My Mentee Journey at She Code Africa
I joined She Code Africa Slack Community on Wednesday 3rd February, 2021 in order to connect with ladies in the technology field (Java developers, especially).
I was so excited when I read about the SCA Mentorship Programme on Twitter and I signed up and waited expectantly to be selected. I was even more excited when I saw that there was an opening for a Java beginner. It’s the first Mentoring programme I’ve seen that offers that. I definitely did not want to miss out on the opportunity to grow as a Java Programmer; a dream I’ve had since I was 16 years old. After I applied, I attempted the technical assessment and waited with bated breath to get some positive feedback (that assessment was no joke, to be honest. 😓😓😓).
Fast-forward to Wednesday 24 February, 2021 (another auspicious Wednesday!) when I got my acceptance email, words alone cannot express how grateful I was to be a selected as a Mentee in the Java Cohort 💃💃💃💃.
I was paired with my spectacular mentor, Chiamaka Okenwa who was so patient with me and still found a way to push me beyond what I thought I was capable of. The icing on the cake for me was that I HAD HER ALL TO MYSELF😍! I was so glad that I did not have to share her with anyone😊. Did I mention that she is amazing? Because she is. Please indulge me as I gush about my awesome mentor.
Chiamaka Okenwa is a software engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the fintech industry with a focus on product design and development. She has extensive knowledge of Java, JavaScript, Springboot, GIT as well as Web Services, Restful API and lots more.
I would also like to personally thank Amaka Nduka Oyom (another awesome Amaka 😉😎), the founder of She Code Africa, and her awesome team and partners for this awesome mentorship opportunity. At first I thought 3 months was too short (I still think so), but I got so much more than I expected from this programme. I have been so richly blessed and empowered by this programme. I thank you with all my heart.
Now, let’s talk about the She Code Africa Mentorship Programme 2021 (Cohort 4).
The She Code Africa mentoring program is a 3-months cohort-style, intensive program specifically designed to pair experienced individuals excelling in their specific tech fields with beginners in need of a guide and learning path while helping them grow in required ways in their career fields.
I chose the Java track and I am so super glad I did. I also appreciated the fact that there was a structure in place and expectations were clearly laid out for mentors and mentees such as:
- The Mentor-Mentee Pairing List
- The Learning Path for your track
- Weekly Mentor Meetings
- Monthly Program Calls with the SCA Founder
- Monthly evaluation forms
- Hands-On Projects
So, what did I learn during my mentorship? Let’s dive in:
MONTH 1
I learned how to use git and Github. I also learned basic Java syntax (classes, packages, access modifieres, interfaces, method overloading and overriding, etc.), Object Oriented Programming Concepts such as encapsulation, abstraction, inheritance and polymorphism, Java Collections (ArrayList, HashMap, Sets, etc.), Error Handling and Exceptions.
At the end of this month, I was able to build a simple TicTacToe Application (console-based) and I had a lot of fun doing it! Here’s the link: https://github.com/bondress/TicTacToe
MONTH 2
This was when things really started heating up. This month, I learned about some Java 8 Features like Lambda expressions, Method references, Functional interfaces, Optional class, ForEach() method. I also learned about working with Spring Boot. I was able to successfully create a project with Spring Boot at the end of this month.
I created a simple CRUD API for a Library. Here’s the link: https://github.com/bondress/LibraryApp
As a bonus, I was finally able to attempt the Level One Task of She Code Africa Backend Initiative Project. Here’s the link: https://github.com/bondress/Backend-Initiative-Project/tree/Level-One-Task
I had no idea how to even attempt this project before I joined the mentorship programme.
MONTH 3
I was really pushed to my limit this month, as i was tasked with figuring out how to implement Unit Tests in my APIs. I was able to successfully implement Unit Testing and Integration Testing and even Basic Spring Security in an API. Mindblowing stuff.
My final project had me developing a simple REST API for a small library. I created REST APIs to add, update, delete and search for books in the library and I also implemented integrated testing. I felt like such a goddess when I was done!
Check out the links below:
Unit Testing: https://github.com/bondress/MyUnit
Integration Testing: https://github.com/bondress/IntegratedTestingDemo
Basic Spring Security: https://github.com/bondress/SpringSecurity
Final Project: https://github.com/bondress/LaideLibrary/tree/SCA-Final-Project
I must also talk about my struggle with imposter syndrome during this programme and I would not have been able to get over it without being a part of this beautiful SCA Community and without the help of my mentor.
I look forward to actively participate in this community by giving back through mentoring and eventually working with a diverse and innovative team as Java Programmer.
