Introducing the Fourth Cohort of Careers in Code Students!
We’re so excited to introduce and welcome the students of cohort 4 to our community. Here are the amazing stories of our motivated, passionate students!
Schneider Joachim
My name is Schneider Joachim. I moved to Syracuse from my country Haiti at 5 years old, and this city has been my home since. I went to Highschool at the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central (ITC) and there, I pursued mechanical engineering throughout my entire four years until I decided I wanted to try other things. I graduated from OCC with an Associates Degree in 2022. I started to get into coding as I was near completion of my degree, doing simple projects in HTML & CSS. I didn’t want to immediately go back to college for a new degree so when I came across the Careers in Code boot camp, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t overlook. It was a chance to deepen my knowledge of something I was already familiar with. Coming from an engineering background, I know just how invaluable it is to be able to apply critical thinking to intricate problems and to be able to deconstruct those problems into smaller, consumable pieces. Those skills I developed throughout my time in engineering have been seamlessly carried over into coding, which I feel has helped me immensely in my journey to become better. I’m happy to say that in programming, I feel I’ve found something I can commit to whilst finding it satisfying and rewarding to do. It’s not easy, but nothing in life worthwhile is easy. I want to come out of this with the skills needed to back up my title as a Full-Stack developer. After this Bootcamp, I would like to further my education and improve my skills in programming. I know I want to be an entrepreneur so I plan to take everything I will learn along the way and use it as the foundation to build my dream.
Alba Diaz
My name is Alba Diaz. After deciding it was time for a career change, I began taking courses and obtaining certifications at EOC such as Word, CompTIA A+, Coding, Cybersecurity, and Azure Fundamentals. I became interested in the coding industry, leading me to apply to Careers in Codes. I am looking for a career that I can enjoy and be able to earn a living wage.
Egzona Imeri
My name is Egzona Imeri, I am originally from Kosovo. I work for the City of Syracuse, as a Systems Training Assistant. I am looking to become a Software Developer with the knowledge that I gain from this program as well as any future classes.
Upon graduation, I am eager to work for a Tech company that would be willing to hire me to further my knowledge, allow me to showcase my abilities as well as gain experience in the field.
While having no previous knowledge on coding, I have demonstrated my abilities as an attentive learner and have grasped the concepts that we have learned in the Careers in Code Bootcamp.”
Torez Rowser
Torez says that he has always enjoyed taking on challenges and learning new things, especially if it involves technology. He was born in Syracuse and moved to Orlando, FL at a young age before moving back to Syracuse in time to graduate from Nottingham High School. After high school Torez went on to attend Clark Atlanta University followed by SUNY Albany.
After college, he worked in sales for years in the Washington D.C area and Miami, FL. After several years in Miami he received a job offer from Verizon for a Technical Support Analyst position in Syracuse and decided to move back in order to be closer to family and transition from sales and into tech.
After completion of Careers in Code, he wants to advance in tech and obtain a job as a developer.
Bobby Baxter
My name is Bobby Baxter, I have 3 wonderful sons and a fiancée that is the best in the world. I have always had an interest in all things tech, but never really pursued it in any way. I have a little experience in a few different fields due to bouncing around trying to find a career path that fit my life as well as met my family needs. That path has led me here to Hack Upstate, and I plan on using this platform to catapult me to the next level. My goals for the program is to get a better understanding of how all of this works, also to obtain some type of employment in this field to grow, prosper and to give my family a better life. I also kinda want to freelance a little to learn as much as I can so that I can also pass this knowledge down to my kids. I am really enjoying the program because it challenges me just enough to stay engaged but not too much where I get discouraged. I look forward to the rest of class and can’t wait to walk that stage. I am thankful for the opportunity and thank every person involved for their time and energy to teach and help all of us students grow.
Jennifer Harris
I am Jennifer Harris and I work in the mental health field as a Residential Counselor. I have also worked in the past, as a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist. Both paths have been fulfilling and rewarding. As I’ve gotten older, I assumed many care-giving responsibilities to family members and it took quite a toll on me, physically. I am in my 40’s and it’s now time for me to not only reinvent myself but to also move into a career that will provide me with creativity, security and flexibility for my changing health needs.
My goals for the program include growing more in the areas of User Experience and Design as I have discovered a strong liking of both. I have been working on my Capstone project and that goal is to create an application that will assist with the rehoming of animals due to a person’s health or financial difficulties. It is also my deep love of animals that is pushing me through the program to this point; a career as a Full-Stack Developer, Project Manager or Data Analyst will provide me with an income that will allow me to start my own animal rescue and to do so knowing that financially, everything that they need will be provided for.
I see myself working with an employer whose business is not-for-profit, aimed at social justice issues, healthcare and those benefiting animal rights, the elderly, accessibility programs and food security. I will be seeking employment with both larger and smaller businesses in order to expand upon my experience and versatility.
Karen Riche
I’m Karen. I have some background working in a technology-focused high school and I was responsible for assigning my students to career coaches in the field of online tech and manufacturing industries. I love that someone is able to provide solutions to complex problems using an online “language”. I love the flexibility that coding can provide for you when it comes to working independently and remotely for those who choose to do so. I prefer being a creative and analytical thinker that continues to develop and maintain persistence to solve problems. Lastly, the opportunities for minorities and women to take advantage of this career field is much needed and I have been wanting to participate in this new surge of technology focused industries.
