My TIIDELab Experience 1.0
The Realization
“When a boat leaks constantly, it is more effective to change the vessels than it is to try to fix the leaks.” — Warren Buffet
This was my thinking when I considered changing careers because of the economic crisis in the country. My friend advised that I think of a career in Tech after we talked about it, and here I am.
I first discovered TIIDELab when a friend started working as a program coordinator at TIIDELab. In light of this, I can state with assurance that I have been a fellow since the first cohort.
The Humble Beginning
“The small water droplets that continue to fall are powerful enough to pierce the rock. One rock at a time, perseverance is the mindset that brings mountains to a halt.!” -Anonymous
Changing my profession from chemistry to web development seemed impossible, but I still applied. I took part in the 6-week pre-fellowship program to get a better understanding of the principles I would need to master to meet the admittance standards. You see, I’m the kind of person who believes that everyone should have an equal chance at success and that receiving favors from others that they do not merit is bad. I put a lot of effort into getting into the program because I wanted to, and I think you can sense the sense of accomplishment I experienced when I was finally accepted. You won’t be able to fully imagine it, I promise. Nicely done. Temitope, you did your bit, you worked hard, and you were rewarded for it.
The Journey
“The only person you are meant to become is the person you choose to be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson”.
Finally, on May 8, 2020, I began my journey toward self-reliance with TIIDELab and the team of selfless people who are committed to providing me with the resources I need to make my life meaningful. The onboarding program was a success; I felt comfortable with the course material and method of delivery, and I recognized the path would be challenging. I owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Kadir Salami, Mr. Adedapo Shamsudeen, Mr. Kenny, and UncleBigBay, for their services to my life.
I learned about git and GitHub during the first week, and I find the GitHub concepts to be quite intriguing. I liked using the git terminal even if the commands were initially perplexing. Funny how I feel like a true tech sis when I’m working on the terminal and someone asks, “What is this again o?”, I’m thinking about adding “GITHUB specialist” to my résumé.
I studied data structures, algorithms, advanced HTML, and CSS in the weeks that followed. What I find challenging are the concepts of media query, CSS grid, and some aspects of CSS flexbox. The HTML skeleton is made more visually appealing with CSS. Knowing and using CSS to construct projects, in my opinion, is what will land you a job. After all, if you can show a project that is professionally made, who won’t even consider hiring you?
I think I still need to do a lot of work to brush up on my CSS, but I have a basic understanding of what I can accomplish with it.
Beyond Coding
“Soft skills get little respect but they will make or break your career” — Peggy Klaus
At TIIDELab, we do more than just code; in addition to technical abilities, the course material also heavily emphasizes leadership and communication skills.
Learning soft skills with Mr. Shamz has been quite enjoyable; his engaging teaching methods make it simple to put his advice into practice. Mr. Aderoju demonstrated the link between success and attitude. He went over the four main factors that influence how an attitude develops, how it relates to behavior, whether an attitude is positive or negative, and how to change a negative attitude.
We learned the basics of team building and writing engaging articles in another session. The implementation of these ideas typically takes the shape of team projects and assignments, followed by presentations. We are currently using what we learned from structured problem-solving for our final project.
Guest speakers in the tech sector, including Mr. Saheed Adepoju from Andela, Mr. Farouk Alogba, Hacksultan, and a representative from our sponsoring organisation, NECA, have also appeared.
Team Work
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller
It was a wonderful idea to divide the fellows into teams and match each participant with a coding partner. The daily peer-learning session provides time for reviewing and discussing how well students comprehend the course material as well as seeking clarification when necessary.
Team members unite as a family, taking care of one another and pursuing the same objective. It is more successful when inter-team competitions, task delegation, and individual knowledge exchange are used. I am the Team Lead and an authentic member of the Data Pirates, the title contender who won the first Mega Presentation.
Having a coding partner to discuss work-related issues is not rated enough. Being able to code with Ederuvie Owen is a true blessing. During coding partner sessions, we primarily exchange our progress, discuss individual challenges in the program and work out solutions together. I appreciate you being my partner, Owen.
The Fun Part
“The capacity for discovery, mastery, openness to change, and flexibility is killed by a life of work and no play, which also prevents involvement and invention.” -Joline Godfrey
We all look forward to entertaining activities like wager tasks, where the winning teams get to recommend individuals for the chance to compete in the weekly head-of-house competition. In Cohort 4, I emerged as one of the fourth Heads of House. The chance to plan and oversee the activities of other fellows for an entire week is something that all fellows look forward to. Acting as a liaison between the fellow and the TIIDELab administration is just one of the responsibilities of a head of house. It was hectic, but it was also enjoyable.
Without planning an enjoyable activity for the fellows, a head of house’s tenure is not complete. I planned a scavenger hunt game with the second head of house during my term, and based on the feedback we received, we think it was a success. fellows enjoyed themselves, and rewards were earned.
My Achievements
“The freedom to do your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.” — Colin Powell
- Tead Lead for Data Pirates
- 4th Head of House
- 2 Presentations for Dara Pirates
- First place in first Mega Presentation -Pacy-Pirates
- Winner Problem Tree Analysis presentation- ASSU/Federal Government Face off
- Planned and coordinated the Scavenger hunt game as Head of House
My Feedback
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” — Bill Gates
Since I joined TIIDELab, it’s been a rather long journey; my learning is growing, and the delivery technique is efficient. I appreciate working with my team because they are amazing. Technical writing classes and the assignment that will undoubtedly follow are something I am looking forward to.
Please like and comment below if you enjoyed reading this article or if you have any recommendations for how I may improve my writing. I’m really eager to tell you about the next stage of my studies. Thank you for your time.
Yours faithfully
Tekherbalist
