Story of a school dropout who became an Android Developer

Karthik Manoharan from Kerala wanted to become a Software Engineer since he was 15. While attending Computer classes in school, he realised how much he enjoyed using the machine and asked his father to get one for himself. Even though he played games on it most of the time, he slowly built an interest in Software Development and decided to have a career in it. However, he could not score well in class 10th – which meant that taking the Science stream wasn’t feasible for him. 

As a result, he took Commerce with Maths but soon dropped out of it because of a lack of interest. He took admission in BIT, Bangalore for a diploma in Computer Science. 

Was this a good decision? How did Masai help him reach where he is today? Read the conversation to know more. 

Did pursuing a diploma in Computer Science after class 10th prove to be worthy?

Not really – we were just taught about the basic concepts without any practical explanation or reasoning. Additionally, we used to memorize the code and write it during our examination.

I was not at all satisfied with the way things were turning out and needed a professional guide to help me become a professional. 

So how did you come across Masai School?

After finishing the diploma course, I started watching YouTube videos about coding and development. While watching one such recommendation video, I learnt about boot camps that were helping students like me to become Software Developers outside the traditional classroom set-up. One such boot camp was Masai School.

I watched a lot of videos where they recommended Masai as the top choice in India to become a professional programmer within 6 months and no tuition fees involved. Their unique Pay After Placement(PAP) ensured that none of the students faced any financial burden while studying here – they would only charge the fees once the student would have a job of more than Rs.5 LPA.

What was your first impression of Masai?

During the induction, they introduced us to the 9-9-6 schedule and the curriculum. It initially appeared very difficult but soon enough, it became one of the best decisions of my life. I believe it is very important to have discipline and diligence when you are learning something from scratch and Masai truly helped me in adopting this kind of lifestyle. Even after the course, I follow this routine dedicatedly. 

The first few weeks were tough; I had no idea about the application of languages but the IAs and the mentors were very patient throughout to assist us with our doubts. It slowly turned out to be an enjoyable experience and I became proud instead of regretful that I had dropped out of school to pursue a career in this field. 

Tell us more about your learnings during the course. 

We started with basic languages and moved to tougher languages as the course escalated. What I liked about Masai is that instead of just focusing on our technical skills, they also put in great efforts to enhance our soft skills. We were given special classes to work on our speaking and leadership skills. 

Before joining the course, I was not fluent in speaking or reading. Even during the pandemic when our classes took place on Zoom, I used to communicate through the chat box instead of talking directly to my peers. But in no time, I gained the confidence to interact with everyone without hesitation and also worked on various team projects that further elevated my understanding of team spirit and leadership qualities. 

How did the placements go for you?

Once the curriculum was covered, the team at Masai conducted special classes and mock interviews for us to ensure that we give our best to each company that came on board. They even helped us in polishing our LinkedIn account. I got placed at Jumbotail as an Associate Android Developer just after 1.5 weeks of finishing my course.  

To every aspiring coder who is reading this, I would just like to tell them that if you have a dream and the courage to fulfil it, then there is no one who can stop you from achieving it. As an Android Developer, it is imperative to be updated with the latest developments from Google; if you believe you are someone who is both passionate and enthusiastic about this field, then Masai can help you reach where you wish to be. 

The Masai Experience

Karthik did not let his setbacks from the past ruin his ambitions for the future. The immense trust that he showed in Masai and more importantly in himself, helped him build a career in one of the most promising fields of the world. We are proud that he is making waves at such a young age (20 years old) when most of his friends are still figuring out what to do next after college. 

His journey shows that a degree is only something you acquire, but it is actually the knowledge that you receive with your learnings that truly matter the most.