Decode your power

Already during my studies, I started working in my profession, at first as a freelancer and later on as a full-time employee. I worked as a Geologist at the Geotechnical Laboratory for almost 3 years. My job was to perform and prepare soil analyses. During my work, the laboratory developed a lot. We introduced new tests, which involved the need to prepare forms for the development and presentation of test results.

I had the feeling that I couldn’t quite develop further in my profession. I also didn't feel like it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I didn't know what I wanted to do. It was then that a colleague of mine at work told me that I should look into testing. He was also in the process of changing industries, doing a postgraduate degree in Software Engineering. So I started to take an interest in the subject. I read a lot of articles, looked at the job market and decided that it was something I would be perfect for.

In the beginning, I was determined to take a weekend course, but in the end, I chose a remote course. To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about the online version, but it turned out to be a great success! The classes took place in the evenings during the week, usually every other day and on Saturdays. I found it to be the perfect option. There were a few hours of classes followed by a day off, so you could consolidate your knowledge. We also had additional tasks regularly, which also allowed us to consolidate our knowledge.

At the beginning of the course, we prepared for the ISTQB exam, which took place in Warsaw. The further part of the course was practical. We wrote a test plan, scenario and test cases based on requirements for a specific website. We did it with the help of tools that may be useful in our future work (JIRA, TestFlo, TestLink). After preparing the test cases, we moved on to executing them, i.e. actual testing. At each stage, we could consult with our lecturer. At this point, I would like to thank Magda Biernacka for her great involvement during the course and also for her expertise and mental support after it.

I went through several recruitment processes, including one recommended by Coders Lab. I am currently working as a Junior Test Specialist in Alior Bank in Cracow. I am testing a website and a mobile application for T-Mobile Bank Service.

I am glad that I decided to take the course in Coders Lab. As a person who has not been involved in the IT industry before, I needed solid basics that I could later develop on my own. This is what I expected and what I received.

Each graduate had different motivations and doubts at the start. But they made a bold decision and took that first, difficult step toward change. They let go of past achievements and lessons learned and... changed their professional lives. See how they did it.