Why I Learned to Code and Switch Careers

Category: Women In Tech, Published: 3/14/2021

Normal Life as a Mom

I remember the day I decided to switch careers and enroll in Sabio, but my story starts before then.

Hi, my name is Cindy and I'm going to get a little personal here. My story is not the first of its kind, but it is not one that is often mentioned. We get caught up in the tactfulness of speaking so much sometimes that we let the truth become void. So today I'm going to break that void.

My life was "normal”. I am a mother and a wife. My daughter is a precocious ball of energy and my husband is a disabled Army Veteran. When my daughter became school aged, I decided to head back out into the workforce. I took an entry level job that came with the promises of promotions and grandeur, but was left with the same work, day in and day out. I did not expect to switch careers.

Job Before the Pandemic

It's not that I hated my job. No, it's quite the opposite. I really enjoyed the work that I did. I worked in a hospital department that was in charge of ensuring instruments were sterilized for patient surgeries and procedures. My work felt so important albeit the lack of pay and prestige it's actually given.

Then the pandemic hit. Not all surgeries are emergencies and when most of the elective surgeries were cut from the schedule, the hospital cut the hours in our department as well. That's when this "essential employee” realized how unessential I actually was.

After the Pandemic

I needed to find a way to provide for my family, so I started looking around for other options. I had certain goals in mind. If I was going to switch careers, it would need to meet certain criteria:

Had to have the option to be remote. Being out of the home in the workforce showed me how much I was needed in my home.
Had to not be an entry level position, even if that meant gaining a new skillset. I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck.
Had to have options to continue learning as I tend to get bored easily.

I talked to so many people. I must have, virtually, interviewed at least 50 different people with all different job titles. During this same time, my husband became eligible to share his education benefits with me from the Veterans" Administration.

That's when the stars seemed to align.

Transitioning to Tech

One of my final interviews happened to be with a CTO (Chief Technology Officer). I was intrigued because the description he gave me of his positions in tech seemed to match my checklist perfectly. He also mentioned that women were needed in tech and all STEM positions.

As I started searching my education options through the VA, I saw that Sabio offered an online program and I registered for one of their info sessions.

I left my full time position at the hospital about a month before I started full time boot camp at Sabio to concentrate on the assigned pre-work and was able to pass the technical assessment.

I'm still in boot camp currently, but I've already started my list of things to look for in an employer. Through the knowledge I'm gaining at Sabio, I am confident I will be able to find the career I'm looking for and options for growth that I have been craving most of my adult life (P.S.- the first item on that list is an earning potential to be able to afford to take my daughter to Disney World.)

So the biggest question now is what's holding you back? What's your list of whys? Don't have all of the answers? That's ok too. Come to an info session and ask.

Because, ladies, now is our time to rise in tech.

About Cindy Hewitt

Cindy is a 34 year old mother, wife, and pet owner (ask about her zoo!). She loves to learn and read daily. Her hobbies include photography and fiber crafts.