How a Civil Engineer faced rejections to launch himself as a Developer

Aravindan (25) is a Software Developer from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu who did his schooling in Chennai. Most of his family members have graduated either in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, which made him want to pursue something different from them and he landed up in Civil Engineering. After graduation, he started working at a private firm which eventually led him to his passion for coding and subsequently to Masai School.

Much like others, Aravindan was not from a Computer Science background but his passion for coding made him overcome all the struggles and hurdles during his course. After his graduation, he received a job offer almost immediately. 

His journey at Masai School inspires us and the new generation of coders as well. Currently, he works at MPL as a Software Developer and this conversation would throw more light on how he made it there.  

How did you find your passion for coding?

My family members were primarily from the Computer Science and Electrical fields. I picked Civil Engineering for my graduation because I wanted to do something different from them. Fast forward to 4 years when after finishing my engineering, I got a job where I learnt a lot of new things related to my field. However, after a certain point, this learning became stagnant. I sought for something greater where I could put my expertise to use; despite the fact that my first job did not put me under a lot of stress, I became dissatisfied with what I was doing and wanted to try something new.

I was puzzled about what to do at the time, but I was focused on altering my path in my domain. While I was dabbling in a few areas and disciplines, I considered studying coding languages such as C++ and others. I had an immediate interest in coding and development, and I began to learn on my own via the internet. I even applied for employment in this industry, but I was turned down by the majority of employers owing to my civil engineering background. I used to handle difficulties by myself by watching online lectures, but it was just a recollection of what the video taught, so I decided to seek personal help from a qualified mentor.

So what led you to Masai School?

While searching on the internet for new options, I came across an article about Masai School that piqued my interest. I did not have a solid financial situation at the time to continue another education. Masai’s online lesson was really convenient for me, so I decided to join it. The fact that the ISA obliged us to pay the fees only after getting a job that pays 5 LPA, made things much easier for me.

How was your experience in Masai School and did you face any issues? 

Even though my ambition of becoming a developer seemed unachievable until Masai, yet my path was not entirely without obstacles after I came here. Initially, the 9-9-6 training was hard and rigorous. The focus was extremely important for the things you wanted to study, and you had to be totally attentive to the languages you wanted to master.

What Masai demanded from me was something I had no idea that I possessed, I was expected to work twice as hard in my everyday routine. The assignments forced us to apply our inner minds in addition to what we learned in class. The majority of our homework was really difficult, but our learning became more efficient.

What was particularly striking was the application of what we had learned in class the day before. There were instances when I was unable to solve my problem or complete my tasks, which led me to get demotivated. Every time I felt I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the curriculum, my mentors came to my rescue and helped me in every way they could.

The Masai curriculum was created to generate not just skilled coders and developers, but also better professionals with fluent communication skills. My soft skills were good, but I struggled to express myself in public, which Masai assisted me with. I used to wait long periods while speaking, to think about what to say next. But Masai taught me in many ways such as writing exercises and turning them into speech, among others. My communication perspective has shifted in a positive way; while I am still learning, I am now able to communicate myself more effectively.

How relevant was your course in Masai compared to your current job?

After graduating from Masai, I was instantly placed. The typical projects that I received at Masai were filled with complications that I still face today, but I am now able to handle such complicated issues without trouble since I have been trained to do so. Not just as a developer, but also as an employee, I am never late since Masai’s curriculum has taught me punctuality and discipline.

Masai has helped me become not only a better developer but also a better corporate employee.

The Masai Experience

The conversation with Aravindan was primarily about how he was able to solve complex coding and programming challenges in Masai. He was always willing to take on challenging projects during the course so that he could learn what he needed to know. The Masai Team had a wonderful time guiding and teaching Aravindan.

He highlighted the need to ‘Focusing on what you want to learn’ and frequently referred to the Masai Team’s efforts as the reason behind why he was able to follow his interest effectively.