodiversity. Neurological differences in the human brain need not be seen as disabilities or even divergences from the “normal” brain, but as natural variations within humanity.
Ashleigh was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome as a three-year-old, and she has developed a passion for spreading awareness about both the importance and the benefits of creating neurodiverse workplaces, especially in the tech sector where she works. And Ashleigh is far from alone in her belief that neurodiversity should be seen, not as something to be overcome, but as a workplace strength.
Organisations including Ernst and Young, Google, and Australia’s Department of Defence are all implementing programs to <a href="https://theconversation.com/neurodiversity-can-be-a-workplace-strength-if-we-make-room-for-it-164859" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hire neurodiverse candidates</a>. Ernst and Young found that their neurodiverse employees surpassed others when it came to innovation, while the Department of Defence valued the logical and analytical approach and remarkable attention to detail of autistic individuals engaged in cyber security work. Technology companies Microsoft and Dell have also implemented autism <a href="https://theconversation.com/neurodiversity-at-work-benefits-everyone-why-companies-are-hiring-autistic-people-146788" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hiring programs</a>. Unfortunately, these programs aren’t yet the norm, in the tech industry, or anywhere else.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latest-release#autism-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">labour force participation rate</a> was 38 per cent among the 94,600 people of working age (15-64 years), living with autism spectrum disorders. This is compared with 53 per cent of all working-age people with a disability and 84 per cent of people living without disability.
So, what can companies do to increase awareness around neurodiversity? And how can the tech industry encourage neurodiverse thinkers to use their unique approaches and ways of seeing the world to benefit their workplaces?
<h6>1. Embracing and developing an acceptance of neurodiverse workers</h6>
Long before a job applicant is given the opportunity to prove themselves in a new role, they may encounter barriers in the hiring process. Just as someone in a wheelchair could either thrive in a role, or never make it to the interview if accessibility is not considered.
Rethinking the hiring culture and considering neurodiverse perspectives whenever we think of accessibility in the workplace can be beneficial for everyone.
<h6>2. Developing continued pathways for neurodiverse people to thrive and develop</h6>
Fixing the hiring process alone won’t be enough. Often the issue is not that neurodiverse candidates don’t have the skills required for the job, but that the role wasn’t designed with them in mind. Neurodiverse people can thrive and develop in workplaces that consider neurodiversity as normal in the workplace, and not as an abnormality that will hold people back.
<h6>3. Creating ways for workplaces, schools, universities, and colleges to openly accept those pathways</h6>
Embracing neurodiversity at all levels of education and employment helps to keep pathways open and to ensure neurodiverse individuals don’t face further barriers to opportunities.
<h6>4. Embracing workplaces to find means to implement better inclusivity programs in their current organisation, and fostering a neurodiverse workforce</h6>
This could include developing resources akin to the Universal Music UK handbook, Creative Differences, published with the intent of embracing neurodiversity in the creative industries. Similar initiatives can be embraced in the tech sector and other industries.
<h6>5. Inviting organisations to embrace and navigate neurodiversity in the workplace</h6>
As advocates like Ashleigh continue to break down misconceptions surrounding neurodiversity while showing businesses how to improve inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility, workplaces can benefit from the strengths and skills of neurodiverse individuals, and individuals can find pathways to engage in fulfilling careers in the tech industry.

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Improving Neurodiversity in the Tech Industry

I’m Samanvay, a data scientist from Sydney, Australia. After graduating from high school, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do. It was to design and build satellites for a living. You can imagine my excitement when I got accepted into the Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering (Space) course at the University of Sydney. Overall it was an enjoyable, albeit very challenging, degree, which allowed me to work on a satellite that went to space, intern at the German Space Agency and build VR systems for space exploration.
<h2>What inspired me to get into data science?</h2>
At the end of my third year, I stumbled across <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3312100/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Human Face of Big Data</a>. It would be an understatement if I said that the documentary changed me. It was my first introduction to the fascinating world of data science, and this one particular story from the feature stuck with me. During the Haiti earthquakes, the affected population started tweeting wreckage locations to aid emergency services. A group of voluntary data scientists got together in Boston and decided to create a geographical heatmap by mining these tweets, and as a result, this expedited the on-ground rescue efforts conducted by rescue services.
A realisation dawned upon me that data scientists had the ability to make global change with just a laptop and data analysis ability. Given that we produce <a href="https://techjury.net/blog/how-much-data-is-created-every-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.145 trillion MB per day</a>, there is plenty of need for data professionals in the world.
While learning about data science, I quickly realised that aerospace engineering was quite the opposite. To me, it felt niche and restrictive impeding my ability to work in multiple industries and on a variety of problems. Not to mention, the tech landscape was rapidly changing and highly dynamic.
Ultimately, the decision to enter the field of data science wasn’t difficult. Having now spent 5 years in the field, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough, especially if you love problem-solving and dealing with ambiguous data challenges. So far I’ve worked at WooliesX, Nearmap, and Lexer working with retail data, financial data, customer data, and aerial imagery data.
<h2>How the pandemic has affected me in my work as a data scientist</h2>
This pandemic period has been especially eye-opening in realising how grateful I am to be working in the software domain. The role of data science is to build efficient systems to optimise various processes; this meant that the majority of data professionals were shielded from the prospect of redundancy during the pandemic period. In fact, the IT industry was actually booming during the period due to software related jobs being unaffected from working from home practices.
<h2>The best thing about being a data scientist</h2>
Apart from job security, the best thing I love about being a data scientist is learning and practicing a blend of technical skills and soft skills. Not only do you build data products, but you also get the opportunity in dealing with stakeholders and clients. There aren’t many other professions out there that offer the ability to sharpen your leadership skills as well as your technical skills simultaneously.
<h2>Advice for data aspirants</h2>
There hasn’t been a better time to get into data science. If you’re just starting out, focus on a holistic approach to learning, which includes learning Python programming, ML principles, and statistics. Try to build personal projects that involve using those skills, as this serves as your portfolio for applying to jobs.
In the learning phase of data science, it’s quite easy to get overwhelmed with the broad range of things you need to know. Don’t be scared, it takes years to learn the different aspects of it. Be patient. Your learning will never stop.
The domain of data science is so fast-moving and it can be quite a struggle to keep up to date with the latest trends. For me, the easiest way to stay on top of the trends is to follow key players in the industry on LinkedIn and to sign up to <a href="https://read.deeplearning.ai/the-batch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Batch</a>, which is a weekly AI newsletter by Andrew Ng’s company Deeplearning.AI.
<h2>A common misconception about data science</h2>
A common misconception of being a data scientist is that you will always be working with fancy models. In reality, that’s only 10-20% of your job, and most models you’ll use won’t be that fancy. For the rest of it, you will be building systems around the model and dealing with stakeholders. It is not like a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/6-things-that-make-a-great-software-developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">software engineering job</a> where you spend the majority of your day coding.
<h2>My top 3 dinner guests!</h2>
Richard Feynman &#8211; He was someone who found many things interesting. He didn’t shy away from becoming proficient in things that were left field to his array of expertise, Physics. He learnt to be a proficient lockpicker and an artist. He was driven by immense curiosity which is very inspiring to me.
My Grade 4 Teacher &#8211; He was the person who instilled a love for reading and being curious in me — two qualities that have significantly shaped how I view learning and living. I would love to meet him again at this age to learn from more of his wisdom.
Sylvia Plath &#8211;  She was a tremendously gifted poet who lived a life of turbulence and misfortune. I would love to meet her to learn more about her from a human perspective. I have long been a fan of her novel The Bell Jar.
Follow Samanvay on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1EjHxRvZ_hVEy6ysUocNcQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanvaykarambhe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/Samanvay96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>.

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Samanvay Karambhe – Why I Became a Data Scientist

Whether you’re interested in finding out a little bit about coding, or you are a developer looking to sharpen or showcase your skills, there are many resources available to help you.
Maybe you’re considering enrolling in a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">short coding course or bootcamp</a>, and you want to try it out before committing to further study. The resources listed below are freely available, and will cater to different interests and skill levels.
So, here they are, five free coding resources that you can explore today.
<h2>1. Try Coder Academy’s Free Introductory Coding Course</h2>
The introductory lessons in <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy’s</a> free <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn to Code</a> course will take you through the steps needed to build a simple terminal application using the popular programming language Ruby.
There are no prerequisites, and the course should take around two hours to complete. You will start by setting up a free Replit or GitHub account to work in, and you will probably find that this account will be very useful for your future projects.
We recommend that anyone who is interested in Coder Academy’s courses and bootcamps take some time to explore at least one short, free online coding course like this one before they enrol, to get a feel for coding before committing to taking the next step through gaining formally recognised qualifications.
<h2>2. Use GitHub to Support Your Coding Course</h2>
If you’re looking to work on your coding, then you will need somewhere to store and manage your code. <a href="https://github.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GitHub</a> offers a cloud-based hosting service, and it will allow you to build software, work with version control, fix bugs, collaborate with others, join in community discussions, or contribute to open-source projects.
The basic version of GitHub is free, however, there are paid versions available that include more features for teams and companies.
If you’re just starting out with coding, then it will take you a little while to figure out what you can do with GitHub. If you’d like to learn more, then the <a href="https://github.com/apps/github-learning-lab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GitHub Learning Lab</a> is a good place to start. This is the place to find introductory courses and projects.
GitHub can be a great platform to work on while you’re learning new languages or concepts in a coding course, and it’s popular amongst students and job-seekers who wish to build their skills and showcase their projects.
<h2>3. Find Beginner-Friendly Coding Exercises on Exercism</h2>
<a href="https://exercism.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Exercism</a> is open source and has fantastic beginner-friendly coding exercises. You can practise 55 different programming languages as you complete different coding exercises, and you can ask for feedback from real mentors. You’ll also have the opportunity to mentor others as you progress – which can be an even better way to solidify your knowledge, while also giving back to the wider community.
If you’re thinking about joining a coding course, then finding out whether you actually enjoy learning programming languages can be a great first step. A career in the technology sector will require continual on-the-job learning, so it’s never too early or too late to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/python-the-best-programming-language-for-beginners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learn a new programming language</a>.
<h2>4. Level Up Your Coding Game with Codewars</h2>
<a href="https://www.codewars.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Codewars</a> allows you to gamify the learning experience as you practise your chosen programming language and sharpen your coding skills. This educational community platform allows users to level up as they complete programming challenges known as kata. You can also create your own kata for others to complete.
The community forum allows you to compare your solution with others, and this can be a great way to work with and learn from other coders. The fact that you receive feedback as you either solve or fail each kata differentiates Codewars from many online tutorials.
Some <a href="https://thecodebytes.com/codewars-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticisms of Codewars</a> as a learning tool include the kata format, which sees you focusing on algorithms rather than a software project as a whole. You will also need previous knowledge before approaching even the beginner level katas, and because the katas are community-built, they will not have the structure or proven usefulness of a curriculum that has been developed by skilled educators.
That said, most of these resources will not provide you with a complete solution. None of them will provide you with the equivalent of a coding course, but they are useful tools that can either support your learning or give you a taste of something new.
<h2>5. Find Local Coding Events and Meetups</h2>
You’ll probably find that there are coding events happening in your local area, as well as a range of virtual events that you can join. You might find out about these talks, hackathons, and social groups organically as you join the coding community or talk to others enrolled in your coding course, but you can also try out a service such as <a href="https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meetup</a> so that you can find your community.
You can search for coding groups in your city, or groups with specific interests such as <a href="https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/Data-Science-Sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data science</a>. You might just find that an engaged and supportive community quickly becomes your most valuable resource.

5 Free Coding Resources

Are you happy in your current career or your current role? Have you been considering a career change for a while now, but you’re still not sure if you’re ready to make the leap, or even which direction to take?
There are many reasons for wanting to upskill, reskill, and alter your career course. Some people love the company that they work for but find there are no opportunities for career progression without moving to a different role within that company &#8211; and that role will require new skills. Others find themselves on a career track that doesn’t suit their lifestyle or fill them with passion anymore. They might be looking to make a more dramatic change.
Many of the students who enrol in <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy’s bootcamps and short courses</a> are career changers. One of the students enrolled in our Web Development Bootcamp, Ana Lastoviria, explained <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/student-spotlight-ana-lastoviria-coder-academy-melbourne" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her reasons for changing careers</a>.
“I had two jobs before COVID took off: guest service at a hotel and vocal coaching in a singing school,” Ana says. “With balancing these two jobs I had no free time: working six days per week &#8211; phones, scheduling, admin on the seventh. This was the main thing that prompted the change: I was getting burnt out from working so much, barely had any social life and the income I got from all of it didn’t reflect the amount of work I was doing.
“After completing the bootcamp I’m hoping to get a role as a software developer, get my work-life balance in order and be fairly compensated for the work I do.”
This is a common theme amongst career changers. They’re working hard, but they aren’t seeing the results, either in remuneration or career progression. That’s why sometimes it’s worth following the money. By looking at industries with high demand and higher wages, you can attain the future that you want for yourself.
The technology sector certainly has a high demand for workers with the right skills, and those workers receive good wages and report <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/developer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high levels of satisfaction</a> in their work.
<h2>The Job Market is Changing</h2>
Many of the jobs of today didn’t exist when workers were choosing their career pathways at school. The process of lifelong learning, of upskilling and reskilling is already common, but it will have to become the new norm in our rapidly changing job market.
Today, some of the most in-demand skills fall within the technology sector. Anything on a screen, anything that exists in the virtual world, and even the simplest piece of household technology requires some degree of coding.  
There is also a huge and growing demand for data analysts and data scientists. Whether it’s paving the way in <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/will-ai-steal-my-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI and machine learning</a>, uncovering insights to better develop business strategies, or using data insights to dramatically improve healthcare, our world is full of data, and there are opportunities for people with the right skill sets to spin that data into gold.
Here in Australia, we haven’t been as quick to take up opportunities in tech as we could have been, and <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/can-australia-solve-its-technology-industry-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia is currently facing a skills shortage in the technology sector</a>. There is huge demand for software engineers, and <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-to-start-your-journey-as-a-data-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demand in the data science sector</a> also continues to grow year by year. This is good news for anyone who wants to break into an exciting and growing sector of the Australian economy.
<h2>What it’s Like to Work in Tech</h2>
Working in tech doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be working at a tech company. It also doesn’t mean you’ll be the solitary, put-upon tech support person. Your role will be central to the business you work for, whether you’re supporting operations in the mining industry, analysing data for a financial company, or revolutionising agriculture, healthcare, marketing, or fashion.
Here at Coder Academy, we focus on training students for some of the industry’s <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/developer-jobs-amongst-australias-10-most-in-demand-professions" rel="noopener">most in-demand</a> roles. We want to make sure that it’s possible for you to gain the skills you need to land a job at the end of your short course or bootcamp. We also want to train students in areas that will set them up for rewarding future careers.
Students have the opportunity to complete an industry placement, and over 50 per cent of our graduates gain employment as a direct result of their placement. Furthermore, 76 per cent of our graduates are employed in a full-time role within three months.
Many of our graduates find work straight away as junior developers. This is an exciting role, as junior developers can expect to earn a decent salary from day one and to be encouraged to learn and to grow in their role. As you advance in your career you might choose to specialise as a back-end developer (specialising further in cloud technology, cyber security, or another area of interest) work as a front-end developer (looking at UX and UI design for software, mobile applications, or websites) or become a coveted full-stack developer.
If you choose to specialise in data, then your career prospects will be incredibly diverse. This is a course of study that is particularly well-suited to career changers because many of our graduates have found ways to combine their former careers and passions with their <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-data-analyst-with-kshira-saagar">newfound skills in data analysis</a>, programming languages, data engineering, and data visualisation.
<h2>Transitioning to a Career in Tech</h2>
If all this sounds good to you, then it might be time to think about a career change. But how do you successfully transition into a career in tech? You will need to think about the role that appeals to you the most, the skills you will need to succeed in that role, and the best way to gain those skills. You may also need to consider the best way to fund your studies.
For most people, the above considerations are all interrelated, so it can help to start out with a general idea of where you want to be, and then to look at different options to see which one will provide the best fit. Think of it as one of your first projects – take a hypothesis (for example, that you want to take a short course in programming or data analysis in order to change careers) then see whether the data you gather can support that hypothesis.
<h2>The Benefits of Bootcamps for Career Changers</h2>
Bootcamps and short courses are usually well suited to career changers. Unlike university degrees that may focus on academic theory, bootcamps and short courses are usually focused on equipping students with the skills they need to walk straight into a job at the end of their course. This includes both hard and soft skills. Courses at Coder Academy are taught by industry professionals and have a heavy focus on skill development and portfolio building. This, combined with our networking opportunities and internships can help career changers to successfully make the change that they want.
Another concern for career changers is how to fit study in around other commitments. Here at Coder Academy, we offer different options to suit different needs. Our <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps/fast-track">accelerated bootcamps</a> give you the skills that you need and a nationally recognised Diploma of Information Technology within six months. This allows most students to devote six months to study before embarking on a new career. Our <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps/gentech">standard bootcamps</a> deliver the same material, but over a ten-month period. This less intensive option can allow students more flexibility to keep up with work and other commitments, while still gaining their qualifications in under a year.
Independent reports from sources such as <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/the-future-looks-bright-for-coding-bootcamp-graduates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Course Report</a> have found that short courses and coding bootcamps are a reliable way for graduates to find employment in relevant fields, with significant boosts in salary compared to their previous employment.
<h2>Investing in Your Career Change</h2>
Another consideration is how to fund your study. Many career changers consider free or low-cost courses the best way to upskill, however this self-directed study can take much longer, and might not give you the industry-recognised skills that you need. It might be better to use your savings or find a way to invest in a short course or bootcamp now, knowing that you’ll be in a career you love sooner, and able to make a return on that investment with your increased earnings.
You might want to look around for scholarships and other subsidies. With tech being such an in-demand sector, there are often government grants and other initiatives that are worth investigating.
As part of Coder Academy’s commitment to seeing greater diversity within the technology sector, we offer <a href="https://2106109.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2106109/4.%20ENROLMENT%20AND%20ADMISSIONS/Diversity_in_Tech_Scholarship_Flyer.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diversity in Tech Scholarships</a> for every bootcamp intake. We also encourage students to find other support options that they may qualify for. Commonwealth Supported Places and the Future of Work Program are just two ways that students might find support to gain an Undergraduate Certificate in Programming or Data Analysis.
<h2>How to Successfully Change Careers</h2>
It’s never too early to start preparing for your new job, even as you study. Looking at job advertisements for the kind of work you want to be doing in the future can help you to determine that you are gaining relevant skills. It will also help you to think about the ways you can prove those skills.
In addition to gaining the technical skills required, it’s important to think about the ways that your previous work experience might impress any future employers. Rather than being a drawback, it can actually be a strength. Whether it’s specialised knowledge of another industry or the soft skills that employers prize, it’s likely that your previous experience (however unrelated) will prove invaluable when you apply for <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-types-of-programming-jobs-can-i-get" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jobs in the tech sector</a>.
If you want to make a smooth transition to a new career, then it will also be important to network. If you’re studying, then get to know your classmates and teachers, find out about meetups or hackathons that are happening in your local area, or join online communities that focus on your areas of interest. Sometimes networking may lead to employment, but whether it does or not, it will always be a great way to improve your knowledge of the industry you hope to enter. Whether you are learning from others with more experience or helping to consolidate the knowledge you have gained by mentoring others, getting involved in the tech industry early on is one of the best things that you can do for your career transition.
If you&#8217;re thinking about a career change then the best place to start is by talking to industry experts! Here at Coder Academy we regularly run info sessions for all our courses. It’s ok if you haven’t decided yet whether a bootcamp or short course is the right option for you. These sessions are a great way to learn more about the industry and employment outcomes, and to ask questions of educators and industry experts. Register <a href="https://info.coderacademy.edu.au/web-dev-info-session">here</a> for our info sessions or learn more about our coding bootcamps <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp">here</a>.

