Backlogs couldn't stop Huxly from becoming a Software developer

Huxly Gerard Singh, a chemical engineering grad wasn’t allowed to sit for placements due to multiple backlogs. A typical scenario for millions of B tech students.

Desperate to get a decent job, Huxly tried his hands at multiple things. He even ended up registering for fraud courses as he’d find out later. 

Disappointed and let down with the business-minded education sector in India, he needed a turning point. And that came when he decided to enrol in Masai School upon his close friend’s advice.

7 months of rigorous and disciplined training later, he got placed in a high paying job as a Software Developer at CoinSwitch. 

How did he make it? What challenges did he face and how did he conquer them? 

We got to know all these answers from Huxly in an interaction with him. 

Here are a few excerpts from that conversation-

What’s your educational background?

I studied B tech in Chemical engineering from Anna University, Chennai, graduating in the year 2020. I had 4-5 backlogs so I graduated 6 months after the regular course completion.

How was your experience in college?

Honestly, I didn’t study well during college. Their curriculum and teaching methods were not engaging enough for me to focus. 

College education is more like a formality to me. You pay money, you get the same typical lectures and that’s it. Noone really tries to solve your problems.

So, I wasn’t a regular attendant in classes. I used to go for long rides on my bike with my friends. We actually had a lot of fun in those days.

What happened during college placements?

I wasn’t even shortlisted for job interviews based on my grades and backlogs. Only students who had good scores were being selected. 

How did you discover Masai?

My college friend was an Instructional Associate at Masai. He introduced me to the coding bootcamp. Back then, I had been preparing for the government job entrance exams and working a private job at the same time.

To be honest, I wouldn’t have believed Masai had it not been for my friend, and his experiences. 

What made you join Masai School?

I had an inclination towards Computer Science and Programming. I studied in the computer group during 12th. But due to certain circumstances, I opted for Chemical Engineering in B tech.

But when I got to know about the Pay After Placement proposition at Masai, I was hugely influenced by it knowing I wouldn’t have to invest in order to learn.

Coming from a Non-CS background, did you face any difficulties during the program?

Yes, I couldn’t find the right approach to study in the first month or so. It was all a new thing for me. But gradually, I developed the right inner-mechanism needed for coding.

I also faced communication problems in the first team project during the construct week in Unit 2. For that reason, I couldn’t get fully involved in the project. But after some discussion with my teammates, it was sorted.

What Projects did you build in construct week?

We worked on building clones of popular websites like Acko Insurance, ShopperStop, and another diabetes management app.

What’s your take on the 9-9-6 schedule?

It wasn’t just 9-9-6. I had to stay up late till 2-3 at night sometimes to cover everything. I hustled through the course because of my love for the process of learning.

How did Masai prepare you for placement?

The most important thing they did was finish the course by the 5th unit itself. So, we got the whole 6th unit for revision and placement preparations. It included several mock interviews for different concepts as well as behavioural interviews.

How many companies did you sit for during placements?

I was shortlisted for 4-5 companies including Zomentum, MyGate and CoinSwitch.

I cracked the CoinSwitch interview and got the offer. Didn’t even sit for other interviews as I was convinced to join CoinSwitch some time ago. My friend Sarvana works there and he keeps talking about it. So, I got really interested in working for a blockchain, crypto-based firm.

How did your parents react to your placement?

They didn’t completely believe the news at first. Only when my work laptop was sent by the company, they found it was true. 

What’s the work culture at CoinSwitch?

It’s a really light and fun work culture. People communicate well, they push me to do better.

Honestly, I only have to put in 10% effort of what I did at Masai, and that is a testament to how rigorous Masai’s schedule was.

What are your plans for the near future?

I’m planning to learn Blockchain Development from part-time courses. If it works out, I’d like to work as a blockchain developer in CoinSwitch itself.

Can you expand on your excitement about Blockchain?

I find Blockchain to be a very secure and logic-based transaction portal. I can foresee it’ll have a huge demand in future. Currently, it’s in high demand too but there are low supplies. That’s the reason I want to learn Blockchain Development in order to leverage the timing better.

What’s the difference of level between you and your senior colleagues at CoinSwitch?

I’d say they’re ahead being SDE-2 but there’s not much difference.

Students can learn from Youtube, Udemy and other sources as well, what makes Masai different?

I tried to learn Java from Udemy, but it didn’t go that well. No doubt, one can learn the basics of each concept  from such courses but that wouldn’t result in overall proficiency in the subject. There’s no proper structure. You learn one thing today, take a few days break, and then learn something else. It all gets scattered. 

Masai puts it all together in one place. You’re learning front-end and back-end at the same time and also applying them in building projects. All the learnings are actually translating to something productive. There are mentors ready to solve your problems at the click of a button. 

So, there’s no comparison. 

You mentioned some other course that felt like a scam? What was the experience like?

It was a Digital Marketing course. In the first few classes, the person was just promoting his courses, different packages, etc. Clearly, he was more interested in selling than teaching. That’s the reason I left the course.

If you had to go back and choose between college and Masai School, what would you prefer?

Absolutely Masai School. I wasted almost 6 years for college (4-5 years in college and 1 extra year re-attempting 12th to get a good college) and still I ended up nowhere.

Do you have any suggestions on how Masai School can improve or upgrade?

In my humble opinion, I think it would be even better if Masai added more courses like Data Science or Blockchain Development or other such courses.

Is it worth paying 3 lakh for the program?

I think money doesn’t matter in this case. If you’re being assured that you’d get a high paying job and only then you have to pay, 3 lakhs isn’t a big deal.

I have encountered a lot of fraud institutes and even joined one or two of them. They charge you upfront and then leave you to the dust.

Masai is totally different in that regard. It says :- “We don’t want anything upfront. We’re training you the best way possible and making our bets on you.” They prioritise students’ success.

I remember an incident when, unfortunately, one of our batchmates died due to cardiac arrest. The Masai team provided INR 5 lakhs to his family and his younger brother an offer to join Masai.

“Masai is not doing it for money. They are in it for the greater cause. This is reflected in their actions.”

Huxly speaks with utmost precision and honesty. He mended his ways at the right time in his career, realising things needed to change if he were to find success. And that’s exactly what he achieved after 7 months of uncompromised focus and commitment. 

If you want to be a high-earning individual working in professional developer roles, check out these courses and get onboard to turn your career around.