Sometimes, it’s worth it to take the risk.
Glenn’s journey is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the pursuit of passion. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, he initially set out on a path in teaching but soon found himself working in the finance industry. Despite excelling in his role, he realized his true calling lay elsewhere— in the ever-evolving world of technology.
Determined to chase his dreams, Glenn set his sights on becoming a web developer. Balancing his responsibilities, he took on part-time development work for Australian-based companies, gaining hands-on experience while continuously expanding his skill set. His dedication and perseverance have propelled him forward as he works tirelessly to overcome challenges, push past his fears, and achieve his ultimate goal— becoming a full-time web developer.
Glenn’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your passion and redefine your career.
(Interviewed and written by Akiko Iwai)
—— Introduce yourself to the Zuitt Community.
Hi I’m Glenn! I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, majoring in Filipino. Currently, I’m working as a Financial Planning Assistant in an Australian financial company as a full-time employee. I also have side hustles as a freelance web developer and a citizen developer. Lastly, I’m an AI contributor to a financial institution in Australia.
—— How did you end up in Web Development?
Honestly, the reason why I ended up in a program like this one is because I asked AI: ‘What’s the simplest way to develop a website?’ Then, ChatGPT recommended me to become a web developer. I tried to do research on what a web developer is and did some self-study for a year. But after that, I ended up feeling lost. I felt that I didn’t have a proper direction when it came to my studies. And that’s when I started considering other options like going to ChatGPT again to ask where to go after self-studying. I got the suggestion to try enrolling in a Career Accelerator School like Zuitt – Tech Career Program.
Actually, the reason why I decided to venture into web development is because a lot of tools that I’m handling in my current job are heavily web-based. Every day, I interact with and handle different websites. Out of nowhere, I had a realization about how websites are made. I ended up thinking more and more: “How to improve a website?” or “What if there was a widget like this to improve the site?”. Not long after, I told myself that I would try to learn web development.
—— What were your expectations before joining Zuitt?
I thought it would be terrifying. I had a fear of thinking that I would be delaying the class. I was also afraid that I wouldn’t be able to submit my work on time. Of course, I was also afraid that I was going to fail the class. Those were all my expectations. It’s all very negative but that’s just how it is.
On the good side of things: Based on the reviews I saw before enrolling, one of the good things I knew and was sure about Zuitt is that they’re friendly. The friendliness of the instructors was often mentioned. There were reviews like no student was left behind as well, and that the instructors do their best to make sure that students won’t fail, and that students get to learn something every time.
—— What’s the best thing about Zuitt’s Tech Career Program?
Instructors. The best thing about Zuitt’s instructors is that they’re super friendly. They also do student reviews and background research before starting the class so that they would have an idea on how to base the lesson.
Zuitt also has a beginner-friendly curriculum. For someone who has zero knowledge background when it comes to web development and coding, I can guarantee that they are true to their word. Zuitt will teach you the basics and core fundamentals, so that you would know which codes are for what, and for where a syntax is used.
Also, the good thing about the instructors is that they’re very knowledgeable on how to teach the lessons in a simple way that doesn’t get complicated for zero-knowledge learners like me.
Actually, I was working full-time at that time when I was learning part-time in Zuitt. And that’s another good thing about Zuitt, they’re very considerate, especially for part-time students who are full-time employees in the morning. In our classes, our instructors always ask if we’re able to follow the lessons or which topics we found difficult to understand. They make sure that their students have a full understanding of the topic before moving forward with the lesson proper.
—— How was your job-hunting experience as a career shifter?
To be honest, it’s very difficult to look for a job, especially based on my experience as a fresh graduate from the program because I don’t have any experience. So, what I did was to source out with my friends to see if any of them needed someone to have a website built. Luckily, I did have someone I know who needed one so that became my first freelance job a month after training with Zuitt.
Everything happened pretty fast. I managed to finish the website within a couple of weeks. After that, that’s when I became a citizen developer in my current job right now. In getting this position, the skills and the certificates I got from Zuitt became super helpful. The certificate I obtained from Zuitt became my steppingstone to enter the tech field and to work in my current part-time job.
—— Any advice for career shifter students like you?
For me, the tip that I can provide to students is to always trust the process. If you feel burnt out or if you feel you lack direction, just take a deep breath or just relax. Don’t pressure yourself to learn things immediately. It’s web development. Web development will always take time. It will take forever for you to learn web development, even now, I still have so much more to learn. But compared to before, I am far from where I started.
Aside from trusting the process, do not pressure yourself to get a job immediately. Don’t compare yourself to the achievements of others as well. Their story is different from yours; you should always make your own story.
—— Why should you join a program to learn web development?
For those students who are having second thoughts about joining the program, and if you’re afraid because of the price, in all honestly, bootcamps and programs like these are supposed to be pricey. But the good thing about Zuitt is that they have the Study Now, Pay Later program. That’s what I went for to be able to achieve my goals right now. It helped me a lot because instead of paying for it in full, I only had to pay monthly via card. The tuition became lighter for me to be able to pay it all.
—— Any message for career shifters like you?
For someone who comes from a Filipino major background or other secondary majors, always take risks. You, yourself, would never know what your endpoint would be if you never take risks. As for me, I took the risk even if I didn’t know anything about web development. I only had the passion for learning it. I felt that it would be okay. Now look at me, who would’ve expected someone from my major to become a freelance web developer now and soon to become a full-time software engineer someday.
If you have a similar experience to share with our boot campers, drop us a message at marketing@zuitt.co.
