Chapter 1
Pre-words
This is as good place to start as any. There was some basic education and self learning involved even before this point, but nothing too complex. We could say that in this point I had already learned how to re-build a PC, run Linux live-CD, install software, use torrents, (get Windows full of malware), use MS Word -suite and LibreOffice, etc. - basic stuff.
For our journey, it feels more sensible to start on little bit later point on time, when I started to actually learn things that no regular PC user would - nor should.
Launch of web-shop
SO, I started to develop small scale web-shop (or more like digital boutique - cause of branding style) for someone close to me at the summer of 2010, when I was 15. On this project I got an excellent chance to develop my skills on different platforms, website hosting, domain management, php/css/html/js, graphical designing, business operations, and a lot more. Basicly everything tech-wise was my decision back then, but the final word to design choices came from the actual owner of the business.
As the whole tech stack was my responsibility
In this project we ended up using Prestashop as a platform and run it on external hosting-provider, which had necessary php and mysql support that the project needed. Graphics were done mostly with GIMP and Inkscape, but the first draft of logo was actually made with Paint (I know, classic!, eh). Anyway, needless to say that as the tech stack was mine to handle this was very educational project and as I started studies for bachelor's degree in information and communication technology later on that year, the coding and technical parts of the studies were filled with moments like - oh, that concept I am already familiar with.
Chapter 2
IT studies
So, still a year 2010,
I entered to school,
three years later,
got out.
Nothing more to that.
OK..
OK, there was something more and even as I did already had a strong start for programming -wise I did also learn a lot of new stuff (and had opportunity to improve myself on already learned subjects too). As the study program was game-dev -oriented there was also a lot of new tools that I was not familiar with previously.
After first year - and as I had a lot of spare time on the summer vacation - I ended up improving our classes joint project, which I did put to our classes shared Dropbox when I was finished.. and so it ended up being used on the official presentation of the degree for the possible new students. I was also part of the team who did the actual presentation (with PowerPoint) - and I believe that there was two similar after that on the coming years.
Tools we get to use
We ended up learning programming with:
C, C++, C#, JS, AS3, Java, Python and php.
Most complex tools that were used during studies were:
PhotoShop, 3DS Max, Unreal Engine, Unity3D
And of course there was also introduction courses for Linux, networking and UML diagrams (etc.).
Thesis
Instead of regular thesis I created an Windows Phone mobile game with two of my class mates. Most of the coding was in my responsibility on that project. Platform was a relatively new back then and involved self-learning specifics about it. We had used Visual Studio for C# at some other school project already, but only for Windows PC -native apps. Project ended up being so substantial that it did raise my final grades for couple of subjects.
I also ended up teaching one course based on what I learned from that project. Mostly focusing things related to unit conversions between SilverLight and C#. On the project SilverLight was used for the menus, as it allowed the game to have exact same look and feel that the OS around it. That way the game had more integrated feel than regular games as it synced directly to phones access colours, had similar menus, and used light/dark theme based on the phone settings. However there was some major differences of how SilverLight and C# handled those so the conversions needed to be perform between those two when moving data around.
I finished my class basicly with top grades on all major IT-related studies.
Chapter 3
Construction work
So naturally I started to work on constructions,
doing all the heavy lifting,
with nothing but raw testosterone,
and my manly muscles.
So..
What?
Yep. After completing my first (and only) degree on IT I tried studies on higher level for a while, but my head and heart was not really into it.
So I decided to change career - or at least take a break.
In addition to IT
In addition to IT related stuff I have always been interested of making stuff with my hands, being it woodworking, tinkering with (other) electric devices or drawing. So as constructions did need workers back then I decided that it could be nice experience - which it was.
I didn't have any education nor any experience of construction work, but did have high level of interest and motivation working there. I ended up doing work via company that offered temporary jobs on that field. Jobs were always planned to be from couple of days to couple of weeks, which was good for me as I got to try out working on different construction sites and that way after couple of ones always found out some sites where I could actually be helpful and feel needed even on longer basis. So each time the boring or not as nicely fitting gigs lasted just couple of days and the nice ones as long as I could work there,
Which worked like a dream.
Back to bench..
However, as I did not have any professional skills for these jobs and were not ready to start any degrees for acquiring those, there was not much to look forward on the career wise there. So, I quickly ended up (re-)studying IT/business -related studies again.
As the construction work were quite flexible because of short initial work agreements I end up doing those at longer summer holidays when I had all of the time in the world.
or..
Couple of years later - as working being so nice and all - I ended up staying on constructions full-time and put studies to pause.
Chapter 4
IT-studies, part 2
OK, so lets step back in time a little while.
When working on summers at the construction sites, I started IT -related business studies at university of applied science (again).
I must say that from the previous try-out session from UAS -studies, even as it was a short while. I ended up getting little spark to work with networks, virtualization and Linux based systems on my free time. So, even as that was short moment, it did help me to get really started with those subjects.