Nyasia Graves
Hi! My name is Nyasia . I have worked with children all of my life . I really wanted to gain another skill and experience in another career, so I can always have a backup career path. My Journey so far has been a great one! I enjoy the challenge and the satisfaction of seeing the product of my code.My goal is to take all the knowledge and support from this program, and use it to help me excel in my tech journey. My future goal is to use this program to get a job to gain experience . I would also like to get a degree in computer science while I work the job. By the time I receive my degree, I would have a lot of experience in the field and also my certificate from this program.
Brian Hill
Hi! My name is Brian Hill, and I am a current student of Careers In Code — Cohort 4. I was born and raised in Syracuse, NY, and that experience has shaped my life in countless ways. I’ve taken a number of different academic and career paths over the years, but technology — and more specifically software development — has been consistently compelling to me. CiC not only offers a clear pathway to becoming a full-stack developer, but does so with a focus on Central New York. I’m very grateful for all the people who have contributed their time to make this happen, and I look forward to doing the same upon completion.
El’Aundra Nasser
I want to continue expanding on my current knowledge of coding. I have a deep interest in the field and hope to learn more. I was attending a coding program in Albany in 2021 and had to withdraw due to a family emergency. I was able to catch on very quickly because of my foundational knowledge of CSS and HTML. I have worked with VS Code, and have managed my own personal website for 12 years. I started out with Blogger in 2010 and then moved to Wordpress in 2012. I have been using wordpress since 2012. I am a lover of tech, as I sit in my free time watching developers conferences and new software that is released.
Artrell Capers
Hello, I am Artrell. I was born and raised in New York City but I have also spent some time in Las Vegas, Nevada. I have been in Syracuse since 2008. I have a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College, I am a single dad and currently I’m in the automotive field.
I am looking forward to graduating from Careers in Code with more knowledge of computer programming in general but especially full stack development. I’m not sure what direction I want to head into when the program is over but I would probably explore opportunities that are remote to provide more quality time with my family.
Ayub Ali
My name is Ayub Ali and I am currently enrolled in careers-in-code. My journey with tech started in 2021 when I was looking for a career that would allow me to grow. This year I have started taking online courses in HTML and CSS which were amazing. The more i learned the more i wanted to learn more. This program was a great fit for me because the class is in the evening and it’s based in syracuse. I am aiming for a web developer job after this bootcamp which would kickstart my journey. This will be difficult and challenging but I am here for it.
Naujalique Brady
I’m Naujalique Brady, most people just call me Nauj. I was born and raised in the City of Syracuse. I attended and graduated from SCSD schools where I now teach. I’ve taught for 4 years. During Covid teaching became virtual and that’s when I realized I needed to become more tech savvy to keep up with the creative and technical demands of the world. I heard about careers in Code from a friend and was excited to learn a new skill that would help to expand my career opportunities. Aside from teaching, learning, and reading I enjoy photography. I’ve used what I’ve learned in the program so far to start building a Photography website to showcase my Portraits. Upon Completion of the program I plan to get a job as a Developer, and in the future possibly teach code to young students.
Brandon Furze
My name is Brandon, I am a Brooklyn native and have lived in Syracuse since late childhood. Until now I’ve been exploring different career paths and a friend told me about Careers in Coding. It’s been a challenge so far but, at the same time it’s all a balance; that being so my main goal is to master and apply the skills I learn from this course to build myself into a proficient web developer. I also hope to use my accomplishments from this program to explore different areas where coding and tech can be applied such as art, design, and music.
Jordan Murray
Hello, my name is Jordan Murray and I am new to coding. My goals are to have a complete career change and to make some small projects I have planned come to life. My goals for this program are to learn the way I actually take in coding and how well I retain it and perfect that process for myself. I would like to get down the very basics of coding through this course plus more. After graduation I would love to get into the field with a well-paid internship if possible. I would also like to build a small crew as the skeleton frame for designing and creating a video game. I have no additional information I would like to share with you.
Patrick Oswald
I am Patrick Oswald. If you want me to be honest, I am doing better than I thought. Sure, I have times where I become flustered but my overall goal is to proceed with it. This is something that is going to give me, even if in smaller quantities, financial stability. There is always computer work in some form needing someone to create/build something. When it comes to what I plan on doing after, I’d prefer not to really think of that now, I am too early into this journey. I feel I will do well enough to get the right just until I become an expert.
Kalaivani Saravanan
My name is Kalaivani Saravanan. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Biomedical science. As much as I want to be good with computer knowledge, I always felt it was challenging and not my cup of tea. But recently I got very much interested in Bioinformatics and realized how much programming is important in data analysis and interpreting data in my own field. As learning by myself is an option, but the truth is I may not be that dedicated with my lab work, etc. But this career in code provides me more option to learn from the great instructors and hands-on training which I can use to advance my knowledge in bioinformatics through getting the feel of JavaScript and eventually getting into Python. My future goal is to apply this programming knowledge into my own science field. I am also interested in creating the applicable capstone project.