Guide to Changing Careers

There are many unhelpful stereotypes that surround the technology sector. When you think of a technology company, is the image of tech bros in t-shirts? When you imagine a typical coder, is it a guy in a hoodie hunched over his computer?
Why is it always a man? Why do these stereotypes persist? Unfortunately, it’s because there’s a lot of truth behind them.
<h2>The Problem with the Lack of Gender Diversity in Tech</h2>
Every year the Australian Computer Society (ACS) produces a report titled, Australia’s Digital Pulse. The <a href="https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/digital-pulse-2021.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2021 report</a>, produced in partnership with Deloitte Access Economics, found that, “gender diversity in the technology sector continues to lag behind comparable industries. Women make up 29 per cent of employment in technology in Australia, compared to 48 per cent in similar occupations in the professional, scientific and technical services (PST) industry.”
Despite knowledge of the lack of gender diversity in tech, progress amongst technology firms has been slow. Tracking the findings of ACS reports since 2015 shows that the rate of female participation is only growing by an average of 0.75 per cent each year.
There is evidence that this lack of gender diversity in tech starts at a young age. The report noted that while addressing the numbers of women entering tertiary courses for information and communications technology (ICT) is important, career aspirations and expectations are usually set in high school or even earlier.
ACS looked at the findings of <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/content/ia/article/2021/girls-dumping-stem-in-alarming-numbers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a national study</a> that found that while 36 per cent of female students study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in Year 11 and Year 12, only 18 per cent will go on to study STEM subjects at a tertiary level. This means that there is a 50 per cent drop-off rate long before students enter the workforce.
When the survey asked participants to explain why they chose not to pursue further study in a STEM field, 9.5 per cent responded that they felt “pressured by society to choose a career considered ‘more fitting’ for women.”
This highlights the negative feedback loop of gender imbalance. Girls see a male-dominated industry with few female role models and are less likely to push through the barriers to pursue a career in the industry. This then reinforces the current make-up of the industry.
It’s worrying that around half of our population may be left behind when it comes to the design and use of our future technologies.
A report from the Australian Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/future-of-work-technology-and-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Future of work: where technology and work intersect</a>, found that the lack of women in STEM influences technology design and function, creating the potential for biases that favour men. Representation matters, as the report also found that working with ill-suited technology can have wide-ranging impacts on women’s productivity, safety, and health.
<h2>The Benefits of Including Women in Tech</h2>
If we can include more women in tech, then the positive effects will be felt by all of society.
ACS has identified another significant issue within the <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/content/ia/article/2021/the-problem-with-the-it-skills-shortage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian ICT industry</a> &#8211; the <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/can-australia-solve-its-technology-industry-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shortage of skilled workers</a> who are equipped for the jobs of the present and the future.
Kate Pounder, CEO of the Tech Council, has also pointed out this shortage, saying that the technology sector will need an extra 286,000 workers over the next four years to see <a href="https://ia.acs.org.au/content/ia/article/2021/tech-council-wants-1m-tech-jobs-by-2025.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one million people employed</a> in the technology sector by 2025.
When half of the Australian population are not reaching their full potential in this field, it’s easy to see that increasing the number of qualified women in tech could go a long way towards providing the boost that the sector needs.
In Australia’s Digital Pulse 2021, it was predicted that on average, over the next twenty years, increasing gender diversity in the technology workforce would grow Australia’s economy by $1.8 billion every year.
If women are trained in the skills that our country currently lacks, then an average of almost 5,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs could be created over that twenty-year period, and the net present value (NPV) of increasing diversity in technology could amount to an $11 billion opportunity for Australia’s economy.
Not only will the economy at large benefit, but there could be significant benefit for the individuals who choose to take up careers in tech.
Due to the highly skilled nature of technology occupations, women who make the transition into technology from other occupations tend to receive higher wages. The report estimated that occupational changes could lead to a $5.4 billion net increase in labour income, or just under $16,000 per worker on average.
But what about that negative feedback loop? When women don’t see other women in tech, how do they break into the industry?
Another benefit of working to increase gender diversity is that it creates a snowball effect. Research conducted by Deloitte Access Economics on behalf of Westpac found that a 1 per cent increase in female senior managers is associated with a 0.1 per cent increase in women in the workforce in the following year.
Increasing the number of women in tech may seem like an uphill battle at the moment, but over time, as the number of female role models within the sector increases, the work will actually become easier.
<h2>Can We Teach Students to Code Like a Girl?</h2>
The benefits are clear. So how do we increase gender diversity in tech? One way is to start in schools, before girls abandon the idea of pursuing a career in ICT.
Social enterprises provide vital support, as do school and industry partnerships. In the past, Coder Academy has partnered in initiatives aimed at increasing participation in STEM and ICT at a primary school level, and we will continue to seek partnerships that support female students at all levels.
Continuing this work in schools is important, but it’s also important not to forget about mature aged students. It’s never too late to learn how to code, and each year, many of the students enrolling at Coder Academy are <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">career changers</a> looking to break into tech.
This approach is backed up by the findings of Australia’s Digital Pulse 2021. When looking at ways to boost gender diversity in tech, the report concluded that, “a key source of increased female participation in the economic modelling was women reskilling from other industries. This would require consideration of ways to encourage women to move into technology through additional life-long learning courses.”
A number of new Government initiatives (such as the <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/introducing-the-women-in-stem-cadetships-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women in STEM program</a>) will provide significant subsidies and incentives for career changers who wish to pursue higher education qualifications.
Courses for career changers must offer a unique level of flexibility and support, as well as the proven outcomes that career changers want. To this end, <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> offers flexible bootcamp structures, a focus on industry-relevant skills, and opportunities such as the <a href="https://2106109.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2106109/4.%20ENROLMENT%20AND%20ADMISSIONS/Diversity_in_Tech_Scholarship_Flyer.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diversity in Tech Scholarship</a>.
Of course, increasing <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-neurodiversity-in-the-tech-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diversity in tech</a> can mean much more than just addressing gender diversity. Here at Coder Academy, we’re committed to creating an inclusive tech industry that champions all forms of diversity.

04_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_RPL_Option_2_604x340_Apr2023

Improving Gender Diversity in Tech

Australia is currently facing a skills shortage in the technology industry, and this is only predicted to worsen in the coming years. ICT jobs are being created faster than skilled workers can be trained or recruited to fill these roles, and a recent Australian Computer Society (ACS) <a href="https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/digital-pulse-2021.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> has looked into the ways Government and industry can address these shortfalls so that Australia isn’t left behind.
<h2>The Technology Industry in Australia Needs an Extra 60,000 Skilled ICT Workers Each Year</h2>
While more students are graduating and joining the technology industry, the ACS report predicts that there will still be a shortfall of trained workers, and that supply will not meet demand in the coming years.
With a prediction of 60,000 extra workers needed per annum over the next five years, and only 7,000 students graduating with IT degrees in 2019, it is clear that there must be a significant increase in training to meet both current and future demand.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z_S_4dd-hvLh6xJx6Dv7vzk8Ok096e9Gkc3LCytsxy_7L64dEmI-OZtIYioEATLBBejFGZJrlTZcLJoohbyBcxkmpNBNEaBWa4z0ybyUaXLw2QynmqvuX6FhwpeE3wVfN0rCALI9=s0" width="602" height="296" />
Screenshot from <a href="https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/digital-pulse-2021.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACS Australia’s Digital Pulse</a> report.
With international travel not predicted to return to pre-COVID levels until 2024, Australia cannot rely on skilled migration to fill the gap and must look at training more ICT workers onshore.
Both State and Federal Governments have planned for significant investment in the technology industry over the coming years. Some of this funding will be directed towards university placements, and there will also be packages to support short courses (or <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coding bootcamps</a>). The Federal Government has committed $251.8 million for 50,000 short course places in industries including IT and science in 2021. The Victorian State Budget showed a similar focus on training and the digital economy, with $64 million over four years for the Digital Skills and Jobs Program. This program will look to support workers to re-skill and change industries through short-form courses that teach vital digital skills.
<h2>Programming and Coding Skills Will Be Highly Prized as Employers Seek Software Development Workers</h2>
Recruitment agency Hays releases regular <a href="https://www.hays.com.au/industry-insights/jobs-report">reports</a> on the most in-demand skills in different industries. Their information technology report covering the first half of 2020 found that a mismatch between the skills jobseekers possess and the skills employers require means the IT industry will continue to be plagued by a skills shortage.
The report was further broken down into the skills required in digital technology, information technology, and projects and business change.
<h6>The top five skills for digital technology were:</h6>
<ol>
<li>    Full-stack software engineers</li>
<li>    Cloud engineers</li>
<li>    Data engineers</li>
<li>    Data scientists</li>
<li>    React.js/React native engineers</li>
</ol>
<h6>The top five skills in the information technology category were:</h6>
<ol>
<li>    Cloud engineers and cloud architects</li>
<li>    Project managers</li>
<li>    Network engineers</li>
<li>    Security GRC specialists</li>
<li>    End-user support professionals</li>
</ol>
The ACS report also looked at the skills prized by employers in 2020, finding that skills in software programming were the most commonly requested. As well as looking at the ICT industry, the report looked at the trends for ICT workers within other industries. The mining industry, for example, needed workers who could collect, store, and analyse data to support operations; requesting workers with systems engineering, computer programming, and DevOps skills.
The need for <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/will-ai-steal-my-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI specialists</a> will also continue to grow, with an estimated workforce of 32,000 to 161,000 workers required by 2030.
Both the Hays and the ACS reports made it clear that Australia will need a strong ICT workforce with skills in software development, maintenance, and testing, and that skills in coding will give a competitive advantage to workers in other fields. 
<h2>The Technology Industry Needs More Women and a Greater Focus on Professionalisation</h2>
In addition to investing in courses that train for the skills most needed in the future, the ACS report identified another way for the technology industry to grow. Improving <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-gender-diversity-in-tech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gender diversity</a> would significantly increase the available workforce.
Women hold only 29% of roles in the technology sector, meaning we are missing out on a significant percentage of the population while women remain underrepresented.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Sq_nC3rOHG1grn3MjYo_JQzxSKQy-uCpzUrRNJDocVQGqj1mHHaE_c9e-eC9d4L0CHjDHs39UPeP7426gQOWVqsS2bGRbIs_0Qm29VGLX8wbVUsJcPwDzD9Q-NHPiEyRKLc88qMM=s0" width="602" height="113" />
Screenshot from <a href="https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/digital-pulse-2021.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACS Australia’s Digital Pulse</a> report.
Another area that showed great promise for growing the capabilities of the ICT workforce was in the area of greater professionalisation. Many professions, including engineering, law, accounting, and health, have long relied on professionalisation to increase consumer trust, enable standardisation of practices and knowledge, and improve the capabilities of the workforce through initial training and ongoing professional development.
The ACS report suggested that professionalisation would come with significant challenges due to the rapid rate of technological development and change. However, it was suggested that this would make a focus on industry professionalisation even more vital, as it would ensure teaching practices and qualifications were kept up to date to supply the needs of the future workforce.
The technology industry faces many challenges if it is to meet the demands of the future. By encouraging more workers to upskill and retrain in software development and other <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/developer-jobs-amongst-australias-10-most-in-demand-professions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high demand areas</a>, encouraging more women to enrol in coding and technology courses, and ensuring high standards of education through the professionalisation of the industry, Australia as a whole will be better placed to meet those challenges.

Can Australia Solve Its Technology Industry Skills Shortage?

As we continue to wrestle with the ethical concerns of data science and technology, we probably don’t have to fear being enslaved by an evil Skynet, Matrix machines, or Isaac Asimov’s supercomputers. The problem with data ethics isn’t so much that machines lack a soul, but that as humans, we cloud data ethics with our own biases, intolerances, and discriminatory practices.
The evils of technology may just be the ones that humanity unwittingly creates.
The influence of data science is growing in every sphere of life, and this makes ethical data analysis more important than ever. So, it was refreshing to hear from an industry expert who has great hope for the future, and for people who will use data analysis and data science for the greater good.
Recently, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> hosted a talk with Cornell Tech research assistant, Dan Adler. After lamenting that Dan was no longer a teacher at Coder Academy, having been “stolen by Cornell University”, Dan and a handful of Coder Academy students launched into a fascinating Q&amp;A session surrounding data ethics. What follows is a brief glimpse into some of the highlights.
<h2>How Does Dan Bring Data Ethics into His Daily Work</h2>
<a href="https://dadler.co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dan Adler</a> has been working at the intersection of data science and healthcare for much of his career. From his role as a healthcare advanced analytics associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to his current role as a research assistant at Cornell Tech, Dan has had to pay careful attention to the data ethics of much of his daily work and research.
With such an extensive background in balancing the different sectors of data science and healthcare, Dan was able to talk about the ethical concerns that dominate this space and the ways in which data can be used for good.
“We weren’t talking about ethics and data analytics fifteen years ago,” Dan says. “But it’s becoming a requirement in almost anything we do, and that’s because the community is maturing. We’re maturing. It’s now an integral part of the analysis process, and the learning process as you immerse yourself in this field.”
Dan points out that an academic couldn’t expect to conduct research today without questions about data ethics. He also says that it’s important to consider the implications of your work and that you should never collect data (especially sensitive data) just for the sake of it.
“Do it for a purpose,” he says. “And include other people in the conversation when you decide to tackle a problem.”
<h2>These Algorithms Could Be Good… or Bad</h2>
Let’s look at some of the potential ethical pitfalls, and the ways in which anyone working in data science can consider the ethical implications of their work.
<h3>Uphold Data Ethics by Learning to Address Problems of Bias </h3>
The data you collect has big implications for what you are going to do, even before you get to the modelling stage. It’s important to collect data objectively, but as Dan points out, even when you do collect data objectively, you can still encounter issues.
“Society might not have been great at the time period where you collected that data set,” he says.
Because every data set exists in the context of the historical period in which it was collected, it is important to look at the data set through a framework of data ethics and to consider whether it really is as objective as we believe it to be.
Dan used the example of a report from Amazon on a prediction algorithm that they were using for resume pre-screening. The algorithm had been trained on resumes and past hires, however, due to the overrepresentation of males in the tech sector in the United States, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/oct/10/amazon-hiring-ai-gender-bias-recruiting-engine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">algorithm was biased</a> towards male candidates.
Read: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/will-ai-steal-my-job">Will AI Steal My Job?</a>
This is just one example of a historical issue in our society coming out in a data prediction that’s going to impact the future.
One way to counter this data ethics problem? Have diverse people analyse the data and problems too.
“A problem that you might not think of, another team member might actually think of,” Dan suggests. “Have a good group of people that don’t look and act and are the same age as you.”
<h3>Understanding Data Ethics and Some Common Pitfalls </h3>
Early on, people doing the initial work in prediction and medicine made quite racially sensitive conclusions in their research. Dan talked about these “naïve” conclusions that could be ethically wrong.
Just as the Amazon resume screening algorithm was supposed to be trained on an objective data set, and to come out with objective conclusions, people don’t necessarily set out with bad intentions, but due to the nature of society and our own biases, it is easy to jump to the wrong conclusion and to see problematic modelling as a result.
Dan gave the example of reports of physicians who ignored the pain of African American women when compared to Caucasian women, because of predefined bias that had come from the conclusions of past research.
Making conclusions regarding demographic variables is a particularly difficult area. Research may appear to show a correlation, for example, between a certain ethnicity and poorer health outcomes, while ignoring the context underpinning those variables. If certain groups have historically experienced issues with access to healthcare, then this is more likely the cause than the demographic that they belong to in and of itself. Problematic conclusions that ignore context then have the potential to reinforce assumptions and biases for the future.
The data ethics and implications of getting it right will be important in any field, but it is especially vital to get it right in healthcare, where treatments could be advised or withheld, or a misdiagnosis made, based on the supposed wisdom of past research.
While it may be important to encompass different demographics in the data you collect, Dan stressed that there is a difference between putting demographic variables into a model, and showing how that demographic impacts whatever data you’re showing. This is where the problematic conclusions can so easily creep in.
As well as the implications of healthcare professionals being influenced by research outcomes, there is the possibility of patients, or even study participants, being impacted.
Dan used the example of his own research into <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3463528" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stress resilience and stress sensitivity</a> in resident physicians. Dan and his team had to consider what might happen if they told a person that they were going to be stress resilient or stress sensitive. There is the possibility that giving a prediction back to an individual can create a negative feedback loop, and that telling them that a certain outcome is more likely will affect them in some way.
This is why considerations surrounding data ethics are so important for anyone working in data analysis and data science.
“Rigorously question the ethical implications… and how it might affect different individuals,” Dan says.
<h3>Consider Data Ethics When Collecting and Using Data  </h3>
There can be a delicate balance between collecting useful data and protecting the privacy of individuals.
GPS data is considered a sensitive data type, but it can be very useful in the field of healthcare. One example Dan used was comparing an individual’s location variability compared to their normal routine, and using this as a predictor of depression. There is great potential for this information to be used in a helpful way, but it could also be used to identify an individual from the dataset.
“Data is often less anonymised than you think it is,” Dan says.
There is work being undertaken by Google in the area of <a href="https://ai.googleblog.com/2017/04/federated-learning-collaborative.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">differential privacy and federated learning</a>, which looks at different ways to handle data. One idea within this approach would be to only use sensitive data whilst it remains on the user’s device. In theory, a data scientist could then carry out their modelling and predictions without ever collecting the data in a centralised database.
Dan suggests that data scientists should always question their need for sensitive information.
“I’m always hesitant about how much data we give companies,” he says.
While the data ethics of academics will be governed by an institutional review board (IRB), most private companies don’t have these independent ethics committees reviewing and guiding their use of data. As Dan and Coder Academy both pointed out, it’s often not until a company is hacked or taken to court that you hear about its use (or misuse) of sensitive data.
&nbsp;
Despite the potential pitfalls and conflicts, Dan is optimistic about the potential for good people to use data science in a positive way. He describes the field as a great place to be and to grow in your career.
At the end of the day, data analytics and data science provide people with a toolkit. They can be used to perpetuate bad things in the world, but with good people considering the data ethics, and rigorously thinking through a problem with the help of a diverse team, the power of data science can be harnessed to approach any problem in a positive way.

