From uncertainty to passion – my path to IT

Aleksandra Wójcik

student

Hi. I’m Ola. I’ve always been interested in science subjects like math and computer science. In my senior year of high school I took part in the STEAM Academy, which confirmed my conviction that I should study computer science. I am currently studying at the Warsaw University of Technology at the Faculty of Mathematics and Information Sciences. In my free time I love going to the movies, listening to music and making collages and jewelry. Also, if I get a chance I volunteer at various IT conferences or film festivals.

What are you currently doing professionally? What do you want to do ultimately?

I am currently studying Computer Science and Information Systems at Warsaw University of Technology.

What prompted you to take part in the Girls Code Fun Foundation project?

I wanted to take part in these projects because I am keen on continuous development and learning new skills.

What skills or knowledge did you gain during the program? Do you use them in your work? Or do you develop them further as a hobby?

As part of STEAM Academy, I developed my soft skills (soft skills), backend (Python programming), frontend (HTML and CSS) and SQL. Thanks to this project, it is now easier for me to understand various issues in my studies.

I also participated in the Innovate Her Program Girls Code Fun & Google project meetings, which helped me refine my resume – it will certainly come in handy in the future. I also participated in the event The Pangs and Shadows of Data Analysis, which taught me what to look for when working with data – I am now using this knowledge in a project in college.

What motivated you to continue participating in the project? What were the biggest challenges you had to overcome during the program?

I was most motivated by the interesting classes and the wonderful atmosphere among the presenters and participants. I was always eager to join these meetings excited about what we were going to do today.

However, in addition to this there were sometimes individual difficulties . The biggest challenge for me was finding the time to do all of this, given that I was participating during my senior year of high school and had to prepare for matriculation at the same time.

How has the program affected your professional or educational future? Did it change your approach to technology, career goals, life goals?

Thanks to STEAM Academy I learned about various forms of Computer Science, which made it easier for me to choose my current major in college. Also, as I now apply to participate in other projects or job interviews, recruiters look at it very positively.

Have you participated in the mentoring process? How did working with a mentor affect you?

One part of the STEAM Academy is mentoring. I have very positive memories of my conversations with my mentor. At the meetings, among other things, she showed me how to work with the cloud, gave me advice on how I could develop more, and helped me with my choice of studies. 

What do you consider the greatest success in/after the project? What benefits has participation in the program provided – now and for the future.

My biggest success (so far) after STEAM Academy is going to college to study Computer Science. Before that, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work as an IT specialist in the future, but this project showed me how interesting it could be.

How has the project affected your personal, professional life? 

By participating in the project, I am not afraid to look for different initiatives or take part in other projects. Currently, I am heavily involved in volunteering in my free time.

Did the project help you decide to continue your education or work in IT?

As I mentioned above, yes.

What are your plans for the future, given the skills you gained from the project? Would you like to continue your education or career in the technology industry? What steps will you take in that direction? Or have you already taken up or already started working in IT? Inspire others.

My future plans are to finish my studies, and to find courses that will help me further develop my coding skills.

Are you more confident in your IT and technology skills now?

Definitely.

What advice would you give to other girls who are considering taking part in Girls Code Fun Foundation projects?

Don’t put things off just sign up and give it a try.

What would you like to achieve in the next year, given what you learned in the project? Or what you have achieved one year after completing participation in the GCF project. 

I got to study computer science and passed 1 semester. I took part in various volunteer activities, including volunteering at IT events.

What was the most valuable experience for you from this project?

Mentoring.

What changes did you notice in yourself after completing the project?

I am looking for different initiatives for myself.

What surprised you the most while participating in the project? 

What surprised me the most was the mentoring. I had never participated in something like this before, so I didn’t quite know what it consisted of or what to prepare for. Which doesn’t change the fact that I think it was the best part of the project.