The "Why": Reason for My Career Change
Published: 2020-04-29 19:29:39

I'd like to say that my story is similar to many of those seeking to make a career change. I have 
college degree that I don't use and I'm tired of living my current lifestyle. Growing up, I was always interested in technology and figuring out how things work. I was the person my family would call upon to fix things wrong with computers or phones, which are very minor fixes. I really enjoy learning new things and am eager to start new things.

I started college with a mathematics major and switched to computer science in my sophomore year. I took my first intro to computer programming course in 2009 learning Java. After that class, I decided that programming wasn't for me so I switch majors again to kinesiology. I went on to graduate with a Bachelor's of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in sports medicine. I decided to defer continuing education because I hadn't decided which path I wanted to take and didn't want to add on to my student debt. A big reason why I didn't pursue a graduate degree was BECAUSE I didn't want to add to my debt. I was weary about the job market and whether or not I would like the job I would have if I were to continue on to physical therapy like many of my peers or jump into becoming a personal trainer. I just really couldn't see myself doing those jobs. 

After graduating college in 2012, I moved from Greensboro, North Carolina to Knoxville, Tennessee. I was newly engaged to my-then fiance and had started working at a call center for Comcast's internet tech support. I knew then that I enjoyed fixing things and all the things pertaining to tech but I still had a lingering negative thought about programming from that first class. I really didn't like the job so I left the company and started working for Starbucks in 2013, three months after I got married. My other passion is cooking and preparing food. I had a barista job for a few years in college at a college dining service Starbucks. We would sell some Starbucks items but didn't follow all the standards. I enjoyed working at Starbucks much more than working at the call center, even though I took a $4 pay-cut. 

Some time pass and I was able to move up from a barista position to shift supervisor at Starbucks. The job was easy and the pay was almost comparable to what I was making at Comcast entry-level. So to put it lightly, it does not pay well. I worked that job for three and a half years, slowly feeling burned out and unappreciated. I would come to work early every day and stay late as much as allowed. It has been a great experience and I've met many great people. Towards October 2016, I was actively looking and applying to new jobs when I found out I was pregnant with our first child. At this point, I didn't see it as productive to start a new job knowing I would have to take a leave of absence. I decided to stick it out at Starbucks until my due date. I chose not to go back to work because my husband's work hours didn't allow for me to work unless we pay for childcare. It didn't make sense to go back to work just to pay for childcare as that was I wouldve been doing. 

I took a break for a year and a half before I returned to Starbucks. My husband took a different job and his work hours allowed the flexibily for me to work and not have to put my son in daycare. It was not ideal but we've made it work. Recent management changes and co-worker turnovers has made me think about finding some other type of work. I found Career Karma app one day and started the 21-day challenge. I found a community of people who were in the same boat I was in. I found that I do enjoy coding as there are so many ways to learn and many languages and ways to apply those languages. The big turning point for a step into wanting to return to programming was Income Share Agreement (ISA). Having the ability to defer tuition after I start a job with no interest was exactly what I needed in a school option. I researched some bootcamps and found Flatiron School. I had heard many great things and their coursework was very flexible for my schedule and learning style. It was daunting to go back to school after 7 years but I'm very excited to finally start my cohort and very eager to see what the future holds.