Ethical Data Analysis

Recently, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> spoke with <a href="https://www.kshirasaagar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kshira Saagar</a>, the chief data officer or “head of data everything” at Latitude Financial Services. They’re the largest lender outside of the big four banks in Australia, making Kshira’s work in data science extremely important for the company.
With a rich and varied career in data science, Kshira had some excellent advice for anyone seeking a career as a data analyst. Let’s start with his breakdown of ETL or ELT.
<h2>A Day in the Life of a Data Analyst: Extract, Transform, Load </h2>
One of the key tasks for those working in <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/samanvay-karambhe-why-i-became-a-data-scientist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data science</a> will be to extract, transform, and load (ETL), or extract, load, and transform (ELT) large amounts of data. Companies, government bodies, and individuals have increasingly vast amounts of stored data in a range of databases. While this data is useful for powering individual applications, if collected and analysed it can have a far greater impact, and Kshira believes this impact should be to make people’s lives better.
<h3>Extract</h3>
This step involves extracting data from the system that has collected it, or the system in which it is currently stored.
<h3>Transform</h3>
Now the data must be transformed into a usable form. Different users will look for the metrics and fields that meet their needs.
<h3>Load</h3>
When the data is ready to load, information can be brought from multiple sources and put into one place.
There are several ways to store data.
<h3>Database</h3>
Most of the data that analysts work with will come from a database, before going through the ETL process, and being transferred to a larger system.
<h3>Data Warehouse </h3>
Just as physical goods are stored in a warehouse space, data that has been extracted from multiple sources can be transformed and loaded into a single data warehouse.
<h3>Data Lake</h3>
Unlike the orderly warehouse, a data lake is full of data that has been extracted and loaded, but not transformed. With so much data out there, you can save a lot of time by skipping the transform step. It’s a dump of raw data, for someone else to transform according to their needs at a later stage.
<h3>Data Lake House </h3>
Just like the name suggests, a data lake house combines elements of a data warehouse and a data lake. You might make some small transformations when transferring data to a data lake house. These won’t be the complete transformations you would make for a data warehouse, but you are setting it aside with some structure.
Now onto some key takeaways from Kshira’s talk.
<h2>Kshira Saagar’s Advice for Your Career as a Data Analyst:</h2>
<h3>1. Learn to Code</h3>
You can still work in data without learning to code, but you will be given the grunt work. If you learn to code (in any language) then you can work on more interesting tasks.
<h3>2. Learn the Concepts of Coding / Think Scientifically  </h3>
Learn coding constructs, not just the particular coding language. This will help you to switch more easily between different languages when needed. Think about why you are doing something, and why it works in a particular way.
Learn to really apply the science of data science. You should never try to torture an answer out of the data that isn’t there. First, come up with a hypothesis. If you want to know why your business is losing new customers, then think about reasons this could be happening. Formulate some hypotheses, and then use the data to test your ten best hypotheses. When you take this approach, you should also be able to remove your own bias, or, at the very least, to be able to clearly see any bias or preconceived assumptions.
<h3>3. You Must Unlearn What You Have Learnt</h3>
Once you have learnt coding and different methods of data analysis, be prepared to forget everything you know, and learn something new. Rather than becoming a specialist in one area and staying comfortably there, commit to continual learning.
Kshira is at the top of his game, and he still worries that if he doesn’t upskill, he will become a dinosaur. So how does he go on learning new things? He says one way is to never be afraid of finding and learning from people who are smarter than he is. Kshira also likes to make every second Friday a learning day (or half-day) for his team. And finally, he believes you can enhance learning by gamifying it. By making learning something to be prized (perhaps with a literal prize) you will encourage the right atmosphere.
<h3>4. Don’t Forget About Soft Skills</h3>
Being a data analyst will require soft skills to enhance your technical knowledge.
If you are working in a management role, then you will need to become a data translator. You can bridge the gap between those in your company who are immersed in the world of data science, and those who are not. Anyone can look at a graph and see that the graph is going up, but you can understand the work of the data team, and explain to others in the business, why you think the graph is going up.
Maybe you’re not at management level yet. If you’re still at the entry level of your career, then learn about the business that you’re in, not just the role you fill. Appreciate the business and the sector, and learn to contribute meaningfully to it.
Finally, anyone at any level can be a mentor, and you should pass on what you have learnt both amongst your team, and to others.
<h3>5. The Importance of Projects / Keeping Your Skills Going Beyond the Course</h3>
If you’re coming to the end of a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps">bootcamp</a> or short course, then you’re probably thinking about your potential job outcomes. But Kshira was keen to stress that you don’t need to wait for employment to use the skills you have learnt in the course. In fact, taking on a project can be a fantastic way to showcase your skills to potential employers.
Projects help you to keep sharpening your skills. They stop the rust. Projects also don’t have to be perfect. You could write some code to automate a mundane task. You could also search for open datasets. There are many that are freely available, including data made available by <a href="https://data.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian government agencies</a>. These could allow you to work on all sorts of things, and you are sure to find community organisations and others who would be grateful for your skills and time.
If you have <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">come from a different field</a> and you are transitioning into data science, then any projects you work on provide proof that you know what you’re talking about. This can break the hiring bias when you apply for jobs and potential employers see unrelated previous experience on your resume. It is also a form of personal branding. Start building a portfolio on <a href="https://github.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GitHub</a>, and embrace taking on new projects as part of your lifelong learning.
Kshira believes you can solve anything with data. If you ever find yourself thinking, “There must be a better way to do this”, then see if you can turn it into a project and solve the problem with data.
<h3>6. Use Data as a Tool to Make People’s Lives Better</h3>
Kshira talks about taking his experience of working with data in fashion (at The Iconic) to working with data in finance. He believes the transition was easy because retail is all about making the customer experience better, and in his current job, his role remains to use data to make people’s lives better.
Now, most of Kshira’s time is devoted to serving internal customers (the employees of the company). Kshira believes everyone’s life could be made easier with the right data analysis and automation. All workers face the challenge of repeated actions that take up significant portions of time each day. Every business requires vital data regarding their revenue, their customer’s requirements and satisfaction with their products or services.
The goal of data analysis should be to make life easier. Whether you’re saving time by writing the code that automates repeated tasks, or developing a system that gives you the information you need at a glance, analysing and structuring data allows you to leave the tedious tasks behind, and to work smarter, not harder.

A Day in the Life of a Data Analyst with Kshira Saagar

Coder Academy’s <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full Stack Web Development Bootcamps</a> give students nationally recognised qualifications in the form of a Diploma of IT, allowing them to transform their careers in as little as six months.
For each Standard and Accelerated intake, <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> provides three <a href="https://2106109.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2106109/4.%20ENROLMENT%20AND%20ADMISSIONS/Diversity_in_Tech_Scholarship_Flyer.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diversity in Tech Scholarships</a>.
Coder Academy has always been committed to increasing diversity in the technology industries and has bolstered this commitment through <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/ca-news/change-the-ratio-bankstown-girls-high-school-commonwealth-bank-yes-she-can-girls-can-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">industry partnerships</a> and initiatives such as the Diversity in Tech Scholarship.
We’re very excited to announce the recipients of the latest round of scholarships for our Accelerated August intake. Each one brings a unique perspective to the tech industry, and we can’t wait to see what they will achieve as students and junior developers.
<h2>Daisy Watt</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-7695 size-medium" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Daisy_Watt_1080x690_Apr2023-300x192.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="192" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Daisy_Watt_1080x690_Apr2023-300x192.jpg 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Daisy_Watt_1080x690_Apr2023-1024x654.jpg 1024w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Daisy_Watt_1080x690_Apr2023-768x491.jpg 768w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Daisy_Watt_1080x690_Apr2023-1536x981.jpg 1536w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Daisy_Watt_1080x690_Apr2023-2048x1308.jpg 2048w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Daisy_Watt_1080x690_Apr2023-32x20.jpg 32w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Daisy Watt may not be the first person to come to mind when you imagine a typical coder, and that’s exactly why we need her. An accomplished <a href="https://www.daisywatt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">textile designer and educator</a>, Daisy has always found ways to merge her work and her passions for the creative industries, knowledge and skills sharing, social justice, politics, and equality.
Now, Daisy is ready to bring that passion to the tech space.
“Women have been historically underrepresented in the workplace since before ‘the workplace’ existed. Earlier this year, in 2021, the Australian Government <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WGEA</a> group released their latest report highlighting the gender pay gap,” Watt says.
“They recorded the total remuneration gap at 20.1%, which means men who work the same amount of time as women earn more than $25,000 a year more than women.”
“This scholarship would enable me to engage and contribute to an evolving industry and in return, help change those statistics.”
“I would be dishonest if I told you precisely what I will do to increase diversity in tech, as I’m not entirely sure exactly what it is yet that I will be doing in tech. What I can promise is my track record of supporting other women and GNC individuals, a strong drive for change, and a passion for learning and teaching. I would love to find a way to bring more women and creatives across and encourage more cross-disciplinary collaboration.”
<h2>Mujtaba Kazim</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-8550 size-medium" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Mujtaba_Kazim_portrait_Round-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Mujtaba_Kazim_portrait_Round-300x300.png 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Mujtaba_Kazim_portrait_Round-150x150.png 150w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Mujtaba_Kazim_portrait_Round-32x32.png 32w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Mujtaba_Kazim_portrait_Round.png 534w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Mujtaba Kazim has always had a passion for computers and technology, and he is devoted to passing on skills and enthusiasm to future generations. A young leader within his community, Mujtaba is keen to implement programs that will break down barriers while empowering others.
“I love to learn about computers and spend a considerable amount of time researching, building, and learning about the latest and greatest computer components,” Kazim says.
“I am persistent to become as proficient as possible in programming to not only pursue a rewarding career but break the misconceptions and underappreciation of coding and bootcamps within the Iraqi and Middle Eastern community. I believe I would also prove that programming is not only for those who are highly proficient in maths or are geeky individuals or people already in the technology space, as I am also a barber, love playing soccer, and came from studying marketing.”
“Throughout my career, I will make it a point to stress the importance of differing opinions and insights.”
“I will to the best of my ability spread the value and power of programming and technology within my community to ensure that they pursue their dreams regardless of their communities&#8217; biases… to advocate for diversity in technology within the youth or even other older members of the community.”
<h2>Natasha Madondo</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-7696 size-medium" src="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Natasha_Madondo_1080x690_Apr2023-300x192.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="192" srcset="https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Natasha_Madondo_1080x690_Apr2023-300x192.jpg 300w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Natasha_Madondo_1080x690_Apr2023-1024x654.jpg 1024w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Natasha_Madondo_1080x690_Apr2023-768x491.jpg 768w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Natasha_Madondo_1080x690_Apr2023-1536x981.jpg 1536w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Natasha_Madondo_1080x690_Apr2023-2048x1308.jpg 2048w, https://coder-academy.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/01_How_to_Apply_Page_Assets_Scholarship_Testimonials_Natasha_Madondo_1080x690_Apr2023-32x20.jpg 32w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Natasha Madondo spent her life before Coder Academy travelling to and living in different parts of the world. Add to this her experience working in multiple industries, and you have someone who truly understands the importance and value of diversity.
“As a person from a culturally diverse background… I have made it a point in life to learn and grow from different cultures and experiences,” Madondo says.
“I’ve lived and travelled to different countries, learnt multiple languages, and taken the time to listen to people to gain a more comprehensive understanding.”
“I want to bring a fresh perspective when creating programs that benefit the community and increase inclusivity. I want to be able to set an example, and encourage others to consider a career in tech. Most of all, I want to make a space for women of colour in the tech industry.”

Meet Our Students: Diversity in Tech Scholarship Winners

Our students are the heartbeat of our organisation. We love hearing each and every one of their stories from where they have come from to what inspired them to join a coding bootcamp. We recently caught up with Chinonso John Nkpolukwu, a Web Development Student currently enrolled in our Standard (10 months duration) Bootcamp at our Melbourne Campus.
<blockquote>&#8220;My experience with Coder Academy so far has been 
intense, challenging but absolutely worthwhile.&#8221;</blockquote>
<h6>Coder: What bootcamp are you currently enrolled in?</h6>
John: Melbourne <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" rel="noopener">Standard Web Development Bootcamp</a>
<h6>Coder: What was your motivation for doing this bootcamp?</h6>
John: I wanted a career in Web development and through my research, I discovered that a bootcamp would provide me with the quickest and most successful path into the tech industry.
<h6>Coder: Had you had any previous coding/web development experience before doing this bootcamp?</h6>
John: Studying IT, I did a unit in Java which exposed me to web development, from there I took a course on Udemy before applying for the bootcamp.
<h6>Coder: Tell us about any misconceptions/fears or barriers you had in regards to doing the bootcamp before you decided to do it!</h6>
John: A big misconception was that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the workload, especially because I was balancing work and studies. All the content is recorded and the instructors are extremely accommodating in making sure you’re keeping pace with the workload and are willing to provide extra support if needed.
<h6>Coder: When researching which education provider to go with &#8211; can you remember the deciding factor for choosing Coder Academy?</h6>
John: I was initially supposed to sign up with General Assembly, that was before I did my research and saw the excellent reviews online in various forums in regards to Coder Academy’s bootcamp. That was the deciding factor for me.
READ: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/7-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-coding-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Coding Bootcamp</a>
<h6>Coder: If you’ve decided to change careers as a result of doing this bootcamp &#8211; what was your main reason for wanting to change?</h6>
John: Coming from an IT background I’ve always had an interest in web development but prior commitments and a lack of belief in myself at the time really hindered me from pursuing it.
My previous role as a data entry and admin officer allowed me the opportunity to work remotely, with this I was able to move from Sydney to Melbourne, freeing up more time to invest into learning to code and pursuing my dream career in web development.
<h6>Coder: Tell us about a project you completed while doing your course or something you’re super proud of that you achieved.</h6>
John: “You tell it how you feel and what you fancy and it makes you a perfect playlist to Vibe to!” &#8211; Vibe
I am super proud to have worked on this project (Vibe) with two other amazing developers (<a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/student-spotlight-ana-lastoviria-coder-academy-melbourne" rel="noopener">Ana </a><a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/student-spotlight-ana-lastoviria-coder-academy-melbourne" rel="noopener">Lastoviria</a> and Rhys Morris). We created the app during a 48-hour hackathon and considering it being our first ever hackathon we did exceptionally well.
Collaboration, creativity and problem solving are key skills required as a web developer. Hackathons are a great way to practice and hone these skills.
<h6>Coder: What skills from your previous career or study have been invaluable during your course?</h6>
John: My previous job was 100% remote, so I was used to working unsupervised. This skill was extremely valuable during lockdown whilst we studied remotely.
Also coming from an IT background really provided a smoother transition into learning some of the concepts the course covers.
<h6>Coder: Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?</h6>
John: In five years time I see myself taken on a more senior role at my current workplace Megaphone Marketing. I also see myself entering the freelance space and creating a platform for myself.
<h6>Coder: Any study tips for anyone thinking about doing a coding bootcamp?</h6>
John: The best way to learn to code is to code. In addition to learning and taking notes, you want to be working on personal projects, applying what you’re learning to these projects.
<h6>Coder: Finally… we’d love to know…</h6>
<h6>Last song/music you listened to?</h6>
John: Chill Drive &#8211; Lofi hip hop mix.
<h6>Last Podcast you listened to?</h6>
John: The 85 South Comedy Show.
<h6>Last TV show you watched?</h6>
John: The Blacklist on Netflix.
<h6>Last social media site you visited?</h6>
John: Instagram.
<h6>Last thing that made you smile 😊?</h6>
John: My Youfoodz delivery.

Student Spotlight: Chinonso John Nkpolukwu, Coder Academy Melbourne

Our students are the heartbeat of our organisation. We love hearing each and every one of their stories from where they have come from to what inspired them to join a coding Bootcamp. We recently caught up with Ana Lastoviria, a Web Development Student currently enrolled in our Standard (10 months duration) Bootcamp at our Melbourne Campus.
<blockquote>&#8220;Doing this Bootcamp has been very hard but so rewarding. I’m nowhere near being a good developer yet, but the amount of growth I have experienced in these few months has been mind-blowing. I’m extremely motivated to find my first role as a developer and can’t wait to see what lies ahead for me on my career change journey!&#8221;</blockquote>
<h6>Coder: What Bootcamp are you currently enrolled in?</h6>
Ana: Melbourne <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Standard Web Development Bootcamp</a>
<h6>Coder: What was your motivation for doing this bootcamp?</h6>
Ana: The first COVID lockdown made me reassess my work and life priorities and gave me a kick to follow my passion for software development. Bootcamp seemed to be a quicker way to change careers, still get a student environment, opportunities to network and get help when needed. And it takes you out to a recent graduates pool, which gives opportunities to apply for grad positions, so those things sealed the deal for me.
<h6>Coder: Had you had any previous coding/web development experience before doing this bootcamp?</h6>
Ana:  Not really. I did write some HTML at work ages ago, but that was it. When I made a decision about switching careers to tech I started learning basic HTML, CSS and <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruby</a> to ease into coding. That was around 2-3 months before starting the bootcamp.
<h6>Coder: Tell us about any misconceptions/fears or barriers you had in regards to doing the bootcamp before you decided to do it!</h6>
Ana: I had concerns about finding a job and my financial position after I spend all my savings on the bootcamp. What if I won’t find a job right away? Will I have to get back to customer service/singing lessons until I do? What if I NEVER find a job in tech? And so on.
Those concerns are still there but in a much milder form: I’m actively interviewing for jobs now and hope to land one very soon!
<h6>Coder: When researching which education provider to go with &#8211; can you remember the deciding factor for choosing Coder Academy?</h6>
Ana: The length of the courses: Coder Academy had the longest one among the competitors, and I feel like the longer it is, the better in terms of material sinking in. Also, Coder Academy offers a recognised qualification on completion, which is more of a confidence thing for me, but it also gives opportunities to apply for more jobs: some of the job ads have a requirement of a minimum of TAFE qualification in IT.
READ: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/7-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-coding-bootcamp">7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Coding Bootcamp</a>
<h6>Coder: If you’ve decided to change careers as a result of doing this bootcamp &#8211; what was your main reason for wanting to change?</h6>
Ana:  I had 2 jobs before COVID took off: guest service at a hotel + vocal coaching in a singing school. With balancing these 2 jobs I had no free time: working 6 days per week, phones, scheduling, admin on the 7th. This was the main thing that prompted the change: I was getting burnt out from working so much, barely had any social life and the income I got from all of it didn’t reflect the amount of work I was doing.
After completing the bootcamp I’m hoping to get a role as a software developer, get my work-life balance in order and be fairly compensated for the work I do.
<h6>Coder: Tell us about a project you completed while doing your course or something you’re super proud of that you achieved.</h6>
Ana:
LineUp
I built it for term 2 Ruby on Rails assignment. It’s a social network aimed to bring musicians together for gigs and therefore help music industry on its feet after it’s been so hardly hit by the pandemic.
It was a back-end-focused project, so the design is a bit basic, but the back end is quite complicated and has some cool features that I’m very proud of. 
I hope to someday develop it into a real app that real-life musos could use to put shows together.
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ptsaqv76ly0j2rf/LineUp.mp4?dl=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walkthrough video</a>
Vibe
We built it together with two of my cohort mates in 48 hours for a JavaScript hackathon at CA. It’s a front-end app built with HTML/CSS and vanilla JavaScript. It makes you a Spotify playlist based on how you feel. I contributed the API integration functionality, as well as made the whole thing responsive to every screen. I had the best teammates for this project and it has been an absolute joy building it.
<a href="https://its-a-vibe.netlify.app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vibe website</a>
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/51ys46srxejqrgp/Vibe.mp4?dl=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walkthrough video</a>
<h6>Coder: What skills from your previous career or study have been invaluable during your course?</h6>
Ana: Definitely the organisational skills. Especially with studying online, you have to self-organise, stay focused and hold yourself accountable. That can’t be done without proper planning, making to-do lists, setting deadlines, scheduling, etc.
Also, the self-study and research skills. Bootcamp can’t and won’t teach you everything, the big thing about working in tech is figuring stuff out, so I was quite happy to apply the research skills I gained doing my first degree in history ten years ago.
<h6>Coder: Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?</h6>
Ana: Working as a full-stack dev in a funky company, building cool and meaningful projects with all the hot latest tech 🙂
<h6>Coder: Any study tips for anyone thinking about doing a coding bootcamp?</h6>
Ana: Start teaching yourself to code right now. Go take a free HTML/CSS, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruby</a>, Git, CLI course. That will help heaps during the bootcamp, you will be able to focus on the concepts rather than syntax.
&#8211; If you haven’t already, install Notion or similar software to keep on top of all your notes, links, to-do lists and other admin stuff. There is going to be so much going on, you’re gonna need it. 
&#8211; You’ll feel overwhelmed most of the time, the bootcamp is a lot. Make sure you develop some mental techniques to ground yourself and remind yourself of your goals and progress. 
&#8211; Breaks are instrumental in brain work, so make sure you take regular quality breaks while working on assignments/self-studying. 
&#8211; When you start coding, do a 100 Days Of Code challenge on Twitter or similar. This will help you hold yourself accountable, keep track of the progress and join the community of people in the same boat as you.
<h6>Coder: Finally… we’d love to know…</h6>
<h6>Last song/music you listened to?</h6>
Ana: Ambient Chill playlist on Spotify &#8211; my go-to coding music
<h6>Last podcast you listened to?</h6>
Ana: Syntax!
<h6>Last TV show you watched?</h6>
Ana: Jupiter’s Legacy on Netflix. Don’t watch it, it’s terrible.
<h6>Last social media site you visited?</h6>
Ana: Twitter
<h6>Last thing that made you smile 😊?</h6>
Ana:  Facetiming my papa back in Russia on his birthday the other day, he’s doing well. 😊

