MaiAda Carpano always loved coding but it never crossed her mind to pursue a career in it—she thought you had to excel at math and science to break into the field. She taught for history for six years but didn’t see the professional growth potential she was looking for. Not wanting to “feel stuck,” MaiAda approached a friend in the tech industry, who recommended the Penn LPS Coding Boot Camp—he had recently completed the program and felt enthusiastic about the support he received from his instructors and teaching assistants.
MaiAda enrolled, and even after a lot of prep work on her own, she was surprised how much more there was to learn in class. “I had an amazing boot camp experience,” she said. “It was really valuable to receive a holistic skillset of both front end and back end development.”
In a class made up of mostly women and BIPOC students, MaiAda found her passion and a familiar community of learners. “I felt like I could grow and learn in a space where we were the majority rather than the minority,” said MaiAda. “I developed this growth mindset that taught me that if you put in the hours, you can figure it out — the industry isn’t an ivory tower that you can’t access.”
Thanks to the skills she gained at the boot camp, in just one month after the classes completed, MaiAda landed a job at Creditly, a platform dedicated to helping consumers with debt relief. “I want to see the face of tech change,” she said. “The lack of diversity within the tech industry isn’t about pointing fingers or placing blame. There are lots of factors that contribute to the unconscious bias rampant in the field, and we all need to make a concerted effort to change the accessibility of opportunities in the tech industry.”
Read more about MaiAda at Trilogyed.com >
The Penn LPS Coding Boot Camp teaches students the specialized skills needed to tap into the rewarding industry of web development. Through a fast-paced, immersive curriculum, students learn the skills needed to become proficient in front-end and back-end technologies. Boot Camps are offered as a 24-week part-time program or a 12-week full-time program—both offering challenging and rewarding experiences with live sessions, extensive support, and collaboration with peers.
Learn more about the Penn LPS Coding Boot Camp >
