Ezgi Esra Akdağ

Hi, what’s your name?

Ezgi Esra Akdağ

Could you please tell us a little about yourself?

I graduated from Cyprus International University Industrial Engineering Department in 2019. During my student life, I worked as a bartender in bars to make a living. I have been working as a bartender in a restaurant on the creek for a very long time. Frankly, I always looked at the bar business as a temporary job, thinking that at the end of the day I would return to industrial engineering. When the pandemic got into the business, I had a lot of time to think and research like everyone else. I realized that the jobs I found as an industrial engineer would not satisfy me. As much as I love working in a bar, I wanted to change my life in a positive way. I wanted to improve my quality of life. I can say that I want to be the person sipping amazing cocktails outside the bar, not the person preparing the cocktails inside the bar.

What were your plans for the end of the course? Has any of these come true?

I started an internship in order to reinforce the education I received after the course, gain experience in the field of software and improve myself in the field of frontend. I am sure that I will make my plans come true with the support of the Cyprus Codes team and the developer with whom I am interning. I avoided making long-term plans, frankly, the reason for this is that I have definitely turned to myself now, to strengthen the areas that I see as deficient and inadequate. I think the training we received at Cyprus Codes was a big step to bring us from zero to junior developer level. But if we do not continue to learn/develop, the effort of a whole team will be wasted.

What was your reason for choosing Cyprus Codes over other courses in the market (or online courses)?

During the period when there was a curfew due to the pandemic, I tried to find a way by using platforms such as many online courses / youtube / udemy. But I couldn't even complete the beginner level. It was during this period that I realized the importance of the curriculum. Because I didn't know where to start and where to go. The first of my reasons for choosing Cyprus Codes is of course the fact that the curriculum has been tried and proven within Manchester Codes and that they have achieved success in real life with the curriculum. The other reason is teamwork. When I was trying to learn on my own, I would sometimes stop working for no reason and it would take me a long time to get back in front of the computer. But with this course, even if you sometimes find an excuse and don't want to work, it is impossible because both the instructors and the friends from the course immediately bring you to yourself and continue with full support. This was really rewarding for me. Sometimes you can't provide motivation for yourself even if you want to, so it helps a lot to be a team work.

What was the best moment for you in the Cyprus Codes Fastrack Full Stack Developer course?

I think it was the moment when I realized that I could do this job with the right guidance. This was also the moment when I realized that I wasn't wasting my time and money on the course, which is the most important thing for a minimum wage earner like me.

What challanged you the most throughout the course?

The thing that challenged me throughout the course was that the documents were in English. I thought I had an intermediate level of English, but it turns out I didn't. But this did not discourage me. While I was learning to write code, I also improved my English.

How did you achieve a balance between the course and your responsibilities in your social life?

The course hours were arranged in a way to fit the schedules of working individuals, but because I worked at the bar, my working hours did not fit. I had to make some sacrifices for this. We talked to my employer and adjusted my hours accordingly, and he supported me in every way.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your experience in the course?

The curriculum of the course was really prepared to include the most desired languages and technologies in business life, so I had no difficulty in my search for an internship. I had already learned everything they wanted me to know in the course. We are in contact with all trainees and trainers through our communication platform, Slack. We did not stop communicating just because the course was over. The whole team continues to exchange ideas and help us improve, even after the course is over.

What advice would you give to people who are currently taking the course?

They should make sure not to miss any lesson. In such cases, they should definitely watch the recorded lesson. If they complete the given tasks on time, then they wouldn't have any problems. One of the mistakes that I and many of my coursemates made was to be embarrassed and not ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Remember that no one buys such a course as a hobby. Everyone is there to learn something. The course curriculum has been prepared for individuals who have no experience and want to change their career goals from scratch. I can say that you will not leave this curriculum empty-handed with a little English and effort.