Student Spotlight: Ana Lastoviria, Coder Academy Melbourne

Data science is a rapidly expanding industry sector, and anyone considering becoming a data analyst can look forward to a rewarding career with many opportunities for growth and development.
Recent estimates quoted in a <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/au/Documents/Economics/deloitte-au-economics-future-of-work-occupational-education-trends-data-science-170418.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deloitte Access Economics report</a> suggest that every year, an additional 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are being created worldwide. To make use of that data, the world will need skilled data scientists.
The report also predicted above-average job growth in the data science sector, which was backed up by <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/role/data-scientist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEEK’s projection</a> of 27.7 per cent job growth over the next five years.
For many sectors, wage growth remains stagnant, but this doesn’t seem to be the case for data scientists. In Australia, the average salary of a data scientist is around $92,667 per year, according to <a href="https://www.careerfaqs.com.au/careers/how-to-become-a-data-scientist-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Career FAQs</a>.
<a href="https://www.themartec.com/insidelook/data-science-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Martec</a> put the salary scale at $51,000 to $94,000 for a data scientist starting their career in Sydney or Melbourne, and at $77,000 to $147,000 for a data scientist with five years of experience.
SEEK listed the most common salary for data scientists in Australia as $130,000, and also returned surveys from current data scientists who reported high levels of job satisfaction.
With all this great data, you may conclude that you have found the perfect career. But where do you start?
<h2>Learn to Code</h2>
Kshira Saagar is the chief data officer at Latitude Financial Services, and he has some <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-data-analyst-with-kshira-saagar" rel="noopener">great advice</a> for anyone who wants to find out how to start their journey as a data analyst.
Kshira advises that while you can work in data analysis without programming skills, you will be able to work on more interesting tasks if you can code.
“Learn coding constructs, not just the particular coding language,” Kshira says.
<a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/">Coder Academy</a> educator Mike Dane had similar advice.
“All web development and data analysis will hinge on the same core foundations,” Mike says.
If you are curious about data analysis or thinking about switching careers, then learning a bit about coding can be a great way to dip your toes in the water.
You might want to start out with some free online courses that introduce you to programming. Coder Academy’s <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code">Learn to Code: Free Taster Course</a> teaches you how to build a simple terminal application using Ruby programming language.
Once you have a taste for coding and data analysis, it might be time to consider pursuing some formal qualifications. At Coder Academy, you can study a Diploma of Information Technology in a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps">bootcamp</a> format, preparing you to embark on an exciting new career in a matter of months.
<h2>Learn Some Data Science Basics</h2>
Learning the basics of data science will give you a solid foundation that you can always come back to.
Study statistical analysis, learn how to find and choose data sets, become a competent science communicator, and learn how to visualise data well.
Mike Dane suggests that visualising data is a particularly important skill, as it allows you to show the results of all your hard work.
“After all, this is why they hired you,” Mike says.
Kshira Saagar also emphasised the importance of visualisation, listing it alongside other essential soft skills, including communication and collaborative skills.
At last year’s WomenTech Global Conference, data analyst Simran Yadav gave a talk offering advice for new data scientists. Simran also stressed the importance of visualisation and communication skills.
“Put together a story. The storytelling aspect is really undervalued in data science,” Simran suggested.
<a href="https://www.tableau.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tableau</a> is a visual analytics platform that Simran particularly likes for visualising and sharing data. However, it’s more important to learn the skills than any particular system.
Learning to communicate effectively will mean taking an interest in things outside the world of data science.
“Get some domain knowledge,” Simran says, explaining that she has been better able to translate concepts within a given business setting by combining her previous marketing experience with her analytics knowledge.
<h2>Join the Data Science Community</h2>
If you are just starting your journey in data analysis, then you will find that there is a great community to become a part of. It’s never too early to start making <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/corporate/partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">industry contacts</a>, to learn from others, and to find out about the resources available &#8211; from open source frameworks to publicly available data sets.
You will find networking opportunities and meet up groups in most major cities. <a href="https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/Brisbane-Data-Science-Meetup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brisbane</a>, <a href="https://www.meetup.com/Data-Science-Melbourne/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Melbourne</a>, and <a href="https://www.meetup.com/Data-Science-Sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney</a> each have their own data science groups on Meetup, while forums like <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/datascience/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reddit</a> can help you to connect to the community virtually.
You can begin building your portfolio on development platform <a href="https://github.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GitHub</a>; find data sets, build models, or enter competitions through <a href="https://www.kaggle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kaggle</a>; or use open source software frameworks such as IBM’s <a href="https://www.ibm.com/analytics/hadoop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apache Hadoop</a>. There are numerous blogs and publications to read including <a href="https://towardsdatascience.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Towards Data Science</a> on Medium.
The idea is to start building your skills, and to become connected to others in the data science community. You will find many other groups and opportunities out there. Some will be hyper-local, and others will allow you to connect with people from across the globe.
<h2>Develop Yourself</h2>
All the time you are learning new skills, you are also building a potential portfolio of projects. Mike Dane suggests that you also take the opportunity to document the learning process itself.
“Learn in the open,” Mike says.
Documenting all that you learn and achieve is a form of personal branding, but it will also help you to form meaningful connections within the data science community, because you are giving back to that community by providing valuable guidance for others.
By focusing on the process of learning new things (rather than just seeing it as a means to an end) you won’t have the same fear of being a beginner, and you should be less likely to experience the stress of <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/overcoming-imposter-syndrome-in-the-tech-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">imposter syndrome.</a>
Another tip to help those who don’t feel like real data analysts yet is to embrace any previous experience that you may have, whether it is in a related field or not.
Simran found that her marketing background helped her to become a better data analyst for her company, and Kshira observed something similar with colleagues in his own company who had only moved into data analysis later in their working lives.
If you’re still not sure whether you have the skills that you need, then spend a bit of time looking at job postings. Simran suggests jotting down the most common requirements for the roles that interest you. You then have something to work towards, and a way to know that you are becoming job-ready.

How to Start Your Journey as a Data Analyst

Feeling overwhelmed, or as though you don’t belong in a new job or <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new field of study</a> is common to most people. But when those feelings don’t go away with time and experience, it could be a sign that imposter syndrome is creeping in, telling you that you’re out of place amongst others who you perceive as more qualified, or more suited to the task than you are.
When psychologists Dr Pauline Clance and Dr Suzanne Imes found a pattern amongst “highly successful women” who felt like “imposters”, they published their 1978 research paper, <a href="https://www.paulineroseclance.com/pdf/ip_high_achieving_women.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention</a>.
<a href="https://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/-Langford.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Further research</a> by Clance and <a href="https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJBS/article/view/521/pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">others</a> found that their “imposter phenomenon” was widespread – applying to people regardless of gender or “achievement”.
In the tech industry, it seems, imposter syndrome is alive and kicking. In 2018, tech networking site Blind conducted a survey, asking whether the <a href="https://www.teamblind.com/blog/index.php/2018/09/05/58-percent-of-tech-workers-feel-like-impostors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participants suffered from imposter syndrome</a>. Members working at leading companies including Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Expedia, responded, with the majority, (57.55 per cent) responding, that, yes, they did suffer from imposter syndrome.
So, if you’re feeling like you don’t fit in, how do you overcome imposter syndrome?
At last year’s WomenTech Network conference, keynote speaker Melonie de Guzman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WIGoCGba8g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared her advice</a> for anyone wanting to overcome imposter syndrome to enjoy a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/developer-jobs-amongst-australias-10-most-in-demand-professions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fulfilling career in tech</a>.
&nbsp;
<h2>Beating Imposter Syndrome by Promoting Yourself </h2>
One of Melonie de Guzman’s key career revelations came to her relatively recently, when she realised that she had been, “Waiting for someone to anoint me a leader in the industry,” she said.
Advocating for yourself is important, but difficult in a system that has taught us to seek approval and advancement from others, de Guzman believes.
“We grew up our whole lives where we do the work, we get evaluated, and then we receive permission to move forward,” she says. “And for so long, I carried that mindset with me to my career.”
This led to de Guzman believing that she was passed over for promotion, or for new and exciting tasks because she had been evaluated and found lacking. Then, one day, it clicked that her company’s priorities were not necessarily the same as her own. There was every chance that the lack of career advancement was actually an affirmation of her competence – she was good at her role, and her company had no desire to tamper with what was working well for them.
This was when de Guzman realised that she would have to promote herself, in both senses of the word. If de Guzman wanted to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-a-coding-bootcamp-changed-my-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pursue new opportunities</a>, she would have to become her own advocate, and she would have to search for the roles she wanted to fill – giving herself the promotion, rather than waiting for someone else to do so.
&nbsp;
<h2>Overcoming Imposter Syndrome by Learning, Growing, and Facing the Facts</h2>
As an accomplished public speaker, de Guzman radiates confidence and competence. It might seem difficult for someone who is suffering from feelings of inadequacy to ever see themselves in such a role. But this is exactly how de Guzman started out herself.
Admiring the speakers at a networking event, de Guzman started to question why she wasn’t up there sharing the things that mattered to her. And this was where she came up with a key strategy for overcoming imposter syndrome.
“Gather data,” de Guzman suggests.
At the end of the day, you can combat feelings of inadequacy with facts.
“It’s about a shift in mindset,” de Guzman says. “These are our thoughts and feelings… and thoughts are not facts.”
Recognising your own achievements isn’t self-indulgent. It can be a valuable way to learn and to grow. It is important to give yourself credit for the work that you have done, and even to make a list of your accomplishments so that you can refer to concrete data when your impression of your own abilities may be unreliable.
The Blind survey sparked an interesting debate, with participants speculating that imposter syndrome was so common in the tech industry because it is constantly changing, necessitating that everyone <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learns as they go</a>.
This constant need to learn and grow may be necessary, and even beneficial. But that doesn’t mean it’s always comfortable. It requires humility to accept when we don’t know something, and trying new things that we aren’t skilled at can often make us feel like failures.
When we do face these setbacks, de Guzman’s encouragement is not to see this as a failure but as an opportunity to learn and improve. Echoing Thomas Edison’s famous quote, “I have not failed. I&#8217;ve just found 10,000 ways that won&#8217;t work,” de Guzman suggested, “You’re just gathering data on what works best”.
&nbsp;
<h2>Overcoming Imposter Syndrome by Working Together</h2>
Understanding your own goals and gathering data on your own achievements will be important. But it’s also important not to see this as a solo journey. You can overcome your own imposter syndrome by working with others, and you will hopefully find yourself able to help them with the problems that they are facing as well.
Returning from a tech conference in 2019, de Guzman began to wonder how she could bring the community spirit and energy of that tech conference into her own organisation. This led to her co-founding Rogers Women in Technology and the Women in Technology Mentorship Program where women could network, learn from, and mentor each other.
You might be inspired to found a group like de Guzman did, but working with others could be as simple as finding and getting involved in the groups that already exist in your area or sector.
&nbsp;
<h2>Don’t Try to Defeat Imposter Syndrome by Becoming Like Others</h2>
While having people to look up to is important, it’s also important not to try to be them. One reason for feeling like an imposter can be feeling like an outsider, but the tech industry needs diversity if it is to grow, thrive, and serve society by reflecting the wider society.
“When we talk about STEM or the tech industry &#8211; when it was built, we weren’t at the table,” de Guzman says. “Women weren’t at the table, minorities weren’t at the table.”
“The system is working as expected to benefit the old school way… because when they were building this fictional table, we weren’t in the blueprint.”
A recent <a href="https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/digital-pulse-2021.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report from the Australian Computer Society (ACS)</a> found that women hold only 29 per cent of roles in the technology sector, and that this percentage is increasing at a glacial pace. Based on current trends, it will take 66 years for technology occupations to reach a female participation rate of just under 50 per cent.
An American <a href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research report</a> produced jointly by Accenture and Girls Who Code, found that 50 per cent of women who take a tech role drop it by the age of 35.
Another American <a href="https://www.workingmother.com/why-women-of-color-want-to-quit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report from Working Mother Research Institute</a> on corporate culture found that 50 per cent of multicultural women are thinking of leaving their companies within the next two years, due to feelings of marginalisation and disillusionment.
It’s easy to see why anyone in the minority might begin to feel like an imposter in the tech industry, but it’s important for people not to give up their identities in an effort to blend in. The Accenture and Girls Who Code report found that creating more inclusive workplaces and study environments was key to supporting gender diversity in tech. People thrive when there are visible role models of their gender, and they are given the support of a mentor.
Over the years, de Guzman tried to change herself to fit in, to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/meet-our-students-diversity-in-tech-scholarship-winners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reflect what she saw around her</a>. This is one of the reasons she is now so passionate about building communities and mentorship circles &#8211; so that people can see others in the tech industry who are like them. So that they don’t feel like outsiders and imposters in an industry that hasn’t built a place for them.
Another way de Guzman tackles the non-inclusive blueprint is to take a different approach to leadership.
“So, servant leadership is… just a way that you approach leadership,” de Guzman explains. “And I love that it argues that the most effective leaders are the ones who are servants first, who set their team up for success, versus trying to attain more power. And I really believe that if people approach it in this way versus those sayings you hear of, ‘Every man for himself,’ or, ‘It’s a dog-eat-dog world,’ like we’re all in competition – if we stop that, and go more to servant leadership, where I want you to succeed, and whatever I can do that’s within my wheelhouse to help you succeed, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Challenging an autocratic style of leadership may be difficult when it’s the model that we’re used to, but it is just one more way to help everyone in tech to grow and flourish.
&nbsp;
<h2>Understand When It’s More Than Just Imposter Syndrome </h2>
Of course, it’s important to understand the difference between imposter syndrome and discriminatory workplace practices. Putting the onus on individuals to address their own insecurities can be unhelpful when those insecurities stem from a biased or toxic workplace culture.
At a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLX1GTE3Zhw&amp;t=617s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020 Girls in Tech conference</a>, then CEO of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Raquel Tamez, spoke about imposter syndrome and disparities in STEM.
“In recent years, it has become trendy to discuss how we (mainly women and people of colour) suffer from this imposter syndrome, an inability to internalise one’s accomplishments, with this persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud,” Tamez said.
“Imposter syndrome? No way. I don’t subscribe to the imposter syndrome, and neither should you.”
“Worries about not knowing enough, or being good enough are natural… You’ll never know everything, so instead, I invite you to identify the gap in your knowledge, and in your experience, and work towards closing it.”
&nbsp;
Feelings of failure, of being an imposter, can come from many sources. When that’s external, it’s important to work with others to bring down those barriers, to lead with integrity, and to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/coding-bootcamps/diversity-scholarship/info" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increase diversity</a> so everyone can grow.
When feeling like a fraud is something that we have internalised, then it can still be helpful to lean on others for support, but it’s also important to take stock, and to understand when feelings are just feelings, and not facts.
And what was de Guzman’s final message for anyone looking to move forward in their career without imposter syndrome holding them back?
“The advice I would give myself? Don’t tie your success to your company. Don’t be afraid to move from job to job in order to get more experience, get a better pay cheque, but also, to increase your portfolio.”

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in the Tech Industry

With COVID-19 disrupting so many aspects of our lives suddenly and dramatically, everyone has had to find ways to adapt. Largely this has meant restricting our movements, and shifting many of our daily activities into the virtual world.
One surprising result of the shift to virtual learning is that it has actually had a range of positive outcomes for many students.
Research firm Brandon Hall found that students could actually <a href="https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/301248/15-facts-and-stats-that-reveal-the-power-of-elearning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learn faster</a> when engaged in online (as opposed to face-to-face) learning. The study looked at employees undertaking further training, finding a reduction of 40 to 60 per cent of the time it took students to learn new material.
Another benefit of virtual learning was in the retention of information. The Research Institute of America looked at this and found that virtual learning could actually <a href="https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/301248/15-facts-and-stats-that-reveal-the-power-of-elearning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increase retention rates</a> by 25 to 60 per cent.
In a way, Australia has been in a unique position to make the move to virtual learning. Due to geographic challenges, we have actually been doing it for decades. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_the_Air" target="_blank" rel="noopener">School of the Air</a> was providing education for students in the Outback and other remote communities long before the advent of the internet. Many tertiary programs have also traditionally included online options that allow regional students to participate.
But what does virtual learning look like in 2021? And how will educators and students continue to meet the challenges, adapting and adopting the best methods for virtual learning in the years to come?
To find out more about the plans put in place by <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> and its parent company NextEd Group, we sat down (virtually) with Academic Manager, Dr. Bianca Power, and Head of Instructional Design, Alex Gilbey to get their insights.
<h6>Coder: The pandemic has forced experimentation in a lot of industries &#8211; how have you seen this play out in the education industry?</h6>
Bianca: At the beginning of the pandemic there was an obvious need to shift education online, and to do so at breakneck pace. I’ve seen this done well by some education providers and poorly by others. While some providers have tried things such as providing recordings of classes from previous years instead of running the classes live, we knew from the start that that approach wouldn’t work for us. What we teach at Coder Academy is dynamic, it’s always changing as the industry changes. So even when teaching remotely we make sure that what we’re delivering is live, up to date, dynamic and student-centred learning experiences. Over the past 16 months we’ve had plenty of experience using our online conferencing tool as a platform for connecting, engaging, and delivering a quality <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/coding-courses/coding-bootcamps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bootcamp</a> experience.
<h6>Coder: Although the switch to moving classes to virtual learning was crisis-driven, do you think the digitisation of education would have been inevitable anyway?</h6>
Alex: Yes. This has been coming for 20-odd years. While the impact of instructor-led teaching cannot be underestimated, so much learning is possible via a digital medium nowadays. And education has always needed to adapt.
Bianca: Absolutely. This is where education was already heading &#8211; the pandemic just accelerated it. Remote learning opens up so many opportunities for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access the same kinds of education. Take Coder Academy for example. We have campuses in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Before March 2020, to join one of our bootcamps someone would need to be in a position to attend campus in the CBD of the eastern states, three to five days per week. Now that we’re supporting remote and hybrid learning, we have people who join us from Perth, Adelaide, rural areas &#8211; digitisation has removed geographical limitations on access to high-quality educational experiences. This access to education is fundamental to the future.
<h6>Coder: What do you see as the main challenges for students when it comes to switching to virtual learning?</h6>
Alex: Some significant challenges faced by students when switching to online learning are:
<ul>
<li>Having access to enough quality resources and activities</li>
<li>Receiving enough clear, specific, detailed instructions or information</li>
<li>Overcoming bandwidth, connectivity, and storage issues</li>
<li>Being able to receive timely feedback or instructor support</li>
<li>Feeling disconnected from peers, and learning communities</li>
<li>Understanding how to use an online learning management system (like Canvas) properly</li>
<li>A reduction in learning by osmosis (absorbing information from classroom discussions, watercooler chat, social interactions)</li>
</ul>
<h6>Coder: What has Coder Academy done to address these issues?</h6>
Bianca: Coder Academy recognised this from the start, and put in place structures within the online learning environment to help learners adjust to virtual learning. For example, regular breaks are important &#8211; “Zoom fatigue” is real!
We also know the importance of giving people a reason to engage, so our educators make sure they’re not just talking to their screen, they’re actively involving learners in the learning process, asking for contributions in the chat or over audio &#8211; just like IRL, only with more options for engagement!
<h6>Coder: What do you think are some of the benefits of virtual learning?</h6>
Bianca: Access to education, for sure. Being able to join online from anywhere, breaking down the geographical boundaries. Individuals with disabilities that may have made it difficult for them to come to campus can also really benefit in this regard.
Another benefit is that a natural extension of taking classes online is that the sessions are all recorded &#8211; meaning students can go back and rewatch certain topics, and easily refer back to classes from previous days or weeks.
Alex: There really are a number of benefits to virtual learning.
<ul>
<li>Increased flexibility</li>
<li>Learning is more self-paced and autonomous</li>
<li>Students develop intrinsic 21st-century skills (using technology, adapting to tech issues, communicating virtually, preparing work digitally using adaptive technology and software)</li>
<li>Students engage with resources from broader, global networks</li>
<li>Students are not disadvantaged by their geographical location</li>
<li>When lectures are recorded, or provided in video form, students can go back through key points, instead of having to rely on live delivery. This increases information retention.</li>
</ul>
<h6>Coder: It has been said that online education can amplify the digital divide &#8211; what resources or services does Coder Academy have in place to address this?</h6>
Bianca: We make sure that no paid software is needed. With the exception of a home internet connection, nothing additional is needed to learn online with Coder Academy compared to learning with us on campus. If anything, removing travel costs and the need for a laptop for those who already have suitable desktop computers at home can actually be financially beneficial.
Alex: While students at other schools may suffer when they lose access to a library or labs with physical resources, Coder Academy has always seen the benefit in allowing for learning and access to resources no matter where students are located.
<h6>Coder: One of the criticisms of virtual education is the feeling of isolation and lack of connection that can lead to or amplify mental health issues. What services does NextEd Group/Coder Academy have in place for their students to address this?</h6>
Bianca: We’re very aware of this and work closely with the team to give a real community feel within the bootcamps, even when we’re coming together online rather than face-to-face. NextEd also has a student wellbeing program called Uprise, which gives students access to professional mental health advice at no cost, and confidentially through the Uprise online platform. 
<h6>Coder: How have the staff and educators reacted to the change in delivery?</h6>
Bianca: No denying it was a steep learning curve at first, but now we’ve settled into the groove of online delivery, we can all really see the benefits it provides. The opportunity to jump in and teach in areas we’re passionate about, regardless of geographical location, is a huge plus. That means bootcamp students are getting to hear from people with industry expertise from across the country, not just their local city.
<h6>Coder: What technologies has Coder Academy implemented in the classroom to assist with the student experience?</h6>
Bianca: On campus we have a fantastic setup that our educators use to teach from &#8211; dual monitors to help with workflow and allow educators to easily view the online chat while they teach; a drawing tablet is used instead of a whiteboard, which makes sure that people joining us online can see everything that is drawn right there on their own screens. 
<h6>Coder: Talk us through a typical day for a Coder virtual bootcamp student?</h6>
Bianca: The typical day will start at 9am when the educator starts the online conference.
First up is usually a Kahoot, which is a fun interactive quiz that helps review the previous day’s concepts.
Then there will be a code along, where the educator will be taking everyone through how to use concepts they have been learning and apply them to building something with code. Students are encouraged to code along with the educator, and this is an interactive session where students jump in and contribute &#8211; we don’t do boring lectures! This will continue until lunch time, with plenty of breaks in between to make sure everyone has a chance to get up and away from their screens regularly.
There will then be an hour break for lunch, and after lunch educators will be around in the conference to support students working through challenges that have been set or working on their own coding projects.
We finish out the day by 5pm, and then it’s time to relax and let all that new learning sink in!
<h6>Coder: What would you say to anyone who has concerns about the virtual experience not being the same as a face-to-face experience?</h6>
Bianca: In 2021 and beyond, working online is the new norm. As a society, and an industry, we’ve figured out how to “do” remote work. We have systems and ways of working in place to take advantage of the virtual learning/work experience, and if anything, bring you a better and more industry-relevant bootcamp than ever before.

