A transition from chemistry to IT
Have you ever wondered what it's like to move from the chemical industry to IT? Meet Ján Bujnovský, who turned his analytical skills and passion for problem solving into a career in programming. Thanks to the support and mentoring from Hotovo, Ján took on the challenges and found his way in the world of technology. Read his inspiring journey, motivation and advice for anyone looking to make a similar leap. This is a story of determination and new beginnings you won't want to miss!
You previously worked in the chemical industry, what did you do?
I worked in the regulatory field for a large chemical corporation. There are a lot of regulations in the chemical market that are in place to protect consumers, and I made sure they were all followed, and communicated with suppliers, developers and eco-toxicologists about the accuracy of the data when there were discrepancies. So essentially I was involved in chemical checks.
What motivated you to move from this industry to IT?
I have always been a logical type of person. I like to analyze things and look for solutions. I used to go to math competitions. I also play chess competitively. In my previous job, there was an opportunity to automate some processes using VBA macros, specifically SAP scripts, and I enjoyed that quite a bit. I realized it was already close and related to programming, and I could see myself as a programmer. And most importantly, I thought I would enjoy it quite a bit more than what I was doing. Also, because of Covid and home offices, I was able to move with my family from Bratislava to Prešov. I knew that one day these home offices were likely to be abolished within my company, so I purposely asked my friends who worked in the IT world if they would take non-IT people into IT companies. And somehow word got around and I got to Hotovo.
At Hotovo, we have a Talent Hub initiative, of which you are a "student". How did it go?
Yes, I got here through the Talent Hub initiative, where there are people like me - beginners who want to be more skilled, and in whom Hotovo sees talent and potential. I was trained extensively for the first three months - in Java and React, and now I've moved on to a project developing a scanner for the blind (Braillee).
Braillee case study here.
How has your chemistry background influenced your approach to learning and working in IT? Has it helped you in any way?
Both industries are logical worlds where things work based on certain rules. Which is to say, I see the connection in terms of logic and order.
What challenges did you face in learning to code and how did you overcome them?
It was all very new to me and the quantum of information I had to absorb in the first three months was almost too much. Before joining Hotovo, I read the book Power Up Your Brain by Andres Hansen, which helped me quite a bit. With the increased mental workload, you need to make sure you get plenty of physical activity. That's why I try to do sports regularly, also the sauna helps me to switch off my mind. When I do lots of physical activities, I also reduce stress and improve the quality of my sleep, and thus better store the acquired information in my memory.
Which coding languages or technologies do you find particularly interesting or challenging to learn?
I can’t say anything in particular yet because everything is still very new to me, but everything I’m doing and learning interests and entertains me. So far I'm proficient in Java and React – I mainly want to master those two and then we'll see.
How do you like the mentoring, especially considering you are from a different industry?
I like that it's so personal, that it's as they say "tailor-made", taking into account where the person has come from and where they want to get to. It's not a one-size-fits-all type of approach, but one that’s tailored to our needs. I really like the human approach overall in Hotovo, it's so normal here. I used to work in corporate where there were rules that, while they made sense, could not be broken or exceptions made. I also really appreciate the confidence and trust I’m given, that I'm not being strictly controlled or checked on all the time. That trust has made me even more motivated to give back to Hotovo. There's a great deal of freedom, and I think that's how it should be everywhere.
On your current project you are working with Vlado Hrušovský, one of the most experienced programmers in Hotovo 🙂 How has this helped you?
I really like our six-month collaboration, Vlado is a great mentor. He is very smart, both technologically and humanly.
What are your future goals in IT?
It's hard to say. I have such a simple goal for now, which is to become a fully fledged programmer, since I'm not from the IT world. I can see that I have gaps in my skills, although I have learned specific languages, but I don't have the greater IT context that a college-educated computer programmer has. But my vision is to successfully finish the Braillee project and then work on a project for a commercial customer so that I can return to Hotovo some of what I’ve got from it.
What advice would you give to someone who is not from an IT background and wants to move into this field? Is it worth it?
It's definitely worth it, even if it's hard. I would recommend having patience with yourself and knowing that everything needs its time. It doesn't happen overnight or even from week to week, it takes months, maybe even years. But it is something that is worthwhile. In my opinion, programming is great. It's the perfect type of work, especially with all the benefits of being freer, because here at Hotovo we get the trust and freedom to do the work when it suits us, so we can organize the work in our own way and time – outside of fixed meetings of course.
Are there any particular resources, courses or approaches that you have found particularly beneficial in your educational journey?
I really like the course called Just Java Script. The whole course is conducted in the form of stories, combined with the opportunity to try out all the lessons practically. And that's what I think is important on any course - to try by doing, to get it into your head, and it was done very well with those stories. And of course I also try to read some blogs in my spare time. Whenever I have time aside from family and other things, I try to educate myself.