This is my first technically related copy and my first article on hashnode. I created this blog account a few days ago to document my career switch to tech from a zero technical background.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Abimbola Nwachiyeluba, I am African, a wife and mother. Prior to four weeks ago, I had no coding or programming experience, not at all. My background was in Mass Communication, Customer Service and Relationship Coaching.

Sometime in early 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit the world hard, I started having a sense of dissatisfaction and unfulfilment. I felt like I was underperforming and missing out on the digital wave enveloping the world. At a point, I felt like the world was moving on without me. Initially, I discarded the feeling and focused more on my family, maximising the global lockdown to bond more with them. But the more I tried suppressing the feeling of discontentment, the more empty I felt. Then one day while watching a documentary of how medical and technical researchers were trying to curtail the pandemic, something clicked in my subconscious. I immediately knew why I was feeling like I was underperforming inspite of everything I was involved in at the time - my life had become monotonous and uninteresting. There was no career challenge, just the same pattern of events week in, week out, year in, year out.

I knew then that I needed to start or get involved with something challenging that would shakeup my career. That was when I made the decision to switch to tech.

When I told my husband of my decision to switch career, he assured me that I could do it and pledged his support. But then (just as it happens with every new venture), self doubt kicked in. I started second-guessing myself. Series of demeaning thoughts spiralled through my mind. Thoughts like:

• 'The technical field is male dominated, what if I don't fit in?'
• 'What if I'm late to the party in regards to age and marital status?'
• 'What if I had 'missed my bus' to tech?'
• 'What if I am unable to cope?'
• 'What if I fail?'
• What if...? What if....?

The 'what ifs' were almost choking. I battled with this mindset for over a year, until one day, while having a conversation with my six-year old (funny right?), I got clarity and the conviction to make the transition.

It was then I started researching to determine exactly how deeply I wanted to go in the technical world. I had to know what training path was available for me; I needed to know the financial implications the training will have on my family.

As I was scrolling through my LinkedIn feed some weeks ago, I came across the inspiring post of a woman who had transitioned from being a complete novice to Software Engineering. She was one of the few who had just completed the 12-months ALX Software Engineering Program for her cohort. That post contributed to my decision to dive into Software Engineering. I went on to read about ALX and found out that there was an ongoing registration for another cohort into their Software Engineering Program. I wasted no time registering as the program was a round peg in a round hole for me since it required no financial implication from me because of Mastercard Foundation's full sponsorship of the program for the year.

I got accepted for the program and that was the official landmark in my transition into the technical world. The journey with ALX is to officially begin in a few days but my journey into tech has began already with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. With my acceptance into the 9th Cohort of the ALX SE program came a renewed vigour and determination to not only go through with my decision to change to tech but also to succeed on the field.

During one of my usual searches on ALX and Software Engineering, I ran into a Nairaland forum discussion about the Program. On the thread were other applicants who had been accepted into the same cohort as me and some who had just started the program. The forum thread led to the creation of an unofficial WhatsApp group for the sole mission of discussing and preparing for the ALX SE program. The group is the first technically exclusive group I'll be in. And although it is a whole new world for me, we are fast becoming a family with the unifying goal of succeeding through the program. Being in such a group is priceless as it has helped structure my preparation for the journey ahead.

I intend to document every stage of my transition to Software Engineering on this blog, as that is exactly why I am on this platform. I look forward to sharing, learning and integrating into this technical community.

Are there tips, tricks or hacks you think I should know on this path? Kindly share with me please.