The Reality of Virtual Learning

For anyone who wants to learn to code, choosing a bootcamp that makes the esteemed <a href="https://www.coursereport.com/coding-bootcamp-ultimate-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Course Report</a> list is kind of a big deal.
Now, Course Report is looking to students to provide the answers. Their <a href="https://www.coursereport.com/reports/2020-coding-bootcamp-alumni-outcomes-demographics-report-during-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest report</a> is the result of a survey of 3,043 graduates from 101 coding schools, with a further breakdown of responses from 2020, 2019, and 2018.
The 2020 Coding Bootcamp Alumni Outcomes &amp; Demographics Report has a number of interesting findings with regards to employment outcomes, salaries, and the changing demographics of those who are learning to code.
Here’s a summary of some of the key findings.
<h2 dir="ltr">Coding bootcamp graduates found employment in relevant fields</h2>
The report found that one of the key motivators for students enrolling in a bootcamp where they could learn to code was to gain <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/developer-jobs-amongst-australias-10-most-in-demand-professions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employment as a programmer</a>. With 91% of graduates reporting this as their reason for applying to a coding bootcamp, it is encouraging to see that 79% of graduates were successful in landing a job where they used the skills that they learnt at a bootcamp.
<a href="https://www.coursereport.com/reports/2020-coding-bootcamp-alumni-outcomes-demographics-report-during-covid-19#employment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Employment outcomes</a> were also good in terms of the percentage of graduates who were able to move into full-time work. While 57% of graduates reported working full-time prior to attending a coding bootcamp, it was found that 78% of respondents were working full-time after completing their course.
<h2>Bootcamp graduates saw significant boosts to their salary</h2>
Respondents to the survey reported a 56% <a href="https://www.coursereport.com/reports/2020-coding-bootcamp-alumni-outcomes-demographics-report-during-covid-19#salary-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average salary lift</a> in their employment post-graduation. These positive outcomes continued, with the graduates from previous years reporting that their salary continued to increase as they moved into their second (23% lift) and third (19% lift) jobs after graduation.
Another positive outcome was that both women and men were reporting <a href="https://www.coursereport.com/reports/2020-coding-bootcamp-alumni-outcomes-demographics-report-during-covid-19#gender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar salaries</a> after graduation with only a 6% difference in their salary lift. In the United States (where the majority of survey respondents reside and work) the average gender pay gap sees <a href="https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=ACSST1Y2019.S2411&amp;tid=ACSST1Y2019.S2411&amp;hidePreview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women’s earnings</a> sit at 81.6% of men’s earnings in the computer, engineering, and science occupations.
Another interesting finding was that the length of the bootcamp did appear to show a correlation with post-graduation salary. Graduates of bootcamps that lasted sixteen weeks or more were found to be earning approximately $8,000 more than their peers who attended bootcamps that only lasted eight weeks. This bodes well for Australian graduates, with many of the <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/7-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-coding-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">main coding bootcamps</a> currently running across Australia offering longer courses.
<h2 dir="ltr">The demographics of those who learn to code are changing</h2>
Although the report suggests that there is a long way to go before the demographic make-up of students reflects the wider population, there is a definite sense that things are changing.
Overall, the majority (~69%) of respondents were White/Caucasian, with 17% of Asian ethnicity, and an underrepresentation of Black/African American graduates at only 6%. The results suggest that students do not represent the current population demography, but that this is beginning to change and to shift closer to US census data each year.
The percentage of female graduates who learn to code in a bootcamp setting has been gradually increasing each year. In 2020, 41% of graduates were female. In the last three years, the percentage of female graduates increased each year, while the percentage of graduates identifying as non-binary showed an overall increase.
READ: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/improving-gender-diversity-in-tech">Improving Gender Diversity in Tech</a>
It’s encouraging to see the report’s results pointing to positive alumni outcomes for so many students. This is even greater news for students considering the results covered years where many industries were struggling with the effects of COVID-19. In a time where many people are looking to upskill or re-train, the future for coding bootcamp alumni looks bright.

01_About_us_Website_9_May2023

The Future Looks Bright for Coding Bootcamp Graduates

Our students are the heartbeat of our organisation. We love hearing each and every one of their stories from where they have come from to what inspired them to join a coding bootcamp. We recently caught up with Grey Joyner, a Web Development Student currently enrolled in our <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp">Standard Web Development (10 months duration) Bootcamp</a> at our Sydney Campus.
<h6>Coder: Hi Grey,  thanks for sharing your story with us today. So, tell us first of all what was your motivation for doing our Standard Web Development bootcamp?</h6>
Grey: I wanted to explore the possibility of moving into a career in software development. I’d done some coding basics in the past and really enjoyed it, so I wanted to see if it was something worth pursuing further.
<h6>Coder: Well we&#8217;re glad you did 🙂 Had you had any previous coding/web development experience before doing the bootcamp?</h6>
Grey: Yes, a bit. I did one course in high school and one in uni. But now that I’m 30, that was all a while ago! I did some intro to JavaScript stuff online before enrolling just to make sure I still enjoyed it.
<h6>Coder: Did you have any misconceptions, fears or barriers before you decided to take the plunge?</h6>
Grey: I think I had a stereotype in my head about who a coder is. I am not particularly interested in getting the latest gadget or staying up late playing computer games, so previously I didn’t see myself as a coder. But I’ve since learned two things: (1) there’s a huge variety of people in coding and (2) the most important thing is an interest in coding.
<h6>Coder: When you were looking at options on where to study can you tell us why you chose Coder Academy?</h6>
Grey: I have a friend in the US who works in software development. He went through the bootcamp route, so he understands the bootcamp concept well. I showed him the syllabus for this course as well as for other ones I was considering, and he thought this one looked the most comprehensive. Plus, the internship program at the end seems like a plus!
READ: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/7-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-coding-bootcamp">7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Coding Bootcamp</a>
<h6>Coder: Are you currently working in the tech industry?</h6>
Grey: No. At the moment I’m doing some part-time work at a nonprofit and building my own LGBTQ mentorship program. Before that, I worked in consulting and corporate strategy.
<h6>Coder: We&#8217;d love to hear about a project you recently completed while doing your course. Is there something you can share with us that you&#8217;re super proud of?</h6>
Grey: I was proud of building the game Battleship in the terminal as my final project for Term 1. I implemented some logic to the computer’s moves which was fun to think through. I also enjoyed building my own website!
<h6>Coder: What skills from your previous career or study have been valuable during your course?</h6>
Grey: Project and time management have been useful throughout the course. Public speaking skills have also been useful when presenting my work. Lastly, my maths background (I studied maths in uni) helped with Computer Science fundamentals, although not everyone needs to be a maths whiz to do well in the course.
<h6>Coder: What do you hope to do once you complete your bootcamp?</h6>
Grey: Mostly I just want a job! I’m not sure exactly what – the company culture is more important to me than the actual work, although I do see myself as maybe being <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development">more of a backend person than a frontend person</a> (design and HTML/CSS aren’t my strong suits!).
<h6>Coder: Do you have any study tips for anyone thinking about joining a coding bootcamp?</h6>
Grey: Do some online coding before you sign up (e.g. an intro course in Udemy or Codecademy) just to make sure you want to commit to coding. If possible, clear as much of your schedule as you can – even those of us in the bootcamp are spending a decent amount of time on the course, and don’t have the time to work more than a few days per week. And come ready to put in the effort! That’s how you’ll get the most out of the course.
<h6>Coder: Finally… we’d love to know… What was the last song/music you listened to?</h6>
Grey: Maggie Rogers – Love You For A Long Time
<h6 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Coder: Last podcast you listened to?</h6>
Grey: Making Gay History
<h6 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Coder: Last TV show you watched?</h6>
Grey: Wild Wild Country (doco about a cult in Oregon)
<h6 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Coder: Last social media site you visited?</h6>
Grey: Reddit
<h6>Coder: Last thing that made you smile?</h6>
Grey: Going on a boat in the Sydney Harbour with some friends on a beautiful day! 🙂

Student Spotlight: Grey Joyner

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Coders are a diverse set of people &#8211; old, young, women, non-binary, men, all colours, sizes, religions and creeds. Some love sports, some love music, some love arts and crafts, some love reading, some love a barbecue and a beer with the crew on the weekend. We are people with a diverse set of likes and dislikes, like any group of people. Forget all the preconceptions you have ever heard and read on as I try and de-bunk some of the more common coding myths.
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<h3>1. You need to be really good at maths&#8230;</h3>
Do you remember that sin2 + cos2 = 1? No? Well fear not, your coding career isn’t over just yet! Maths and coding are actually very different skill sets. How often in math class did you have to come up with different ways to solve something? Almost never? Me too! You learnt the way to solve the problem, and you did it that way. In coding there are as many solutions to a problem as there are people trying to solve it. Coding is a way of thinking, far more than a specific skill you need to learn by rote; it is a problem solving kind of skill; a way of seeing things from different angles; even a creative skill set. Did I just say creative? Yes! Which brings me to my next point…
<h3>2. Creative people make terrible coders&#8230;</h3>
You could not be more wrong! Coding, and coding well, takes a lot of creativity! Sometimes things just don’t work and you are left scratching your head as to why (anyone who has ever played with CSS* knows what I’m talking about). You need to come up with another solution, and maybe another, and another. If there are 20 different coders working on a problem, you will get 20 different ways to solve it! And the best solution will probably be a mix of these solutions, as we need all kinds of different people and diversity to come up with the best solutions. Logical people make great coders, and so do creative people. They may code differently to each other, but neither is better. Coding needs creatives! Coding needs all kinds of people! Which again leads to my next point&#8230;
<h3>3. Women make terrible coders&#8230;</h3>
Garbage! Once again coding is all about diversity. Diversity of thinking, and diversity of solutions. We need all kinds of thinking and all kinds of solutions to come up with a complete answer. Women, non-binary, men, and everyone else can make excellent coders. As I said before, coding is a way of thinking, and that way of thinking is not exclusive to any one gender or sex. Coding is all about breaking down problems into teeny tiny bite sized pieces and explaining to the computer exactly what you want it to do.
<h3>4. You need to be a genius to be a coder&#8230;</h3>
If you can break something down and explain it to a small child, you can program a computer. Computers are basically small children that take everything you say literally. If you say, “Can you grab me a drink” a small child probably won’t know what drink, or where from, or how much, and you’re likely to end up with milk all over the floor. If you tell a small child to go to the cupboard, grab me the pink cup, fill it up halfway with orange juice, put the juice back in the fridge and don’t forget to close the fridge door &#8211; you’re far more likely to get your drink. That’s all coding is &#8211; you need to tell the computer exactly what you want. You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to break everything down into tiny little problems, then solve each one.
<h3>5. Coding is for anti-social nerds</h3>
Anti-social you say? Who do you think made all your favourite social media apps? All those meetup and dating type apps to help you meet people? Who coded up the ability to play online with your friends in all your favourite online games? These were all coders who thought it would be a great idea to bring people together! There are plenty of extroverts among us! The word ‘diversity’ ringing any bells here?
And nerds you say? These people also created your favourite streaming apps like Netflix and Stan! They created Spotify, Reddit, Imgur and TikTok. Basically all your favourite popular pastimes, that all the cool kids are into, were created by these “nerds”. Coders basically made your life liveable while you were locked away in 2020. Imagine lockdown without coders! No thanks!
So there you have it. If any of these myths have been holding you back from starting your career in coding then I hope I&#8217;ve debunked a few and you might consider taking the leap. We need you, the world needs you! Coders really do make the world go round.
* Yes I know CSS isn’t a coding language, but you know what I mean, and if you don’t, once you get into coding you’ll know what I mean.
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Written by Jo Dunham.

5 Coding Myths Debunked

Our coding bootcamp students come from all sorts of backgrounds but often their primary motivation is the same &#8211; they are looking to change jobs to something more interesting and lucrative, fast.
Starting out on a journey to gaining a new, exciting, high earning career in such a short period of time can be super rewarding but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. Enrolling in a coding bootcamp is a big commitment but definitely one that will pay off. So what can you expect when you join a coding bootcamp?
<h2>You&#8217;ll start coding right away!</h2>
Within the first few hours of the bootcamp you will be coding. Some people in your cohort may have dabbled in code before, but if you are a complete newbie the learning curve will be steep but is all achievable. Before you start you can try your hand at some of the free coding challenges on sites like CodeAcademy then, once you begin, prepare yourself by doing any pre-course work, arrive on time and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You should be prepared to work harder than you have ever done before. Your school day may be 9-5, but it’s highly recommended you keep on coding outside of the classroom. Within a few weeks you will be building basic websites and dreaming of bug fixes (which unfortunately only work in your dreams).
<h2>You’ll join a thriving tech community</h2>
It will be fun! There is nothing like experiencing this intense, emotional experience together to build friendships. And as your brain is moulded into that of a developer, your cohort buddies will be the only ones who find your tech humour amusing, so it is lucky you will be spending so much time with them. They will also be the start of your growing tech community as you attend meetups together and network your way into a job.
<h2>You’ll want to give up &#8211; don’t!</h2>
There will be days when you want to quit, when you think you were insane to believe that you could go from your current job to creating with code as a developer &#8211; but if you have the passion, the drive and the motivation you will code through these days and remember how far you have come. Your new friends and educators will support you because they know that your self-doubt is just fear. You will learn to cope with these emotions as well as other soft-skills like written and verbal communication, team-work, and time management.
<h2>You’ll connect to industry</h2>
Some coding bootcamps (like ours!) offer the opportunity to take part in an industry placement. These are a great way to get your foot in the door and to experience life as a coder in a real job. You’ll join the team and work on real projects and the best part is, around half of the students who complete a placement end up working for that same company!
<h2>You’ll never stop learning</h2>
Finally you will realise that nobody can become an expert in such a short time. Trends in technology change frequently, new frameworks are developed, major upgrades happen &#8211; but what you will learn in a coding bootcamp is how to learn so you can keep on learning new languages or frameworks. You’ll learn how to think like a developer; as you embark on the most rewarding career of your life.
So, if you’re still on the fence about joining a coding bootcamp &#8211; why not attend one of our virtual info sessions &#8211; these interactive sessions are a great way to learn all about our bootcamps, learn about the curriculum and ask our course advisors any questions you might have.
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Written by Catherine Callcott-Stevens.

So, You Want to Join a Coding Bootcamp? Here’s What to Expect.

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Making big changes in life is hard, no matter how much you want it. No matter how ready you feel and how much you want to change your career path, when you’ve worked your 9–5 job for many years — taking that step into the unknown can seem almost impossible. When you decide to <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/guide-to-changing-careers">change career paths</a>, you’ll need to spend a lot of time learning something completely new while staying determined and motivated. You will also need a lot of self-discipline — and in a world where everything happens so quickly, a change in career does not just happen overnight. That all said, it’s still a possible and worthwhile task — so it’s time to get a head start as we help you get the <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-types-of-programming-jobs-can-i-get" target="_blank" rel="noopener">job of your dreams</a> with some useful tips.
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<h3 id="c01b">Why You May Want to Change Your Career</h3>
A lot of people start to think about trying something new when they feel exhausted or bored with their day-to-day. If the willpower is just not there and you’re finding yourself struggling to wake up to force yourself into work, the chances are that something is not quite right.
Do you sit in the office and work on auto-pilot? Do you constantly wish you were somewhere else? Maybe you have great ideas but nobody is interested in them. Or — maybe — you’re tired of turning green with job-envy whenever your <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/6-things-that-make-a-great-software-developer">software developer friend</a> talks about their work.
The reality is that there are many different reasons why people want to break into the tech industry — and no matter who you are, where you come from or your abilities — if you really want to get into tech, you can do it.
<h3 id="cc79">Common Mistakes</h3>
Some people get discouraged from getting into tech because they don’t have a background in the area — this is a <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/5-coding-myths-debunked">common misconception</a>. Because tech is such an ever-changing industry, even if you don’t have a degree in computer science or have been bad at math in school, you can still successfully <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/python-the-best-programming-language-for-beginners">learn programming languages</a> and master the necessary coding skills. In tech, it’s the passion, drive and ability to continuously learn that get you where you want to be in your career.
Another common error when changing careers, is being driven by salary only. Though money is an undeniably important issue, it is crucial that it accompanies a passion for industry, a desire for professional growth and work-life balance. Since we spend so much time at work, it’s important to like what you do. So make sure that you’re changing careers for the right reasons and do your research!
<h2 id="e17e">Tips on How to Make a Smooth Career Transition</h2>
<h5 id="1b26">1. Determine your learning style</h5>
You’ll have to learn a lot so we suggest choosing the most effective education model to help guide you on your career changing journey. Some people prefer to absorb information alone and read through large paragraphs of information, while others need to be more hands-on and surrounded by a team to learn more collaboratively. Others may also need visual and virtual aids, from podcasts to educational videos. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sources to find out what learning style fits you best!
<h5 id="7fd0">2. Determine what useful skills you already have</h5>
If you’re reading this, the likelihood is you’re someone who will be changing careers. This is a huge advantage as you will have transferable skills that will help you succeed in any position, in any company, inside tech. Companies don’t just want people who know how to write code — they also want you to be a good communicator, critical thinker and creator.
<h5 id="d64f">3. Find the necessary tools and sources</h5>
You can find many online sources created specifically for people wanting to dip their toes into code — <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code">try coding</a> and see if you like it before committing to upskilling in it. You can also check out books and visit any <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/coder-connect">workshops or meetups</a> happening in your city or region. In our opinion, an immersive, accelerated course is the ideal option for getting your tech skills up to scratch for a career in industry as a developer.
If you’re tossing up your options, but still unsure which path to follow, now is the time to discover how <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-a-coding-bootcamp-changed-my-life" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/people/how-a-coding-bootcamp-changed-my-life">a coding bootcamp can change your life</a>.
<h5>4. Start with small projects</h5>
When you look for your first project to tackle — be realistic. Don’t try to do too much at once and give yourself time to enjoy programming.
<h5 id="3621">5. Prepare for interviews</h5>
Research, research, research! Look for common questions and programming challenges online and think about how you’d answer or solve them independently. Work on your personal brand, build a great portfolio and be confident in yourself.
<h3 id="408a">Conclusion</h3>
The tech industry is constantly evolving, and it’s a great opportunity to build on your existing skills, gain new ones to equip you for the future and have your ideas and voice heard in an industry more prevalent than ever. There truly is no time better than today to make the jump, upskill and change your life as you know it.
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About the Author 
Ester Brierley is a QA Engineer in a software outsourcing company and a seasoned content creator for College-Writers but considering a career change. When she’s not writing about cutting-edge digital (and lifestyle) trends, Ester takes online courses to improve her marketing skills. Follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/esterbrierley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://twitter.com/esterbrierley">Twitter</a>.
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Getting into Web Development: The Steps to a Smooth Career Transition

We&#8217;re so pleased to announce that Coder Academy has made Course Report&#8217;s latest list of the best coding bootcamps on the planet &#8211; AGAIN!
<a href="https://www.coursereport.com/schools/coder-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Course Report</a> is the premier site for finding the best coding bootcamps around the globe. With their yearly curated list reflecting their team’s endless research, tracking and conversations with present and past alumni, Course Report’s online database provides a platform for current and prospective students to gather insights on different coding bootcamps by reading alumni reviews and Course Report’s own data on various learning experiences. In this year’s list, Course Report released the names of the best coding bootcamps in the world which they would personally “recommend to [their] own friends”.
We are incredibly humbled to be featured in Course Report’s list for the third year in a row. Coder Academy has been at the forefront of coding bootcamp education in Australia since 2016 and it is together with our <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/corporate/partners">industry partners</a>, our <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/meet-our-students-february-diversity-in-tech-scholarship-winners">incredibly talented students</a>, and our <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/news-com-au-interviews-coder-academy-educator-alex-holder">brilliant educators</a>, that we will continue to expand our presence as a leading provider in the industry. Thank you to each and every one included in our Coder Academy family for making <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp">our bootcamps</a> the most enjoyable, inspiring and effective programs out there!
To create this list, Course Report consider immersive (full-time, in-person) web and mobile development bootcamps around the world. They look for the following qualities when selecting schools for their Best Bootcamps list:
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<li>Alumni + Student Reviews: Students and alumni have left more than 30,000 reviews on Course Report. We consider both quality &amp; quantity of bootcamp reviews, and particular weight is given to Verified Reviews.</li>
<li>Transparency Around Career Outcomes: Schools that have published CIRR outcomes within the past year, though schools that self-publish outcomes are also recognised.</li>
<li>Varied Financing Options: Bootcamps that offer a variety of payment options like deferred tuition, income share agreements, or school financing to make their program more accessible to students.</li>
<li>Vetted Lending Partnerships: Whether a school has been vetted and approved to work with reputable financing companies like Skills Fund and Climb Credit.</li>
<li>In addition to the above factors, we considered a school&#8217;s operation time, number of campuses, selectivity in the application process, calibre of career support, and commitment to diversity when creating this list.</li>
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A huge thanks to Course Report for recognising our efforts once again and for including us on the list!