Studies
Now the studies were little bit more business oriented and honestly, most of the stuff is just repeating what I already know from previous studies or from my own projects.. so not as interesting as it could have been.
There was however possibility to enhance my skills and even learn something new. Especially the usability and (digital) product design studies did bring up something that I did not know previously.- or at least brought names and terms to those subjects so I could understand the concepts better, which some I subconsciously had been doing on my projects long before.
End of a phase
Even as the studies went quite well, it just felt like I did not learn as much as I could, and actually - as in this point I was working on constructions part-time already and felt like I learned way more from there than on the classes.. well, let's just say that now we did catch up to the end of last chapter..
Chapter 5
Back to IT
I never fully got away from the feeling that I did not really know nor understood the construction business as well as IT-world - even as I did perform well and even had less experienced workmates learn from me at couple of jobs.
At some point I just decided to start doing something little bit more tech-oriented again - which world I feel like I truly understand.
This is not something that I talk much, but I still was not ready to get back to 'real' IT jobs. Even as I do understand the concepts better on that world, sitting beside desk programming all day just did not hit the right spots on my mind and at times even thought of that did bring up some anxiety in me.
However, as for the earlier mentioned reasons I did not want to stay on the construction sites rest of my work-life and felt like taking a step towards IT-related work-life.
Supporting customers
That is how I ended up working in tech related customer support role at one of the biggest electronics big-box stores at Finland. The work was nice and there was enough variance for my taste. Workdays brought up daily customer-service moments with technical problems to solve. After customers were served we did other jobs like pre-installed and software-customized PC's, mobile phones and tablets for customers. Calibrated TV's and helped with IT problems of store staff. If there wasn't any of earlierly mentioned jobs to do (as couple of days on each year there were not) I ended up doing improvements to our daily routines, tools and work environment.
The whole thing was kind of nice experience also because it offered to me get out of the IT-bubble that I felt like I lived in, as most of my relatives were quite efficient with their devices. It was nice to see people and their problems who were not as tech oriented as what I was used to.
End of a phase
However, I did quit that as the job itself did not really feel like something where I could improve myself that much after working there some years.
Still not sure if it was because the problems got easier or if I gained some skills solving those, but it just did not bring the same satisfaction that it used to do on first years - or months.
..so, here we are
- at the end of this journey
- looking up for new learning opportunities
Aftermath
Of chapters 1-to-5
Beginning
I learned how to participate creating a real business plan, decide what kind of feel website should have and design outlook for it (logos, layouts, colours).
The optimization was crucial as the potential customers were not tech-oriented and presumably had older hardware in use. Basicly everything was optimized from the images to js, html and css blocks - this was before the CMS systems did that all automatically, or at beginning of that time. Email-templates had been properly modified to match the company -style. The page layout was simplified for our customer base in mind.
I did learn how to install, modify and manage an complex web-shop with a real domain and inventory.
At the bench
..or school, whatever..
Range of programming languages that came up was just humongous, ofc some were used more often than others, but each one did bring up something new to learn. The most surprising of those were AS3 (action script). Which was really simplistic, basic language, but even so it was excellent language to figure out concept of glasses and objects.
I would say that C# was the most used language, or maybe it just feels like it as it was used on extra-credit summer game-dev -camp as well as on my thesis work.
Anyhow, it was nice to know the differences of all of those and each language always brought on something new to learn about. Still each of them having their own optimal use-cases to do specific tasks - or just more compatible with various devices.
Later on networking, security and virtualization courses were definitely most inspiring for my free-time curiosity and to learn new things.
User-interface and usability -studies were really insightful and I really enjoyed those, even as the subject were already somewhat familiar to me from that web-shop project.
Heavy lifting phase
Even as this job was an entry level one, it did allow me to figure out incredibly freely which tools to use, if to ask help or do things on my own. It was like every decision affected how quickly and efficiently the work was being done - which, of course, is the same on every job, but when it actually affects you physically it is just whole other level of satisfaction when you found that optimal way to do those things.
There was also lot of teamwork involved, prioritizing small jobs based on different time-constrains and work-flows as well as just really multicultural work-communities. It was interesting to be an part of community where people all around the world were all working seamlessly towards the same goal. Lot of people with completely different work styles and still managing to accomplish same results.
Supporter
Was the place where I did get little bit out of my shell and got to help people in the process - with their tech -related problems.
I still however feel like the most significant accomplishment of there were tool that I created on my free time to automate huge part of Windows pre-installations, which really took most of the repetitiveness out of the work.
TV -calibration with professional equipment was also something new for me, as well as experience of serving ans selling services face-to-face.
Just in case - and if you are interested - feel welcome to have a look at my homelab -project, which is huge part of where my learning happens these days.