From Selling Pani-Puri to Working as a Frontend Developer

Amol Barkale - A Masai graduate now working at Gameopedia
Amol Barkale - A Masai graduate now working at Gameopedia

Amol earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and worked in a hotel during college to support his expenses. While working part-time, he discovered his passion for the hotel industry and worked for 2 to 3 years. When the pandemic struck, he was jobless and decided to open his own pani puri stall with the intention of doing something good for himself.

His family was unhappy with his professional decision, so while working at a hotel, he was browsing YouTube when he came across a video of a talk with Abdul and learned about Masai. He expresses that his life is no longer the same; it has undergone a dramatic transformation for the better.

We recently spoke with Amol on his journey from pani puri vendor to frontend developer.

Amol's hard work to get into Masai

While Amol was selling Pani puri, it was difficult for him to convince his family because his family did not accept his idea of selling pani puri. He claims he stopped listening to everyone and believed he would do well in the field, but after a few months, he became tired of the boring routine and realised he was good at academics. He felt he wasn't utilizing his full ability and began looking for ways to study, which is when he discovered Masai.

Amol was not fluent in English, which was one of the requirements for acceptance at Masai. Whenever he had some free time, he would read the newspaper out loud in front of the mirror to make sure he felt confident when he took the MSAT.

It was Amol's first and only chance to enter Masai because he was about to reach the age limit of 28. Before taking the MSAT, he made certain that he had read through all of the online content.

Experience in Masai

Everything was new to Amol at first, which was frightening and overwhelming. He had a persistent feeling that it would be challenging and that he would fail. However, after a month, he became accustomed to the schedule and learned how to better manage his time. His eagerness to study and his fear that this decision would affect his life pushed him to overcome his apprehension.

Throughout these frightening times, all of the instructors and IAs (Instructional Associates) were really helpful. They assisted Amol in understanding assignments and resolving all of his worries. He received Async twice due to personal reasons but he did not give up hope because one of the IA reminded him that it is best to master everything before going on to the next unit.

"I was having problems understanding operators in JavaScript, but those extra sessions with my IA got me through it", says Amol.

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Just in case you're also facing difficulties with operators in JavaScript in your programming journey, here's a free resource for you to get started. You also get access to the JavaScript fundamentals tutorial on the same page. Start learning now. 

Amol believes Masai has the best management system since everything is meticulously organised. He mentioned that now that he is working at his company; the training provided by Masai is paying off because he has more polished skills than his coworkers.

Amol Barkale talking about his placement experience at Masai

Construct week experience

During construct week, students get to try out a variety of activities, and Anmol says it has helped him learn how to work as part of a team. Construct week has taught him how to collaborate with everyone because everyone has different working styles and working at the same pace is important while working on a team project.

The hiring process

Amol was working hard to prepare for the interview. He had interviewed for approximately 10 - 11 companies prior to joining Gameopedia. He underwent two rounds of interviews at Gameopedia, one for technical and one for HR.

Advice for future Masai students

He adds that Masai students will receive all the help they require to learn and grow. They will push you out of your comfort zone and ensure that you are gaining the skills that will benefit you in the future.

At Masai, students gain not only technical skills but also vital soft skills that can help them succeed in job interviews. The practical knowledge taught at Masai is something that you may not be able to learn even after four years at university.