Coder Academy Makes Course Report’s Best Coding Bootcamps in the WORLD

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I’ve been a Software Developer for about 20 years. I’m not the best or the brightest, but I have had a successful and rewarding career that seems to just keep getting better. In my time, I’ve come to know hundreds of other developers pretty well, and thousands in passing. Why so many? Well — I have been around for a while and I’ve worked on many different teams. I’ve also always been out there in my career, perhaps unlike the stereotypical developer (but, honestly, I’m not too sure <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/5-coding-myths-debunked">how accurate that stereotype is</a>…) I’ve always enjoyed meeting new people in my field, attending conferences, presenting, and just connecting.
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I’ve noticed some things about what makes a great software developer in the process of meeting all of these developers alongside the teams they work with. There are some qualities that are shared by developers who are <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/developer-jobs-amongst-australias-10-most-in-demand-professions">successful in their careers</a>, work on interesting problems, and help to build amazing solutions. Perhaps more importantly, it seems these qualities contribute to their overall happiness and satisfaction.
So &#8211; here they are &#8211; the six things I think make a great software developer:
<h5 id="ff21">1. Curiosity</h5>
Great software developers are great problem solvers. To solve problems that matter, you have to have some curiosity — and the more the better. What makes life hard for people? What makes it fun? How can people get access to what they need? What is missing that would make life easier and better for people? You can start by being curious about the answers to these kinds of questions. This will lead you to the interesting problems &#8211; the ones that, once solved, will make a significant difference.
Being curious about why something isn’t working the way you expect when you are developing a project, and about other ways to do what you are trying to accomplish, is important. Being curious instead of being judgmental and critical can mean the difference between the success and failure of a project.
<blockquote>“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.&#8221; &#8211; Albert Einstein, 1929 October 26, The Saturday Evening Post, What Life Means to Einstein: An Interview by George Sylvester Viereck</blockquote>
Get curious about new ways of seeing and doing things. This is where the best ideas and solutions come from &#8211; curious minds and great imaginations.
<h5 id="706f">2. Passion</h5>
When you’re passionate about what you do, whatever that is, you do it better and with more powerful results, without the experience of a lot of effort &#8211; even when lots of effort is involved. Passion is why I am excited to go to work when I get up in the morning. It is why it is easy and fun for me to connect with other people to create better and more solutions with impact.
Passion gives us energy. Passion produces amazing outcomes. I think that great software developers are passionate about coding and problem solving in general. We like to solve puzzles. We like to sink our teeth into a problem, break it down, and work out the best solution. But the cool thing about software development is that your passion for any field or facet of life can fuel your work as a developer, because software development touches every aspect of our lives. If you are a developer and don’t feel passionate about your work &#8211; find some other work. Your talents and skills are needed where your passion lies, so go there.
<h5 id="f3b5">3. Resilience</h5>
Like most rewarding things in life, software development isn’t always easy. In fact, most of the time it isn’t easy at all. It is challenging. Even when you’ve been a developer for 20 years like me, you encounter obstacles nearly every day. Every new piece of code I write is broken until it works. Then I change it and often it’s broken again &#8211; until I debug it and fix it. I mean &#8211; maybe I can count on one hand the number of times I sat down and wrote a substantial piece of code that worked exactly the way I wanted and expected, just the way I wrote it the first time. I know I’m not the only one who feels like I get it wrong more than I get it right &#8211; most of the developers I know have shared the same experience with me.
This is just part of being a developer. Resilience and the ability to embrace failure upon failure and not be deterred is really important. If you get stopped by this kind of frustration, you won’t be a developer for long, or if you are, you’ll stick to what you know, and won’t take on the really interesting problems. You likely won’t contribute very much of value and interest.
So don’t get discouraged &#8211; you are not alone. Keep calm and carry on coding.
<h5 id="0ebe">4. Compassion</h5>
Carrying on from the last topic &#8211; compassion is an important quality of a happy developer. Not all great developers are happy, and not all happy developers are great, but the two are related. Who would you rather work with?
It’s important to have compassion for yourself. You will make so many mistakes. You will have to overcome so many difficulties. If you have compassion for yourself, you’ll be more likely to demonstrate resilience.
Having compassion for yourself will allow you to feel good even when you make mistakes and encounter obstacles that you don’t quickly overcome.
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If you have compassion for yourself, it’s easier to have compassion for others. In fact, I would challenge you to consider that if you don’t have compassion for yourself, you can’t truly have compassion for others (maybe pity, but not compassion).
You won’t be the only one making mistakes. Sometimes some other developer will check in a code change that breaks things, and you will spend hours or days trying to figure out what it is that you did to break your code, only to find that it was your dear colleague who introduced the problem. When that happens (and it will happen), if you can have real compassion for your workmate, it will just be another thing the team has gone through together and overcome, instead of some reason to judge, blame, or shame. It will make the team stronger, and what you create together will be greater.
<h5 id="65bf">5. Humility</h5>
Sometimes we get it right &#8211; and boy does that feel good! You solve a hard problem, or improve the performance of your application by heaps, or finally master that framework that you’ve only kind of understood for so long. It can be tempting to feel like some kind of coding god in those moments, and there’s nothing wrong with that &#8211; enjoy the victories! Just remember there is still a lot to learn, and that victory was likely earned after a lot of hard work rather than because of some innate ability. We are all learning all the time, in this field perhaps more than most.
Own your accomplishments, but remain humble. Don’t assume that just because you know more about something than someone else that you are somehow more important or valuable than that person.
Staying humble keeps us open to learning from EVERYONE and EVERYTHING.
… And no one wants to work with an arrogant team member. Humility makes you more available and accessible to the people you work with, allowing for more meaningful and genuine connections, which means you’ll create better solutions together.
<h5 id="8f44">6. A Sense of Humour</h5>
This one isn’t absolutely necessary &#8211; but it really helps. If you take yourself or situations too seriously, you are going to suffer a lot as a developer.
For example… when you&#8217;re staring down a release deadline and the build is broken and you don’t know why and your manager is asking when deploy will happen, or your network suddenly decides to stop working when you’re trying to do a demo in front of stakeholders that means the life or death of your current project, or your hard drive dies and you realise you never pushed those last commits that took you three days to develop to the remote repo &#8211; a sense of humour comes in handy.
Don’t take anything too seriously. The release will deploy, another project opportunity will come, and you will write that code you just lost faster the second time anyway, right? Don’t sweat it. Have a laugh, go for a walk or a run, play some video games, or meet some friends at the pub &#8211; whatever helps to remind you there is more to living than whatever situation just went up in flames.
Let your happiness come from within instead of making it depend on any particular situation or outcome.
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<div class="col-11 col-md-7">So, there’s my advice. The best part about these six qualities is that they are available to everyone and anyone who is a software developer already or wants to be a great one.</div>
About the Author: Janel Brandon<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/coxda2lpmqsq3gyczpnj-1.png" alt="" />
Janel Brandon is a previous Lead Educator at <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a> in Brisbane. Prior to joining CA, Janel worked as a software engineer for 20 years at IBM &amp; SAP. She has been an active promoter of women in tech and is passionate about empowering anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in tech to gain the skills and connections they need to succeed.

6 Traits Make a Great Software Developer

It feels like cyber attacks are constantly headline news, but what actually are they and what are some common examples to watch out for? From spam to phishing and espionage, get the low down on what to look out for and how to stay safe online.
<h5>#SPAM</h5>
Not to be confused with the brand of canned cooked meat! Refers to electronic junk mail or junk postings across social media and meet up groups. Some people also refer to SPAM as unsolicited messages.
Where does it happen? Across email, phone, instant messaging platforms like Slack and WhatsApp, YouTube comments, blog comments, etc.
Example: Trolling and fake reviews for products or services.
<h5>#Privacy</h5>
A loaded term. It&#8217;s also known as data privacy or protection. The big challenge surrounding privacy is how to protect an individual&#8217;s identifiable information from third parties such as bank details, contact lists and personal photos online.
Where does it happen? As more and more of our lives go online, the way we define date ranges from documents and pictures on our smartphones and laptops, to our browsing history, call history and even purchase history. Other examples of data collected includes eavesdropping on devices like Google Home, Siri, smartphone cameras and smartphone microphones. It also involves email history, email messages, location trackers and history from maps and fitness trackers, health history, and bank and credit card information stored online.
Example: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-01/massive-data-breach-at-marriott-starwood-hotels/10573562" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marriott Hotel&#8217;s database got hacked</a> which exposed millions of their guest&#8217;s personal information.
<h5>#Theft</h5>
Stealing financial data without consent. Typically refers to hacking with malicious intent and financial gain.
Where does it happen? Just like IRL, theft online involves stealing someone&#8217;s personal or business details without their knowledge. Hackers will steal bank or credit card information without the victim&#8217;s knowledge through breaching databases or networks.
Example: Hacking into someone&#8217;s internet connection without consent or paying.
<h5>#Fraud</h5>
Fraud by means of deception, process and intent. When you are tricked online, on the phone or by other means to reveal important information about your data.
Where does it happen? Fraud is anything from scams to phishing, to impersonation and identity theft. Phishing and scams can take place via email, Facebook, Buy/Sell websites like Gumtree or eBay, or even by telephone. Fraud can also happen inside workplaces when staff steal from an employer.
Example: Someone calling you pretending to be your bank provider and getting your details to then use these against you or steal money from your account.
<h5>#Extortion</h5>
The process of obtaining something (think things like money and services) through force or threats.
Where does it happen? <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/ransomware-attacks-in-australia">Ransomware</a> where someone threatens to delete your data, OR reveal your private data is common. Sadly a lot of vulnerable victims of extortion include health care providers and hospitals &#8211; all of which tend to give into blackmail because otherwise patients are at risk.
Example: Popular celebrities like Emma Watson have had their private photos hacked and leaked online.
<h5>#Espionage</h5>
The act or practice of obtaining confidential and secret information from organisations or government bodies.
Where does it happen? Every country is involved in espionage in some way or another to protect themselves. However, there is also corporate espionage (where companies trade secrets) and cyber attacks to access government secrets or military information.
Example: The New York Times recently published a case study on how <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/us/politics/china-hacking-cyber.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spies from China got the NSA&#8217;s hacking tools</a> and used them for attacks.
<h5>#Chaos</h5>
Another loaded term! At its very core, chaos is any act of complete disorder and confusion. The dangerous part is about gaining control of key systems rather than accessing information.
Where does it happen? In terms of cyber, chaos happens when terrorists, hacktivists or even whistleblowers gain control of key systems through accessing confidential information that has huge negative effects on a society, community or state. Acts of chaos include bringing down important websites (i.e. Government or Banks), bringing down infrastructure like airports, transport systems or power plants down, or even contributing to economic disruption inside financial institutions that make civilians vulnerable.
Examples: Have you heard of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Julian Assange</a>?
<h5>Conclusion</h5>
Categorising and defining cyber attacks is difficult due to their broad and ever-changing nature. One of the many reasons that the huge gap in <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/the-growing-demand-for-cyber-security-talent">skills within the cyber security industry</a> is so troubling, is that a lot of forms of attacks that threaten our futures don&#8217;t exist yet &#8211; or, even more worryingly, exist but we simply are not aware of them yet. Plus, with a black market for so-called &#8220;Zero-Day exploits&#8221; allowing anyone to break into anything for the right place, the lengths black hat hackers will go to are endless.

The Top Cyber Attacks to Watch Out For

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<li class="post-details-content">R2-D2 could be real! (Does this really need an explanation?)</li>
<li class="post-details-content">You want to know what the buzzwords, AI, ML, and <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/samanvay-karambhe-why-i-became-a-data-scientist">Data Science</a> really mean.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">You like to question why things happen, and you’re tired of most of your information on the world coming from your weird uncle. But if 100 people had the same opinions as your weird uncle without much variability, you’d probably believe him.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">And then you start to question who are these 100 people who believe the same things as your weird uncle? Do they really reflect the way the world works? And then you get 1,000,000 peoples’ opinions, and ask a computer to find out the way the world works for you.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">Once you find that out, you realise there are just 101 really weird people in the world (100 + your uncle), and you start to peel back and find out what features make your uncle and these 101 people really weird.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">You then find out how changing these features slightly could make your uncle a lot more or less weird. You tell your uncle how he could be less weird. That doesn’t work well, so you decide it’s probably just better to ignore your uncle’s opinions.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">Aside from your uncle, you realise that there’s a lot of other things that data science is changing in the world &#8211; from voice to text translators, to chat bots, character recognition and self-driving cars &#8211; and you want to get into an industry to build these really cool things.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">In addition, there are machines that are awesome, but sometimes scary, and they are <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/will-ai-steal-my-job">taking jobs away from people</a>. You want to make sure you and your group of friends are not the people who are being displaced by this technology, but are the ones controlling the technology.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">You also want to make sure this <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/ethical-data-analysis">technology is ethical</a>, and you want good people &#8211; like yourself &#8211; to be able to communicate the bias in the technology you build to others, so that it is used responsibly.</li>
<li class="post-details-content">You should stop reading this list, join a <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">course</a> (or two!) and find out for yourself!</li>
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10 Reasons Why You Should Study Data Science

Ever wondered what &#8216;Rubber Duckie&#8217; means when we talk about cyber security? How about a White Hat? We at <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/">Coder Academy</a> sure have, so we decided to quiz some of our current Cyber Security Educators to decipher these terms once and for all&#8230;
// Pen Tester:
Someone hired to break into systems to test their defences for ethical purposes;
// OWASP:
Open Web Application Security Project; an organisation whose mission is to help developers learn how to make secure software;
// Steganography:
A way to get secret information past someone without them noticing, for example by making subtle changes to the colours of an image;
// SQL Injection (SQLi):
The number one web application vulnerability &#8211; creating sly inputs to websites that can abuse their database;
// <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-does-malware-analysis-involve">Malware</a>:
Software with an unethical purpose, such as viruses, trojans, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/ransomware-attacks-in-australia">ransomware</a>, backdoors and rootkits;
// Ransomware:
Software which infects your computer, encrypts your files, and demands you pay the developer a ransom (usually in Bitcoin);
// SOC Analyst:
Front line of an organisation’s <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/top-10-careers-in-cyber-security">cyber defence</a>;
// Hacker:
See_white hat_,_black hat_;
// Ethical Hacker:
See_white hat_;
// Black hat:
Someone who breaks into systems for personal gain or other malicious purposes;
// White hat:
<a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/career-tips-top-tips-for-ethical-hackers">Ethical hacker</a> &#8211; someone who breaks into systems that they are permitted to break into, for the purpose of improving the system’s defences;
// DDoS:
Distributed Denial of Service; a type of attack where thousands of infected computers all flood a target at the same time to make it unusable;
// Reverse Engineering:
Taking apart software or communications to learn how they work, which can be used by defenders to investigate attacks, or attackers to get past defences;
// Red team:
An organisation’s team of offensive hackers who try to break into the organisation’s system. (See_Blue team_);
// Blue team:
An organisation’s defensive team, who monitor incoming attacks, neutralise them, and improve the organisation’s defences (See_red team_);
// Social Engineering:
Using psychological tactics to trick people into helping attackers achieve their goals;
// Phishing:
When an attacker impersonates someone trustworthy, in emails or other messages, to obtain sensitive information;
// Rubber duckie:
A custom-made USB drive that when plugged in, masquerades as a keyboard for a split second and executes malicious commands, and then goes back to looking like an innocent USB drive;
// Kali Linux:
A flavour of Linux specifically designed for pen testing, with heaps of hacking tools and learning resources;
// Bug bounty:
A cash reward offered by an organisation to anyone who finds weaknesses in their system.

