Embarking on a new career path can be daunting, but for Jan, a journey that began with a simple Excel calculator led to an unexpectedly fulfilling role as an Information Analyst at the NHS. This is the inspiring story of how a career in coding started, fueled by curiosity and the comprehensive learning resources at Codecademy.
Jan’s background wasn’t in technology; with an MSc in Psychology from 2012, his professional experience was rooted in Human Resources. While in HR, a seemingly mundane task – calculating employee annual leave – sparked an unforeseen career shift. Faced with colleagues struggling with this process, Jan decided to create a tool to simplify it. This endeavor, requiring him to delve into problem-solving and basic programming concepts, ignited a passion he never knew he possessed. “I was hooked,” Jan recalls, realizing this was the foundation for a potential coding career.
Discovering Codecademy at this pivotal moment felt serendipitous. Losing his HR job in July 2020 became an unexpected catalyst. Jan dedicated himself to Codecademy’s Data Science Path, completing around 70% of the modules, focusing on data manipulation, visualization, and statistics within seven months. Despite initial self-doubt about being job-ready, he began applying for both HR and Data Analysis positions. The results were telling: no HR interviews, but two for data analysis roles requiring Python and SQL skills.
While the first interview didn’t pan out, the constructive feedback proved invaluable. Jan excelled in the second interview, landing a position as an Information Analyst at the NHS. Excitement and trepidation marked this new chapter. His initial tasks involved using SQL queries to validate data, followed by a significant project: migrating a process from SAS to Python in Databricks. Given three months, Jan completed it in just two, impressing his supervisors and paving the way for increasing involvement in diverse projects. He now assists colleagues, optimizing code with Python loops and dictionaries, constantly expanding his skills and applying his Codecademy knowledge in innovative ways.
Jan expresses profound gratitude to Codecademy, emphasizing the program’s transformative impact. “The work you are doing is amazing!” he states, highlighting how Codecademy provided the skills and problem-solving mindset necessary for his successful career transition. He appreciates the well-designed modules and comprehensive lessons that laid a solid foundation, enabling him to confidently tackle real-world work scenarios.
Now more confident than ever, Jan continues to learn on the job and progress through the Data Science Path. He acknowledges initial concerns about the depth of the Statistics module, but notes the positive updates and expansions, including the addition of Window Functions, a topic that initially presented a challenge in his work but is now expertly covered in the curriculum.
Jan’s story is a testament to the power of online learning platforms like Codecademy in launching a coding career path. His journey from HR to data analysis underscores that it’s never too late to change direction and embrace new challenges. Believe in yourself and the skills you are acquiring – a rewarding and enjoyable coding career might be closer than you think.
