From tech illiterate to Developer extraordinaire- Chandan’s journey of overcoming hardships
Chandan Kumar Singh hails from the Saran district of Bihar. A mechanical engineer by education, his life wasn’t without hardships. From being unable to achieve job security despite his degree to the extreme financial distress that accompanied that, it was a constant struggle against fate.
Coming from a rural area with few facilities and resources to rely upon, the thought of becoming a coder seemed like a farfetched one. However, in a twist of fate, Chandan defied all odds to transition from one career to another and thrive in it.
Having recently landed a job as a Java Backend Developer at Flyboard Ventures, he takes some time from his busy schedule to share his amazing journey with us.
How did you learn about Masai?
I came to know about Masai from a friend. He’s a Senior Product head in a renowned company, so I went to him, desperately seeking a job. I kept pressing him about it, but he was adamant that, since I had no coding skills, he couldn’t hire me. I didn’t even know how to spell "console" at the time!
Instead, he suggested that I actually learn to code first. But without a penny to my name, it would be a tall task. That’s when he informed me that Masai charges no upfront fee. Moreover, he assured me that I would successfully get placed at a nice company, and if I didn't, he would hire me. That’s when I decided to join Masai.
Did your parents support your decision to choose a completely new career path?
When I joined Masai, the only thing I had to lean on was my own determination. My parents weren’t supportive of my decision, as they didn’t believe I could earn so well without back-breaking labor. My father even thought I was being tricked, as the life of a coder sounded too good to be true to him.
Even now, after having been placed, they are still in disbelief at what I’ve accomplished alongside Masai. I have to show them my salary slip to convince them that I’m not lying.
How was your experience at Masai?
In short, it was wonderful. The best experience I found at Masai was the immense support I found from everyone. I specifically want to thank Nrupul Sir, I remember when I was struggling because of my financial conditions; he offered me help and guidance when I most needed it.
Even Prateek Sir gave me so much of his precious time to help mould my future, and I’m so grateful for it. I could even cope with the rigorous curriculum here at Masai with no problems, and it’s thanks to that I was able to upskill myself in a period of a mere five months. So I really enjoyed every part of my Masai experience.
How was your Construct Week experience?
I really evolved during Construct Week. I met people from diverse backgrounds from all across India, and we came together to meet hard-line targets. We had to set targets, manage ourselves, and put everything we learned into practice.
Most importantly, we did this collectively. That really built me. The experience and learning from Construct Week still help me at my current job and drive my interactions with others and my work.
How did the placement process go for you?
My placement experience was amazing. Everybody around me, my batchmates, but especially the teachers, were extremely supportive and reassuring. Divya, from the placement team, was highly attentive to me and checked in, even on the day of the interview itself.
Throughout the interview process, I was confident because Masai had prepared me well. Coming from a different educational background and securing a coding job wasn’t something I imagined. But when the interviews were done, I had secured the job, much to my parents' surprise.
I want to suggest to anyone thinking about joining Masai that they believe in the passion these people have for helping you make a better life for yourself.