Sheelu left her job at Hewlett-Packard to learn Coding at Masai School

"Even today in my job, the 9-9-6 curriculum is helping me cope up with every single hurdle that I come across."

Sheelu left her job at Hewlett-Packard to learn Coding at Masai School

Sheelu Krishnatrayi was born and raised in Bihar. After completing her B.Tech, she began working for Hewlett-Packard but soon left her job to enroll at Masai School. Although she didn’t come from a Computer Science background, she had the courage to change the direction of her career and pursue her passion to become a Software Engineer. After numerous struggles and challenges, she successfully graduated from Masai and is currently employed by Nickelfox.

She attributes the success to her father, who has always been her role model and guided her to become a better person at every stage of her life. She used to observe her father to learn more about being a professional, and she believes that she is now prepared to confront any problems in her life and to take advantage of every opportunity to learn. Read the conversation to know more:

When did you realise that you wanted to learn to code and join Masai?

After completing, I enrolled for Electronics and Communication in Engineering according to the guidance of my father. Although it was a decent learning experience for me, I always felt that I was missing the spark for this field. After my graduation, I got myself a job at HP, which turned out to be a wonderful experience with intriguing colleagues who supported and accompanied me in my growth. I felt blessed to have had such an opportunity as this was what led me to pursue my passion for coding and developing. 

Although it was a good experience, I gradually found my job very tedious. I took my problem to our senior in the place and they advised me to take the chance that I have right now and make the change in my expertise while I still have time. A year later, I quit my job and started preparing for my CAT examinations which did not work out either. That is when I started looking for something that interests me to the core.

But how did you initially develop a liking for coding?

My elder brother is a Software Engineer and he keeps developing new things which always fueled my curiosity. During my college days, I learnt languages like C and C++ which I enjoyed , hence I asked my elder brother for guidance. I was always in the notion that people outside the Computer Science background cannot pursue coding but my brother told me otherwise, he explained how anyone can do coding and how it is just the language of speaking to a computer. My brother’s advice gave spark to my passion for coding and then I came across an advertisement for Masai School which offered people like me opportunities to learn coding and develop in a certain amount of time. Finally, my thoughts were clear and I decided that if Masai would accept me as their student, then I must give my 100% in order to achieve what I desired.

What are your thoughts on the PAP and curriculum of Masai?

I believe it’s normal to have doubts and confusion in the initial stages. When I was discovering more about Masai, I had a long conversation with my mentors Nrupul, Yogesh and Sandhya about everything regarding the course curriculum and the pay after placement(PAP) structure. At first, it came off to me as unbelievable that such an PAP-based educational system exists in our country. Also, the fact that they are ready to teach a non-computer science background student how to code in just 6 months with the promise of a good job and a quality package was enticing. Our mentors answered every question and cleared all the confusion regarding the course and the PAP. This made it easy for me because after my college, I wanted to be self-dependent and not be a burden for my parents any longer. It was a great opportunity for me to show my responsible nature and grow without disrupting my parent’s life.

Did you like the routine at Masai?

There’s a reason why Masai is so popular among students – it’s because of its sheer discipline which is somewhat similar to a military-style setup. Even though the 9-to-9 schedule made sure that none of us left any scope to miss out on important things, it did not feel like we were overburdened with expectations. The process was more about learning and enjoying rather than just getting a good job.  

The Masai School PAP is still beyond the belief of many people in our country as anything too good to be true is often considered a scam in India. The shared risk of success and failure of the student and the institution is something that must be introduced in every educational institute.

What change did the 9-9-6 curriculum have on your daily routine?

The 9 to 9 curriculum, 6 days a week, has had a significant influence on my lifestyle; there is no room for slacking or taking casual leaves, which has taught me to work in the discipline. You are always on your toes to learn efficiently and I also lost my confidence in the middle due to the frustration of not being able to cope up properly but mentors like Nupur and Aman encouraged me to not give up. Masai mentors will walk with you till the very end of the line and make you use your untapped potential. Even today in my job, the 9-9-6 curriculum is helping me cope up with every single hurdle that I come across.

The curriculum of Masai may seem impossible at first but the support and guidance that your mentors provide you here make it possible. You will surely enjoy the course here throughout and in the end, nothing will seem impossible to you. Strive harder continuously and you will surely learn every skill that you desire to have. 

Did the soft skill training at Masai help you? 

The technical skills are constantly learnt and polished in Masai school, it never stops but that is not the sole focus of the curriculum. Our mentor Yogesh prepared us for the world outside of schools and colleges, he made us face different challenges and guided us to overcome them. At Masai, we are taught how we can change our mindset and become the best version of ourselves. 

How was your experience with the placements?

During my placements, I got quite impatient; the repeated rejections made me anxious, and I used to ask my mentors when I would obtain a job that I would be happy with. Even though I felt hopeless, my mentors had entire faith in me, especially Gargi and Shweta, who were my pillars. On the 14th day of my placement module, I was successfully placed, and the pay growth was double that of my previous employment.

I feel that once you become a member of the Masai family, you will always be a part of them. My mentors continue to be a source of ongoing wisdom for me. In India, 80% of individuals give up on their aspirations owing to financial constraints, but Masai’s PAP has made it simpler for people like us. One should not learn to code just because it is a fancy occupation or it pays well; it must be at their core interest. The rest will be taken care of once you enrol here.

The Masai Experience

At Masai, we believe that every individual is talented. Things might seem impossible to you because the world told you so, but if nurtured in the right path, one can achieve even the unthinkable. Sheelu’s journey and success prove the same and make our belief in our system stronger than before. Although she began her journey with engineering in Electronics and Communications, she bloomed as an excellent Software Engineer later. 

In conversation with Sheelu, we realised that experiences like these are often an inspiration to other people who are in constant doubt of themselves. She even emphasises the fact that her hurdles are still faced by numerous youth across the country whereas the solution is not that far away from them.

Sheelu continues to be a proud member of the Masai family and we are equally proud to have her as a member who will inspire the Gen-Z of coders.