Saadia (R) moved to the UK with a heart full of dreams and found CodeYourFuture
Three years ago, Saadia moved to the UK with a heart full of dreams. “I had a stable job back home, so I was confident that I wouldn’t have any problems finding one here,” she recalls. But the reality was quite different. Her qualifications didn’t translate to job opportunities, and she was at a crossroads.
Saadia took a leap of faith towards her passion. “I decided to switch to an area I am passionate about.”
Despite completing the Full Stack Web Development Bootcamp at the University of Birmingham, securing a job right after graduation proved challenging, especially as a new mother.
A community to help fulfil her dreams
That’s when a friend introduced her to CodeYourFuture (CYF) – a supportive community that became her beacon during this difficult time.
“A chance meeting with a successful CYF graduate convinced me to enrol as a trainee. I wanted to prove that as a foreigner, I too can excel in a tech position if I get the right support and guidance,” Saadia shares.
Balancing the coursework with personal responsibilities
While at CYF, she encountered the challenges of balancing coursework with motherhood.
Her determination and tenacity helped her stay on track. “I learned how to prioritize important tasks and commit to continuous learning,” she says.
CYF offered childcare and a laptop to ensure she could focus on her learning. Saadia is grateful for this: “CYF’s continued support has been invaluable in helping me balance my professional and personal life.”
Support from a mentor was key
Saadia also credits her mentor, Dom, for helping her expand her knowledge and write cleaner code.
Saadia’s growth at CYF went beyond coding. She learned valuable interview skills, such as the STAR methodology, and built her confidence. “Before CYF, I didn’t know how to highlight my personal skills. Now, I’m confident about them.”
“I improved my code-writing skills and became confident in voicing my ideas.”
With community support, Saadia did a great job with her project work
Practicing interviews, finding a job
Mock interviews during the course proved to be a turning point for Saadia. “Each feedback was better than the last one. That’s when I realized I was getting closer to my goal. It was an incredible feeling,” she recalls.
Saadia’s reached her goal of starting a tech career in the UK by joining Code Your Future! She is now developing real life products for the organisation that are used on a daily basis, and working with a strong team of her peers.
Her advice to anyone considering joining CYF is: “Maintain a growth mindset throughout your journey. Once you reach the end, you won’t realize how much you’ve grown and improved.”
Saadia is following her dream with CodeYourFuture