“Mistakes that early-career software engineers make are working on non-meaningful projects that do not showcase their technical abilities. For example, a backend developer must showcase technical abilities, so they need to create an application that uses databases. Show the problems you are solving through your skills and innovative abilities to draw in and excite the client. ” Paul Molato shares his tips on switching to software engineering with no degree.
From Soccer Star to Software Engineering
Born and bred in Diepsloot, Paul thought he would be the next Benny McCarthy and was quite good playing for Silver Stars and Mamelodi Sundowns Academy. His school provided extra academic classes on weekends via Dimension Data‘s educational experts in math, sciences, and computers. Paul’s mother also steered him towards his academic endeavors, fearing that soccer would deter him from completing his studies. With the assistance of Dimension Data, Paul’s math marks increased from 42% in grade 11 to 84% in matric. He attributes Dimension Data’s exposure to rethinking his career as a soccer star to a software engineer.
Paul passed matric in 2010 with a distinction in mathematics and attended Tshwane University of Technology to study computer systems engineering. He tutored other students and continued to the second year despite his bursary failing to pay his fees. The bursary still had not been paid, and by the end, he dropped out. Without a degree, Paul followed the advice of busying himself with the military. Surprisingly, he earned R6500 after deductions for voluntary training, which was not bad because accommodation and transport were covered. After completing his voluntary training, he doubled his pay and earned approximately R12 000 and R13 000 with some promotions. The salary difference was significantly increased when he was on deployment as special funds were allocated for each deployment.
Training for Software Engineering
Still in the military, Paul got an opportunity to fast-track his entry into software engineering. The specialized wing of the military recruited him as part of a ten-member group. The group was trained for technical advisor roles to serve the military department. Paul latched onto the applied mathematics and advanced security network concepts, which were more aligned to cyber security. Afterwards, he spent 11 months in the Czech Republic and studied operating systems, Java programming, and cryptography.
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When Paul returned, he did not immediately apply his new set of skills. Instead, he carried on with the typical operations in the military, requesting quotations and practicing his shooting skills. Bored by the daily routines unrelated to his newly acquired tech skills from the Czech Republic, he researched technological advancements that could benefit the department in cyber security. He spent time writing up presentations and reports for the department voluntarily. Proving his worth to the department would pay off at a later stage.
Building Software Solutions for End Users
Hungry to apply his skills Paul decided to do a pro bono job for his cousin, who had a business website that was a mess. Whilst Paul was already knowledgeable about cybersecurity, designing a website required more research and skills. He then decided to learn HTML and Javascript via W3Schools to design the website for his cousin’s business. Coincidentally, a new opportunity presented itself at work, and he was put on a special project with a consulting company that required the skillset of Python to build an API. The project operated more as a mentoring process because Paul had to learn through trial and error whereby critical feedback from the consulting company was the main teaching modality.
Once Paul was comfortable with writing code and was well-versed in tech knowledge, he realized that the data retrieved from the project was a rich source that could provide insights, but it required data analyst skills. His military department decided to cover his data analysis training fees after he demonstrated his initiative and presented the gap as an opportunity to his seniors. Ever the hard worker, he completed the course whilst deployed in Malawi and wrote data reports for the department.
A Software Engineering Portfolio Secures Jobs
Feeling successful and confident, Paul took his curiosity to learn about artificial intelligence and by chance had an online encounter via Facebook with Thenjiwe Khubeka. Khubeka, a software engineer and co-founder of Woolworths IT Engineering Academy, took on mentoring Paul. She set up a six-month mentorship plan for him and facilitated mock job interviews to prepare him for the transition. Lastly, she opened her networks for Paul to initiate the switch. The mock tech job interviews proved successful and enabled Paul to reach the final interview stage in his first software engineering application at Take-A-Lot even though he was rejected for the role. The pattern of making it to the final interview stages but not being selected repeated itself in the ensuing interviews.
Undeterred, he took the critical feedback from all the rejection letters and focused on building projects to showcase his skills on GitHub. A UK company shortly headhunted him, but he was despondent about his previous rejections and not having a degree. But his portfolio was impressive, and the company quickly employed him. Junior software engineers typically earn R25000, but the role was remote and for an international company, so Paul was paid a salary of 2600 pounds. Approximately R36 000 take-home pay as an intermediate Python engineer; the switch was so major that his tax was equal to his previous salary at the military.
Eighteen months into his role at the UK company, Paul felt that he was stagnating. He created a new profile on OfferZen that connected him to recruiters in the industry. At the end of the first day, he received five interviews, and by the end of three months, he had eight job offers to select from. This leap led him to work for a well-established 110-year-old financial services provider in South Africa.
Support for Black Software Engineers
The switch to software engineering must be activated for a sustainable reason. “If you feel stuck in your career choice, it is very important to know why you want to transition. The reason to transition must fuel you even when you are in the field and things are not going well. It is not easy to enter and thrive in software engineering. So your reason must be so loud that you will thrive. You also need a very good support structure,” Paul explains.
Watch: I left Cyber Security for Software Engineering
The reluctance of young Black people to pursue tech careers is due to the lack of exposure and connections. He advises not to let your social background stop you from creating a portfolio. Tech is open and operates on the quality of your skills; race is secondary. He makes an example with young Black men like Sicelo in South Africa who are building apps that excite the tech industry.
Young aspiring software engineers must focus on building their portfolios. Your portfolio justifies your skills and qualifications; nothing is stopping you from preparing it. No excuses; having access to social media means you have access to the information required for the tech industry. Young Black people need to change how they process online information. They need mentors who are experienced and have in-depth knowledge and industry networks.
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