Deciphering All Things Cyber Security

The UI designer that I work with and I have a love hate relationship. He comes up with these crazy design ideas that look amazing and whenever I receive his first drafts I instantly get excited. However, that excitement is usually followed by an agonising groan as I start to ask, “Okay, now how the heck are we going to implement this? Sure, it’s beautiful &#8211; but is that even possible!?”
Designers are able to create these amazing designs using tools like Photoshop which are virtually unlimited in their capabilities. Unfortunately, as <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development">web developers</a> we don’t have this type of flexibility when trying to replicate these designs in code. Everything that we style on the web must conform within the rules and properties defined by CSS. This is easy when creating simple web components, but as soon as we stray away from these bounds, life starts to become very difficult and the code becomes hacky. If you have ever attempted to create a simple triangle in CSS, you’ll know what I mean (spoiler alert: It involves having to do trigonometry in CSS, a skill that I never thought I would need outside of 10th grade mathematics). I have encountered a number of instances where the design is simply not possible within the current bounds of CSS, the code simply becomes so hacky that it isn’t worth implementing. In cases like this, the only option you really have is to export the particular component as an image or SVG and use that instead. I have to admit this always upsets me a little, simply because images feel like a compromise, they take a long time to load, they’re not really responsive, and &#8211; worst of all &#8211; they disrupt your web developer street cred.
Right now, CSS is basically the only tool we have for telling the browser how we want HTML elements to appear on a page. As a developer, we write specific rules that the browser interprets to produce a set of pixels on the page (often browsers interpret these rules in different ways, i.e. Chrome does things differently to Safari). This means that the developer is restricted to the rules and boundaries defined by the CSS specification. That said, there has been a recent push to move towards providing developers access to a lot of the low level APIs within the browser to allow the developer more control in terms of styling, layout and animation.
Enter <a href="https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2016/05/houdini" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Houdini</a>: the web initiative aimed at enabling developers to gain more control over the fundamentals of how the browser renders the web page. This means that we can break out of the bounds of CSS and write code that allows us to directly control how the browser creates individual pixels on the page. Rather than telling the browser how we want it to render a particular element through declarative rules, we instead are able to write code that produces the actual pixels on the page. While I write this, Houdini is only partially implemented on Google Chrome since version 65 with other browsers set to follow suit. You can follow the current status of the project using <a href="https://ishoudinireadyyet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this</a> handy website created by <a href="https://twitter.com/DasSurma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surma</a>.
In this article, we’ll be exploring one component of the Houdini project, the CSS Paint API. This API allows the developer to programmatically produce a set of pixels anywhere that CSS expects a background image. Similar to how you would define a linear-gradient as the background image, you can now specify your own special paint function that is evaluated in code and rendered to the page. Essentially allowing you to write a function that produces any set of pixels you can dream of.
With CSS Paint API, we define what are known as ‘<a href="https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2018/01/paintapi#writing_a_paint_worklet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paint worklets</a>’, which are basically just JavaScript modules which tell the browser how it should render the background. The first step in defining a custom paint worklet is to create a class and register it to the browser with a name.<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/vnjdinnzdfmvansx3uj6.png" alt="" />
The first argument passed in to this paint function is ‘ctx’. This is a HTML Canvas context. If you have not heard of HTML Canvas, I recommend you read <a href="https://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_canvas.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this</a> quick article before reading on. The second argument is the geometry. It contains information that tells us how big the element should be and where it’s located on the page, i.e. width and height and x, y positions. Finally, the third argument provides us with access to any other CSS properties defined by this element, such as text colour, border radius or any custom properties. Now that we have defined the paint worklet we have to include it in HTML and tell CSS that we want to use our fancy painter as the background image of our element. <img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/xfyukmyaymmfmeyv8tkx.png" alt="" />
Let’s start with a simple example, we will draw two circles in the centre of the div.
Pretty simple, right? Now, let&#8217;s try to draw a more complex shape.<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/tktcmdctxlyprxq4qnq9.png" alt="" />
We can also pass variables into our paint worklet. Let’s try to change the colour of this element. First we just create a variable in the CSS, then we can access that from our paint worklet code.<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/jwo3dkl0dvet4shhzftu.png" alt="" /> 
<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/khffsb61thq6w97ypyvc.png" alt="" /> 
By using these attributes you’re able to pass in any value that your paint worklet can read. The possibilities for this are endless, you can imagine you could customise any attribute about your component, from colour to size to more advanced properties of your choosing.
These attributes are very powerful when it comes to animation too. Should I want to animate the colour of my component, all I’d need to do is define a keyframe animation in my CSS, modify the ‘&#8211;shape-color’ property and my component will update as required. The best part about this is that the browser will decide the most optimal way to re-render your component, so you don&#8217;t need to worry about manually re-rendering your component on update.
I hope you now understand the basics of this new amazingly powerful primitive API. While these examples have been very basic, the sky&#8217;s the limit with this new API. I personally cannot wait for it to be properly supported by more browsers &#8211; it’s definitely a step in the right direction toward the evolution of the web.
If you would like to find out more about the above, I highly recommend checking out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK3OiJvwgSc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this</a> awesome talk from the Chrome Developer Summit in late 2018.
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About Me
My name is Paul, I am the technical lead at <a href="https://www.lumi.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lumi Finance</a>, a fintech startup with the mission to empower small businesses across Australia through access to capital to grow. At Lumi we are using data and technology as the core of our business to bring access to funding with speed, confidence and at the best price. We are always looking for software engineers to join our rapidly growing team, if you are interested in joining please shoot me a message on my LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpagnan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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The Magic of Houdini and CSS Paint Worklets

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Once upon a time, there was a young adult living and working as a construction labourer in a tiny town in the Australian outback, and quite frankly, he was miserable. He worked his ass off for days on end for a decent enough paycheck, but working in hard, hot and backbreaking conditions. This young adult had a dream of moving back to the city he came from and working in a job that 1) paid better, and 2) didn’t leave him wondering what he was going to do with his life. Eventually, he decided to stop toying with the idea and started looking for opportunities and ways to achieve his goal and put himself into a career that flexed his mental muscles and had room for large-scale growth in the future. And then he found the answer, he was to be a programmer!
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If you haven’t guessed already, this young adult was me. I knew university wasn’t my cup of tea but after doing some self-study with the limited internet I had in the middle of the bush I decided I wanted to write code for a living. I searched around for any opportunities in the nearby towns for someone who would be able to teach me, but there was nothing but retail stores and farm suppliers to be seen. So I came to the conclusion that I would have to either go to university or stay working my dead-end job and teach myself how to code with my limited time and internet connection. This was until I saw an ad for a 25-week coding bootcamp in Brisbane, called <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/">Coder Academy</a>, which offered 1-month industry experience and an extremely high conversion rate of students into tech employees. After many long arguments and discussions with my family, I decided to bite the bullet and enrol in the next class that would start in 2 months&#8217; time.
So the two months of waiting went by and it was time to pack my bags and go off to the big city and start a career in a field nobody in my family had ever thought about doing. I had not that much money, no technical skills and most of all no way of knowing if this was going to pay off in the end. It was quite frankly the biggest risk I had ever taken in my life and I was terrified.
As the weeks went by I learned how to write Ruby, HTML, and CSS and oh boy was my brain fried. The workload was on the edge of unbearable but I learned enough to be comfortable with it. There were days when I would fail time and time again but slowly as my mind shifted into a more logical and step-based way of thinking I found that things became more and more understandable. Day by day things became clearer and exponentially more enjoyable, and the feeling when a topic clicks is undoubtedly the best feeling in existence.
Then just as my confidence with the content was getting high we were snapped back to reality with our first assignment, the two-sided marketplace built with Ruby on Rails. We were introduced to topics such as sales handling, authentication, developing complex shopping cart systems and other tasks that melted my mind. Which looking back at them now are actually quite basic. We then moved on to the fun stuff, JavaScript. We learnt how to build backend systems with Node.js and frontend systems with React.js and Vue.js, these building blocks allowed us to build whatever our heart desired, with some practice of course.
READ: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development">Frontend vs Full Stack vs Backend Web Development</a>
We were also given the opportunity to go on one-month internships with startups and other large companies in Brisbane, and this is where I got the biggest surprise of my life. After interviewing with a few companies I decided to go with a small startup that was developing mobile applications in React Native. React Native is a JavaScript library that allows you to use JS to build really nice mobile applications. Soon after the interviews, we were to go on a one-week holiday so I offered to come in and work with the company for free for a week to figure out just what it was that I needed to learn to be the best I could be in the upcoming internship.
After the week was up I realised how much I still had to learn and how many things I could improve on, but I also saw that I was able to hold my own in a professional environment thanks to the course. And with 5 days of commercial experience, 8 weeks of study left and nothing to lose I asked the CEO for a part-time job while I finished the course, with the chance to start full-time when the internships start. Apparently, I was promising enough for them to say yes.
As the weeks went by I became better and better at my job, I was learning new skills and passing them on to the rest of the class on my study days. And when the time came for the internships I was handed a full-time employment contract. This was something I could have never dreamed of, I was only expecting to maybe if I was lucky, get a job 2–3 months after graduation. But no, I was employed full-time before I had even got my certificate!
To this day I have never looked back, the tech community is such an incredible and open market filled with so many beautiful human beings and I couldn’t ask for a better career. If you are thinking of a career in development and have what it takes to dedicate yourself to learning how to code and dealing with the failures that come with it, I could not encourage you enough. Not only have I started down a path that has an incredible amount of potential, but I have also transformed my life into something I believe is worth living, which is something I could not say before the Bootcamp.
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Written by Clayton Waldock.
Follow Clayton&#8217;s journey on <a href="https://twitter.com/c_waldock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://medium.com/@claytonwaldock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medium</a> as he continues on his journey.
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How a Coding Bootcamp Changed My Life

Picture this: you are working for a large financial company and a computer virus is detected spreading through your network. The virus may have been created specifically to target your business. It is important to find out how it got through your defences, who created it, what they know about your company, how they got that information, and what the virus was designed to do. Answering these questions is an example of what malware analysis is about.
So what happens next? Obviously, the threat needs to be quarantined and stopped from spreading, however the details of that won’t be discussed here. We will focus on the actual analysis of the malware.
<h4>Step 1:</h4>
Set up a fully isolated environment so that the malware cannot do any damage while it is being analysed. This involves creating one or more virtual machines and preventing them from communicating with the outside world.
<h4>Step 2:</h4>
Run the malware and watch what it does. This can sometimes give away very little, or sometimes plenty of information. Some malware tries to detect being analysed and does nothing. Running malware in a debugger and sniffing network traffic is standard practice to get an idea of what it is doing.
<h4>Step 3:</h4>
The file is analysed for pieces of text that might give away information. For instance, some malware contains error messages, function names, or the names of system files that it tries to infect or read data from. A lot of malware is encrypted or “packed”, often using standard packers/crypters that can easily be reversed, but sometimes with custom-made algorithms that must be painstakingly deciphered.
<h4>Further Steps:</h4>
To gain further understanding of how the malware works, an analyst can reverse-engineer the malware. Basically this involves taking it apart, instruction by instruction, and determining what it is doing. Malware authors often place “red herrings” in their malware to make analysis take longer. Skilled analysts can often spot these tricks.
Sometimes slight modifications to the malware can be made to get past its security defences. For example, malware that attempts to detect a debugger or virtual machine can be “patched” to change this behaviour.
There are various tools to assist in the analysis of malware, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_Disassembler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDA Pro</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OllyDbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OllyDbg</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radare2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Radare2</a>. Many tools allow plugins or extensions to be created, which is essential for analysing malware with unusual characteristics.
A lot of malware communicates with remote servers, either to exfiltrate information or to receive instructions in a “command and control” (abbreviated as C2 or C&amp;C) setup. Discovering how the malware does this helps identify the source of the attack, and ideally, ways to neutralise the malware. For example, if a particular domain name or IP address is used as a remote server, law enforcement can seize it, and thus any attempts made to contact the server—by any copy of the malware—will fail.
Learning how the malware spreads is also important, as the malware may continue spreading unless the vulnerability is removed. In addition, malware analysts can create detection tools that can detect malware even if it is trying to hide itself.
<h2>Malware Analysis Careers</h2>
Malware analysis is a fascinating area and always presents new challenges. It is important to stay up-to-date and refine one’s skills. Due to the <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/top-10-careers-in-cyber-security">many different skills</a> that are required, ranging from assembly language to operating systems to networks to forensics, it is important to undertake a comprehensive educational program such as Coder Academy’s <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full Stack Web Development Bootcamp</a> if you want to enter the industry.

What Does Malware Analysis Involve?

Ransomware is a fast-growing cyber threat. Chances are, it’s already affected someone you know. One of the most notorious ransomware attacks was the WannaCry worm, which infected more than 200,000 computers across 150 countries in just 4 days. Some estimates of the damages exceed one billion dollars, taking into account data loss, service outages, disrupted operations, and recovery.
<h4>So what is ransomware and why is it so dangerous?</h4>
The idea behind ransomware is that our data is important to us. Imagine losing your family photos, or emails, or important business files. As the name suggests, ransomware takes data on your computer or other device and holds it ransom—you receive a demand for money in order to get it back, or in order to prevent your private files from being made public.
Sometimes the files on an infected computer are encrypted, so they are still there but unreadable without the right decryption key. Other times, the files are uploaded to an attacker’s server and then deleted from the infected computer.
Most of the time this is done for financial gain by criminal organisations but sometimes it can be used as an act of terrorism to cause widespread economic disruption. Experts believe WannaCry originated in North Korea, so there may have been political motives, although North Korea denies involvement.
Unfortunately, just like in real life hostage situations, you can’t be sure the attacker will actually release your information when you pay up. In fact, sometimes the information is already gone, either due to attacker carelessness or because the attacker hasn’t taken the trouble to make the information retrievable. Thus many people don’t give in to attackers’ demands. However, since these attacks are generally automated and can affect a huge number of computers, only a small percentage of victims need to pay a ransom for an attacker to make a large sum of money. WannaCry brought its attackers $180,000 in payments, while CryptoLocker made over $4 million.
<h4>What happens when you are infected?</h4>
The first thing that happens after an infection is that files are encrypted, deleted, or uploaded. Then, the user is typically notified of it with a prominent message that is designed to cause panic.
Many ransomware attacks demand payment in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin because they are impossible to trace. It is reasonably easy for a victim to purchase $300 worth of Bitcoin and transfer it to the attacker.
Some ransomware does not perform anything sophisticated, simply hiding or moving files, which someone with technical expertise can easily reverse. Nonetheless people with little technical skills (who are also less likely to keep backups) will not know what to do, and may pay the ransom.
More sophisticated ransomware uses encryption. Simple encryption algorithms use the same encryption and decryption key, thus if the program that performed the encryption can be analysed, the decryption key can be found within. However, the strongest ransomware uses public/private key cryptography. By using separate keys for encryption and decryption, the infected computer never has the decryption key—unless the attacker provides it once the ransom is paid.
<h4>How does ransomware spread, and how can I stay safe?</h4>
Ransomware uses a variety of techniques. They range from tricking people into opening infected attachments (e.g. CryptoLocker), to exploiting operating system vulnerabilities (e.g. WannaCry). Ransomware which exploits OS vulnerabilities can spread like wildfire because it does not require human interaction to spread. Like other malware, ransomware can access your email address book and email all your contacts, impersonating you.
It is crucial to make sure all software is patched, to use properly configured firewalls, to keep regular backups and to make sure people are trained to be wary of potentially harmful files. However, the best defence is to have trained <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/top-10-careers-in-cyber-security">cyber security professionals</a> to regularly test an organisation’s defences, and keep those defences as strong as possible as the cybersecurity landscape evolves.
There is a shortage of cyber defence skills because cyber threats are evolving so rapidly. Ransomware is a big threat now, but who knows what new kind of attacks are around the corner?

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How Does Ransomware Work?

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month in the United States, which is a yearly campaign devoted to creating awareness about the significance of cyber security. With cyber security jobs in the limelight, you might be wondering what it’s all about, and how it might take you to the next level in your career.
The need for more <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/top-10-careers-in-cyber-security">cyber security experts</a> is high due to data breaches and hacking. With the recent attack on tech giant Facebook, more and more companies are recognising the need to shield themselves. There has never been a better time to pursue a career in this lucrative field.
An article in Forbes magazine noted that there were over one million cyber security job opportunities in 2016, some with eye-watering salaries. For example, recently published salaries for chief information security officer (CISO) shows an average of $204,000. Forbes cited Veronica Mollica, founder and executive information security recruiter at US-based Indigo Partners saying: “The cybersecurity job market is on fire.”
This is a reflection of the rising importance of cyber security and its place in ensuring business resilience. After some high-profile breaches over the past 18 months, there have been major business and reputational effects for those under attack. The breaches have shown how vulnerable companies can be to cyber-attacks and attracted growing interest and attention at board level. As a result, there is a zeal to invest in doing the right thing and choosing the right people. No one wants to be the next company in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
As cyber risk has a possibly high impact on a business, it needs a well-defined role with responsibility for handling that risk. This is a perfect opportunity for someone capable of responding to growing needs and maintaining protection against a continuously increasing threat to develop a great and successful career. Having said that, there are many companies still grappling to identify the skills they need to respond to the nearly new phenomenon of cyber resilience. While knowing that having certain levels of technical ability is a first guide to the suitability of a candidate, in reality, there is a great deal more to controlling the risk.
For the successful applicants, adaptability means they can bridge the gap within an organisation between IT security, IT operations, and the business. While there is a level of technical knowledge needed, the stand-out cyber security expert is the one who also knows the human element to cyber flexibility and maintaining data security and has the ability to use this to achieve overall business goals and objectives.
Having the skills to explain to a non-technical audience, at all levels of an organisation, the strategies needed to handle real-world risks is a highly desirable skill. Communication skills mean being able to demonstrate that cyber resilience is much more than just a technical issue and that everyone has a role to play in the development and delivery of solutions. It is vital to be able to convey that there is no silver bullet in cyber security. However, it’s possible to respond to and recover from a cyber-attack and the key is both resilience and ongoing awareness.
For the right person, with the right combination of skills and experience, the challenges related to cyber security can be a highly rewarding personal and professional career choice.

Now’s the Time for a Career in Cyber Security

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Cyber security experts work in every size company and industry to protect organisations from data breaches and attacks. Moreover, the demand for cyber security professionals is growing at neck breaking speed. Job postings for cyber security positions have grown three times faster than <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-types-of-programming-jobs-can-i-get" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opportunities for IT jobs</a> overall. Here are ten career pathways you can pursue as a cyber security professional.
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<h2 id="e5f9">1. Security Software Developer</h2>
Security software developers build security software and integrate security into applications software during the design and development process. Depending on the specific position and company, a security software developer might oversee a team of developers in the creation of secure software tools, develop a company-wide software security strategy, participate in the lifecycle development of software systems, support software deployments to customers, and test their work for vulnerabilities.
READ: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-to-prepare-for-a-coding-interview">How to Prepare for a Coding Interview</a>
<h2>2. Security Architect Career Path</h2>
If you’re enthusiastic about problem-solving and formulating big-picture strategies, the security architect career path is for you. A security architect is meant to create, build and execute network and computer security for an organisation. Security architects are responsible for developing complex security frameworks and ensuring that they function effectively. They design security systems to counter malware, hacking and DDoS attacks.
<h2 id="cbc9">3. Security Consultant</h2>
A security consultant is a catch-all cyber security expert. They evaluate cyber security threats, risks, problems, and give possible solutions for different organisations and guide them in protecting and securing their physical capital and data. Security consultants must not be too rigid and must be tech-savvy — they deal with a wide range of variables when assessing security systems across diverse companies and industries.
<h2 id="214d">4. Information Security Analyst</h2>
Information security analysts are the front-line defence of networks, <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/developer-jobs-amongst-australias-10-most-in-demand-professions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">information security analysts</a> put firewalls and encryption in place in order to protect from breaches, constantly monitor and audit systems for unusual activities.
<h2 id="779b">5. Ethical Hackers</h2>
Ethical hackers normally hold a CEH certificate and are given license by their employers to try and infiltrate the security of their system. The idea is that they use the same techniques as malicious black hat hackers to test existing security protocols; if they are successful, upgrades can then be developed and implemented.
<h2 id="b55b">6. Computer Forensics Analysts</h2>
Forensics analysts focus on cyber crime, an ever-growing phenomenon. They work with law enforcement agencies in both public and private sector organisations and are asked to undertake a wide variety of tasks, including:
• Recovering deleted files
• Interpreting data linked to crime
• Analysing mobile phone records
• Pursuing data trails
Computer forensic analysts must keep well-detailed records of their investigations, and often provide evidence in court.
<h2 id="e8e5">7. Chief Information Security Officer</h2>
The chief information security officer is normally a mid-executive level position whose job is to manage the affairs and operations of a company’s or organisation&#8217;s IT security division. CISOs are usually responsible for planning, coordinating and directing all computer, network and data security needs of their employers. CISOs work directly with the management to determine an organisation&#8217;s custom cyber security demands. The CISOs are usually saddled with the responsibility of assembling an effective staff of security professionals, which means that the position requires an individual with a strong background in IT security architecture and strategy, as well as effective communication and human resource skills.
<h2 id="865c">8. Penetration Tester</h2>
Penetration testing is the proactive authorised employment of testing procedures on the IT system to identify system flaws. A penetration tester usually attempts to (with permission) hack into a computer and network systems to pre-emptively discover operating system vulnerabilities, service and application problems, improper configurations and more, before an intruder causes real damage. Penetration testers must be highly skilled, often using and testing tools of their own design, to “break into” the systems under watch. Penetration testers are required to keep accurate records of their activities and discovered vulnerabilities.
<h2 id="86d3">9. IT Security Consultant</h2>
IT security consultants meet with clients to advise them on how to protect their organisations’ cyber security objectives most efficiently and cost-effectively. IT security consultants are often employed by smaller firms and agencies that cannot afford to handle their security issues in-house but are also employed by big corporations to supplement their security teams and provide an impartial outside perspective to current systems challenges.
<h2 id="7ae1">10. Security Systems Administrator</h2>
A security systems administrator’s responsibility is a bit similar to many cyber security jobs i.e., installing, administering, maintaining and troubleshooting computer, network and data security systems. The main distinction between security systems administrators and other cyber security professionals is that the security systems administrator is normally the person in charge of the daily operation of those security systems. The regular tasks include systems monitoring and running regular backups, and setting up, deleting and maintaining individual user accounts. Security systems administrators are often involved in developing organisational security procedures.
As you can see, there are endless paths your cyber security career can lead you down. But first, you have to start somewhere. If you&#8217;re interested in a career in IT why not check out <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our bootcamps</a> and see if there is a path suited to you!
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10 Careers in Cyber Security

