Most of our students join our bootcamps to change careers, which can be very daunting. This is the case of María Corredor, who graduated in 2022 from our Data Science bootcamp. After working as an engineer & project manager for a few years, Maria decided to learn Data Science and change careers. This is her story.
What were you doing before joining Le Wagon?
I studied Industrial Electronics Engineering at Universidad Carlos III in Madrid. I then joined a company, Elecnor, as an automation engineer first, and then as a project manager. I stayed with the company for more than three years, before doing the bootcamp.
Which program did you join?
The Data Science one.
What made you decide to do the bootcamp?
I studied C++ during my degree at University, but it was quite challenging. Then in my first job as an automation engineer, I started programming easy things and I realized I really liked coding, especially the creative part of it, what you can achieve with it. But then, I moved to project management, and I really didn’t like what I was doing. I missed coding. So I started researching. I looked into what I could study. I looked into several Masters degrees, for example, but I didn’t want to go back to University. I wanted something fast and practical. That’s when I came across the bootcamp model. I applied to the Data Science bootcamp a few months later and when I was ready, I quit my job.
Was it a tough decision for you to make? A scary one?
Yes, a lot. You really have to get out of your comfort zone, take a new path, and when you make that decision, you’re not sure how it’s going to end. Now I can laugh about it, but at the time, it was quite terrifying.
Are you glad you made that decision?
Yes. 100%. I’m a happy person now.
What are you up to now?
I recently found a job as an AI (Artificial Intelligence) Specialist in a company called TheCodeLives, and I love it. This field is fascinating and I have very good work conditions. I have a lot of flexibility - I work 100% remote - everyone is keen to learn and we’re all on the same page. I’m working on computer vision, which is super cool.
How did you find this job?
LinkedIn. The process was quite long, but it was worth it.
What would you say to the people that want to take the plunge but are intimidated?
It may look terrifying, but take the plunge. There is such a huge need for talent in Data Science at the moment and a vast variety of opportunities that everyone can find their place on the job market. Every background is welcome. The learning curve at the bootcamp is incredible - you learn in 9 weeks what you might learn in a year at University. In my final interview, the co-founder said he wanted to hire me not because of what I knew, but because of the way I thought and apprehended what I didn't know. I think the bootcamp did that, it wakes you up and teaches you how to solve any problem that is thrown at you.
