With a background in Java development and software training, Ally has been an instructor at CodeClan Glasgow since our first cohort in the city two years ago.
We spoke to him about his life before CodeClan,Β his motivations for joining us and what’s changed since then.
What did you do before you started working as an instructor at CodeClan?
I had just finished working as a Java developer for Student Loans Company. Prior to that I was a Delivery Manager for a software apprenticeship scheme training 16-19 year olds for employability in software.
“Teaching has always been a passion of mine.”
Why did you want to start teaching people to code?
Teaching has always been a passion of mine and I was a Math and Computing teacher for a number of years. During this time, and prior to teaching, I also worked on a number of projects building websites and software apps. Teaching coding combines these two passions.
You were involved with CodeClan Glasgow from the very first cohort. Has much changed since then?
So much has changed in the last two years.Β
When we started in Glasgow we had a small team and one cohort. Initially when I joined, myself and colleagues in Glasgow started to implement some changes to the course structure and now the course has gone from strength to strength in terms of what we aim to teach the students.
Our team has grown and we now have two cohorts in Glasgow at our new offices at Clockwise.
What technology do you like teaching the most?
Java has always been my first coding experience and I still enjoy teaching that to this day. However I have found since joining CodeClan that I thoroughly enjoy teaching JavaScript as well, as there is so much you can do and always something new that we can try out with the technology.
Whatβs the most satisfying part of the student journey to teach?
The most satisfying part of the student journey is when you find the point where students start to explore the software libraries and frameworks to find other things that they can do or use.Β
It’s great seeing them being able to research and understand new concepts using the building blocks we have provided.
Any advice for someone considering a career in tech?
Keep your mind open to it. You donβt need to be a maths wizard or have a degree in computing science. As long as you have a passion for tech and can demonstrate that it will lead to a very rewarding career.
Launch your career in tech!
Find out more about our 16-weekΒ Professional Software Development courseΒ or come along to ourΒ next info sessionΒ in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