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The blockchain industry is heading for the title of the fastest-growing market in the whole IT industry. Since the area is garnering more and more interest around the world, experts are working hard to specialise even more to participate in this movement. That isn’t without reason, too.
According to one survey, the worldwide blockchain market will reach <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/647231/worldwide-blockchain-technology-market-size/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2.3 billion</a> by the year 2021. This has resulted in a growing need for <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/frontend-vs-full-stack-vs-backend-web-development">backend developers</a> and finance experts.
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Also, the main reason why people are interested in a career in blockchain is career opportunities. For instance, the average median pay for a software developer is <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/software-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,18.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$80 thousand</a> in the US. However, if such a developer wishes to specialise in the blockchain sector, they could see a salary north of $100 thousand.
If these numbers are appealing to you and you wish to become a part of a growing movement, then try yourself in this industry. Despite the attractiveness of the blockchain sector, there is a need for preparation. Here are the 8 things everyone has to consider before becoming a blockchain developer.
<h3>1. Get to know the basics</h3>
Before programming and complex algorithms, you have to get to know the very foundation of the blockchain system. Now, the system seems a little bit complex, but in reality, it relies on three principles. They are – decentralisation, immutability and, transparency.
The blockchain is not under the control of a central authority. Thus, it can’t be governed. The immutability lies in the fact that every piece of information stays on the blockchain forever.
Due to its transparent nature, all the information is accessible to those who wish to find it.
<h3>2. Familiarise yourself with some online courses</h3>
Short, online courses have been somewhat underrated before, but this has changed. They’re filled with blockchain-related material of all kinds. From a simple introduction to complex software creation, you can learn everything you desire.
<h3>3. Learn about data structure</h3>
Because the blockchain functions on a decentralised basis, you need to be able to grasp the elements of the data structure. Structures like Stack or Tree are needed to become a developer, as well as time and economy. Allocating resources is everything when it comes to blockchain technology.
<h3>4. Start learning a programming language</h3>
Since you’ll be writing software based on complex principles, you ought to be knowledgeable about programming languages. <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/web-development/bootcamp">Coder Academy’s coding courses</a> are a great place to start. We typically recommend HTML, <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/coding-css-paint-worklets-blog2019">CSS</a>, and <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/python-the-best-programming-language-for-beginners">Python</a> or Ruby on Rails for beginners. After that, you can advance and master other languages, according to your preferences and specialisation, like JavaScript or C#. However, you may need to learn new ones along the way.
<h3>5. Learn cryptography</h3>
Cryptography is one of the building blocks of the blockchain technology. It’s a skill which specialises in protecting digital data and encrypting assets. This is so that data and assets remain in existence forever, but still unavailable to unauthorised individuals. More and more organisations opt to do business and save their funds via blockchain.
How important is cryptography, really? Well, all you need to analyse is the fact that all Bitcoins have now reached a value of $1.2 trillion. People are willing to invest in a safe, non-taxed and efficient system of resource transactions. Corporations and stores around the world have started accepting Bitcoin and Ethereum because of this.
<h3>6. Study distributed computing</h3>
To master the blockchain, you have to know what enables developers to design these large-scale networks. Unlike torrents, fusing blockchain with distributed computing improves security.
Because contributions are on the rise, everyone has a chance to be involved in network quality improvements. More and more entrepreneurs are investing in blockchain security, and breakthroughs are to be made.
<h3>7. Mechanism design</h3>
Mechanism design is a link between distributed computing and cryptography. With it, you can create more secure algorithms, to involve more peers into the global crypto network. As your knowledge accumulates, you will find it easier to design efficient systems.
<h3>8. Development platforms</h3>
Knowing platforms is a great way to learn something new. Ethereum and NEO are some of the most prominent, alongside Dogecoin and Litecoin. Analysing the structure of these platforms will give you an understanding of the blockchain world like nothing else. No blockchain app or cryptocurrency was created from scratch. That’s why all the developers support each other and exchange knowledge so that advancement can be reached.
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About the author: Olivia Ryan is a passionate blogger who writes on topics of digital marketing, career, and self-development. She constantly tries to learn something new and share this experience. Connect with her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OliviRayRay" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/OliviRayRay&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1536360706841000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEjGkobp6VcH8vNlyaZ95BMy7BxAg">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/OliviRayRay" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/OliviRayRay&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1536360706841000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF5sDnT_QUaEJlFO2Cg1LFvJJ5x9Q">Twitter</a>. 
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What To Know Before Becoming a Blockchain Developer

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From information security analysts to security managers, cyber security-related careers are currently high in demand. One profession, in particular, is called upon by countless major companies.
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<h2>Bring Out the Hackers!</h2>
There is a slight difference between what a hacker and an “ethical” hacker do for their job. The hackers that we know illegally break in and harm a system through making use of its faults and weaknesses. Most hackers have an ulterior motive to gain something out of it. In contrast, “ethical” hackers attempt to break into systems to help the organisation they work for to improve their security measures, getting rid of bugs, and fixing weaknesses in the system. So wear your “white hat” and here are the top 5 tips to become an “ethical” hacker, guaranteed.
<h3>1. Gain Knowledge</h3>
Explore the world of technology inside out, from <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/learn-to-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learning to code</a> in <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/blog/coding-starters/what-coding-language-should-i-learn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">different programming languages</a> to understanding how operating systems and networks work. All and more of these skills are required and improved as an ethical hacker.
<h3 class="content-section">2. Gain Experience Through Work</h3>
Working for numerous years will naturally improve your abilities as well as develop your professionalism in hacking. You might not start out in your dream job as an ethical hacker, but there are always opportunities for dedicated developers to work towards a job in cyber security. Remember, experience requires patience and effort to reach your end goal.
<h3 class="content-section">3. Make Practical Use of Your Skills</h3>
Being an ethical hacker does not only require textbook knowledge. Hackers must know several methods to break down firewalls and encrypt codes. Cyber security is a risky field to work in, so you must rely on more than knowledge and experience. Hackers must think &#8220;outside the system&#8221; to break into the system. That way improvements and security measures will be made to protect networks and systems will be more impenetrable.
<h3 class="content-section">4. Always Attempt to Crack the Code</h3>
Every time you succeed in a penetration test is a step towards improvement in security measures, and a step closer to making an impenetrable system. This will do good for the general public’s sake.
<h3 class="content-section">5. Get a Certification</h3>
No one will hire you if they don’t know your qualifications, even if you have proficient skills to hack through a system. Obtaining a certification will allow companies to notice you, opening up to more professional opportunities within the cyber security careers. That&#8217;s why joining a course like Coder Academy&#8217;s <a href="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/web-development-bootcamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bootcamp course</a> is a fantastic idea! Gain the skills you need to put you on the path to becoming an ethical hacker, penetration tester or entry-level cyber security professional in as little as 6 months, plus an accredited qualification (Higher Education Diploma of IT) and optional 1 month industry placement.
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Written by Fiona Chau.
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Top 5 Tips for Ethical Hackers

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Despite the information age bringing many good things, it has brought cyber security challenges that we must face every day.
Today, millions of people are able to access the internet in even the remotest regions. But this comes with costly consequences.
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The scenario is all too familiar: you upload your personal data to a website that guarantees users maximum security only to wake up to the biggest shocker of your life. Someone somewhere is anonymously using your image and personal information to swindle the public and sadly, there is nothing you can do about it.
Moreover, threats from <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/worldwide-hacker-group-anonymous/story?id=37761302" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hacktivists</a> in possession of private data and news of banks losing millions to hackers have become commonplace. Most of these cybercrimes take place via websites. It can start with a simple act of downloading a file from a webpage and without knowing you are being targeted, your phone battery starts overheating, windows start flashing and you find yourself in a dangerous situation completely out of your control.
In this post, we will share with you the top reasons on why demand for cyber security experts is soaring. But first, the following are worth noting:
<h2>What does research say about the prevalence of cyber threats?</h2>
Findings by different research groups reveal shocking details of a rising tide of online crime that is overstretching available IT resources in different parts of the world. According to PwC’s Global State of Information and Security (GSIS) survey 2017, companies are increasingly investing in cyber security talent with the hope that they can curb the menace once and for all. The scope of this research was incredibly broad, involving 95,000 respondents across 75 industries in 122 different countries.
A CIO survey by Harvey/Nash KPMG digs deeper into this issue by looking at the skill sets that companies look for in order to fortify their computer security systems. Their findings indicate that the most sought-after experts are <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/how-to-start-your-journey-as-a-data-analyst">data analysts</a> whose roles cut across a range of security management tasks. The result is high salary scales for cyber security experts ranging from $70,000 to $250,000, and it is not only because talent supply stands at only 25%, but also because of the delicate nature of the task.
<h2>Companies are willing to pay more</h2>
While many businesses are relying on in-house cyber security professionals, they still seek the same services by outsourcing to IT companies, the GSIS study findings state. The rate at which cyber criminals are trying to breach security systems has also been met by a rise in the amount of perks businesses are willing to pay in order to acquire tech minds. It is another pointer to how cyber security demand keeps growing.
<h2>Protection of user data</h2>
With clients increasingly getting worried about their personal data, the GSIS study further considered the input of CEOs around the world and particularly, what they are doing about it.
Now that we live in a data-driven society and with privacy breaches on the rise around the world, trust has become a vital consideration for CEOs. That realisation that data leaks are sometimes an inside job that involves in-house cyber security personnel and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/04/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-data-mining-but-were-afraid-to-ask/255388/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data mining</a> companies has also become apparent (especially in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal that rocked Facebook). It means even with demand for cyber security professionals outstripping supply, companies must first of all ensure the integrity of the people they hire for cyber security positions.
<h2>Types of cyber security jobs</h2>
While online security concerns fall under the IT department in most companies, not every person with knowledge on the safe and secure use of the web qualifies as the right fit for an area as delicate as cyber crimes. <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/what-types-of-programming-jobs-can-i-get">Cyber security job requirements</a> include, but are not limited to, having a strong grasp of emerging issues in the world of IT, proper training in threat detection, and having a knowledge of network perimeters and attack vectors.
<h2>Examples of cyber security jobs include:</h2>
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<li>Data and information systems analysts</li>
<li>Security managers, who implement proper policies and procedures and are responsible for threat management strategies</li>
<li>DevOps engineers whose jobs involve monitoring online security threats</li>
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About the author: Emily Watts is a freelance blogger and writer at Australia Writings. Prior to joining this company, Emily used to write publications for various blogs and websites. The success her articles gained amongst readers inspired Emily to start her own blog &#8220;Elizabethanauthors&#8221; where she writes about famous authors.
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The Growing Demand for Cyber Security Talent

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The world of mobile apps is perfectly suited to budding entrepreneurs. The initial costs to have an app developed are low while the chances to have a substantial user base are higher than other niches. This makes turning your idea into a stellar app an even more enticing prospect.
But before you jump right into the thick of the action, here are 10 things you should know before entering into the world of iOS apps.
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<h2>Know Your Market</h2>
Any new business venture needs good market research. This fact is even more important when it comes to apps as your competitors are not local, they are from all over the world. Hence, it is important that your app idea is carefully vetted to make sure that your app offers a unique selling point to your target audience.
When you closely analyse the strengths and weaknesses of apps that offer similar services, you are able to learn from their mistakes and have the right knowledge base to offer a much improved experience to your users.
<h2>Quality Matters</h2>
<a id="E276" contenteditable="false" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/263795/number-of-available-apps-in-the-apple-app-store/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Industry reports</a> suggest that as of January 2017, there are an estimated 2.2 million iOS apps available to users on various devices &#8211; this number is only expected to rise in the future. This means that your target audience will always have options to choose from as there will most possibly be other apps that provide similar services to your user base. This is where quality matters &#8211; app users are notorious for their low tolerance to bad performance as they happily switch to better performing apps.
<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lwsdhvtx3agujbuqcpkc-1.jpg" alt="" />Higher levels of security, efficient use of user data, a smooth and intuitive UI are just some of the parameters you need to take care of to make sure your app provides the best possible experience to your users.
<h2>Choosing the Right Team</h2>
There are thousands of app development studios out there and even more independent app developers. Depending upon their level of experience, different developers offer different things to your venture. A good developer or development team will provide you inputs on your app’s aspects ranging from UI to new features as well as how to better market your app. Hence, it is very important to choose the right set of people to work with for your app.
Before deciding on a team, go through their portfolio. If possible, talk to their previous clients to find how their experience with the team was.
<h2>Build the App in Increments</h2>
If you have allocated a certain budget to develop your iOS app and that number is not too high, going for an MVP solution is a good way to turn your idea into an app. A mobile app is like wine &#8211; you can get it cheap too but the more expensive it gets, the better it feels.
<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/rzku1asxcwqwosg69bf2-1.png" alt="" />In case of tight budget, starting with a basic version of your app allows you to launch it and test the waters to see how your target audience is responding to it. If the response is not very positive, you can go back to the drawing board and optimise the offerings of your app further for better results without having spent a lot of money the very first time.
<h2>Don’t Neglect the Design</h2>
Many a time, app owners spend less on design to bring down the overall costs of their apps. This can be a fatal mistake. Always remember that your target audience remembers your app by how they felt while using it. If the user experience of your app is bad, there’s a big chance that your app will see high abandonment rates irrespective of the services it claims it offers.
<img decoding="async" src="https://www.coderacademy.edu.au/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/vwajechem9ueuznkbpws-1.jpg" alt="" />Time spent on perfecting the user experience is worth it <a id="E390" contenteditable="false" href="https://hackernoon.com/why-good-ui-ux-is-vital-for-the-success-of-your-product-fa2243993acb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>. Don’t hesitate in going back and forth with your team if you’re not satisfied with the look and the feel of your app.
<h2>Code Correctly</h2>
Though your app’s code is something the end users will never see, the quality of the code that powers your app gets reflected in aspects like the app’s load speed, its size, and the general way it behaves when being operated.
This is where you need a fine balance of cost effectiveness and quality. An app might cost you less but if it’s badly coded, it will prove to be much more expensive in the long run.
<h2>Test Your App Thrice and Then Test it Again</h2>
Quality analysis is one of the most important facets of any app development project. Once your team delivers the app, make sure that you test each and every aspect of your app and cover every possible scenario that your end users might experience.
Test it yourself, then make your close friends and family use it, then perform alpha testing with 50 odd users. These steps help you identify any bugs that might have slipped through.
<h2>Price Your App Right</h2>
Your market research should give you a good idea about what your competitors charge users to use their app. Armed with this knowledge, try to keep your app reasonably affordable, at least at the beginning. In the world of apps, revenue is sometimes less important than value. This is also why many of the world’s most popular apps are free or cost very little to use.
They instead earn a loyal fanbase of users. Whether your app is a taxi booking service or a community platform for identifying plants, you can always earn revenue using alternate methods like advertisements, premium features and the like.
<h2>Get the Word Out</h2>
Like every other product, your app also needs a generous dosage of pre-launch marketing to generate buzz among early adopters. There are several channels you can use to spread the word around such as social media platforms like Facebook, or traditional local advertising.
Regardless of the channel you’re using, the focus should be to make as many people aware of your app’s existence as possible. After the initial buzz, a lot depends on the quality of your app. A good app generates users by word of mouth while a below average app does the same in a negative fashion.
<h2>Keep Adding to the App</h2>
A good app never stops “developing”. It is always good to add new features every now and then to keep your user base engaged with the app. Even if you don’t have any new features to add, you should always keep your app updated to the latest industry practices.
Regular maintenance should be performed to make sure the app is well-oiled. User feedback should be worked upon immediately. And a change of design every now and then keeps the users coming back for more.
Armed with these tips, you can go out and get started with turning your idea into a great app. Always remember to optimise your idea as well as the app to stay with the demands of the ever-changing times.
If you’ve recently developed your app, do let us know how your experience was. We’d love to hear from you!
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About Laura: Laura Buckler is a contributor and a marketing manager. Her people skills help her navigate a world full of change and uncertainty, while her ability to play with language is what led her to a freelance writing career. You can follow her on <a id="E474" contenteditable="false" href="https://twitter.com/laura_buckler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>.
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10 Things to Know Before Developing an iOS App

Ever wondered how switching profession at mid-career would feel? Yep, that is what I did. And trust me, it is an uneasy situation to be in, because of all the unknowns in the path ahead. Will I ever break into the industry? Will employers give me a chance? Am I too old to do this? No one would be able to yield definite answers for that. One thing is for sure, and that is I have to put in a tremendous amount of effort to make this goal a reality.
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In early 2018, I made a life-changing decision — I enrolled into <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coder Academy</a>, a coding bootcamp college. Nevertheless, the journey started well before I became a student at Coder Academy. And like most decisions in my life, there are a couple of reasons I decided to start my journey into tech.
The previous jobs that I had mostly revolved around the hospitality and retail fields — barista, bartender, shelf stacker, you name it. I don’t really hate these jobs, to be honest, and in fact, I considered myself lucky to be in the workforce, to be able to earn an income to provide shelter and food for my family. For that I am grateful.
However, after years of grinding at these jobs, I have discovered that I desired to get something more out of my career. I needed growth, which I can’t get from these jobs. I craved to perform tasks that are more challenging than making coffees. I am fully aware that in order to achieve that, I need to crawl out from my comfort zone.
But where to?
Thinking back to when I was a little kid, I was always fond of video games and computer programs. As a teenager, I possessed a strong interest in coding and programming. Things would have been different if I were to pursue tertiary studies after high school, but it turns out that I couldn’t afford college because of family reasons. And because I started working odd jobs straight after high school, these plans were well deserted from the back of my head.
Now, things have changed. After a few years of working and saving, I finally have the flexibility to pursue a profession that I long dreamed of. At this stage, I realised that I am more than ready to switch career. After some extensive research, I found that the profession of <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/6-things-that-make-a-great-software-developer">software developer</a> is precisely what I am looking to become.
The seed has been planted. The fire in my heart has been ignited. Now bestowed on me are the routes of formal education that I need to choose, in order to gain enough knowledge and skills and experience to break into the industry.
There are two paths that I can embark on — sign up for a traditional university or join a coding bootcamp. From what I have explored, traditional university typically does very well on teaching fundamental subjects of computer science such as algorithms, time complexity and data structures; whereas coding bootcamps routinely focused on utilising the latest technologies as well as providing its students with hands-on programming experience.
Read: <a href="https://coderacademy.edu.au/blog/7-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-coding-bootcamp">7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Coding Bootcamp</a>
Coder Academy presents a unique opportunity — they offer a guaranteed internship in the last term as part of the course and they are the only accredited coding bootcamp in Australia that awards a nationally recognised qualification upon completion. This seemed to seal the deal for me, and I quickly found myself going through the enrolment process including a one-on-one interview with the school admission officer. Finally, I received my offer letter and all that was left for me to do was to undertake preparatory study right up until I began the course.
The first day of the course brought me the feeling of excitement mixed with nervousness. When everyone arrived, I looked around and there were about 20 of us, eager to find out how this journey will unfold. Pleasingly, everyone in class is extremely friendly and after some introduction sessions, we found ourselves getting to know each other and working together in no time. We were off to a great start, and this road to tech became a journey that we are treading together now.
Currently, I am in the midst of the course, indulging myself with programming and code challenges. The course itself is a good 40 hours per week, plus all the meetups, events and hackathons that we are encouraged to participate in outside of teaching time. What I am trying to do is to fully immerse myself in this endeavour, working as hard as I possibly can to achieve my goals. Whenever I have spare time, I code, solve problems, improve my previous projects, learn new frameworks, read a textbook about algorithms, or even write a blog, just like this one.
Propelling myself into an unknown territory is not what I am used to, but I am grateful that I took this opportunity and dived straight into it. I am grateful for all the people that I met in the bootcamp and I can’t even describe how highly motivating it is to work with people that have the same goals as yourself. And of course, all the staff and lead instructors are extremely supportive and helpful. I wish that upon completion of the course I will have the chance to work together with these amazing people again in my future career.
Written by Jeff Wong.
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