Changing Gears: My Software Engineering Journey
I am now returning to college, and to programming, with a unique perspective after four years experience in Army Special Operations. My transition into the world of computer science has probably not been conventional. When I dropped out of college in 2018, I wasn’t sure coding was something I would pursue again. However, my experience in the military, in training and deployments, has sparked my interest in the importance of software engineering particularly in the defense industry. Technology plays a crucial role in modern military operations, something I have seen firsthand.
I have created a strong base of knowledge in computer science through my academics, but I recognize that after a long break and limited experience coding outside of school I have skills to improve upon. But, this just increases my motivation to develop skills and engage in new experiences in a different sector. My goal is to merge my academic experience with skills I have learned in a highly functioning elite unit of the US military. Skills such as leadership, problem solving, and decision making. While the more specific requirements of my prior job may not be applicable to the tech industry, the broader and more important skills are.
In the future I hope to fine tune my software engineering skills and contribute to the defense industry. I am interested in working on projects that use AI to help solve our nation’s challenges. This includes drones, cybersecurity, and analyzing data sets that can contribute to more strategic decision making.