As a mother to a young child, a foreigner living far from my family, and someone who’s had no prior experience in coding, stepping into a full-time Java bootcamp felt like a leap of faith. I knew it would be challenging—after all, I had to leave my job and commit fully to this new adventure. But here I am!

It has been a while that I wanted to dedicate myself to studying coding, but I was always busy with work, childcare and social duties, and I ended up postponing this desire for a few years. When I saw the opportunity to study at Northcoders, fully funded, I knew I had to give it a try and try my best.

Leaving my job was no easy decision. As a mother, I’ve always balanced the demands of family life with my career. But when the opportunity to transition into tech presented itself, I knew I couldn’t let it slip by. The bootcamp was the perfect chance to learn something new, something that would not only be fulfilling but also set me up for a more sustainable and exciting future.

But, of course, there are challenges. My child is the light of my life and leaving him every day to dive into this intense, full-time learning environment has been tough. There's no family support nearby, so juggling the responsibilities of motherhood with the demands of this bootcamp is a constant balancing act. 

My most challenging day so far has been at the end of the fundamentals module. We had a two-day solo project to work on, and my little one woke up sick. I tried to do some work, but it was nearly impossible as he needed my support and care. I did my best with what I could on that day. The next day he felt better and I finally could work on my project. (A few days later I was the one sick, but that was much easier to deal with.) 

Despite the struggles, there’s an undeniable excitement in my heart.

The Intensity of the Bootcamp

The bootcamp is full-time—8:45 AM to 5:00 PM, five days a week. It’s a complete immersion into the world of Java programming, and let me tell you, it’s intense! 

I try to wake up way earlier so I can do some reading of the course notes before my little one wakes up, then I get breakfast ready and drop him off at nursery. When I get back I make myself a coffee and make sure I have everything I need for the lecture, my notebook (I’m old school and like to take notes on paper), water and a few snacks. The lecture generally goes on from 8:45 till 10:30 with a 5 minute break halfway through it.  After that, we practice what we just learned! This is my favourite part!

We practice mostly through paired programming, sometimes solo. I personally like paired programming as I am highly social and enjoy meeting my classmates. In addition, when we work together, we can bounce ideas off each other and complete the challenges faster, as well as spot mistakes more promptly.

At 12:30 we break for lunch, we take that time off very seriously and I like to stay completely off screens so I can be back after lunch feeling refreshed. Generally, after lunch we have a seminar. This is more flexible than the lectures and we often share code and discuss things that are troubling us. Afterwards, we return to our pairs to keep on working on our challenges until 5pm. 

Every day has been a mix of exhilarating highs and challenging lows. As someone with zero background in coding, I often find myself feeling like I’m drowning in new terms and concepts. But every time I work through a problem, whether by trial and error or with a little help from my peers, the sense of accomplishment is amazing.

The Balancing Act: Family, Learning, and Self-Care

Being a full-time bootcamp student with a young child means I have to be strategic about how I manage my time. During the day, I’m focused on learning—attending lectures, taking notes, and writing code. But as soon as I leave the classroom, the reality of motherhood kicks in. I’m back to being a mom, cooking dinner, and putting my little one to bed. I do try to do some learning in the evenings, however sometimes I am too tired, so I spend some quality time with my partner, who has been very supportive so far.

It's not easy, and I often feel torn between the two worlds. There are days when I question whether I can keep up with the pace of the bootcamp, especially when I’m exhausted from lack of sleep or when my child needs extra attention. But every evening, I remind myself of why I’m doing this: for me, for my career, and for my family. I’m creating a future where I can thrive in a career I’m passionate about, and that’s worth every sacrifice.

Support at the Bootcamp

One thing that has been incredibly helpful is the supportive environment of the bootcamp. I’ve found a wonderful community of fellow students and tutors who have made me feel welcome. I’ve learned that many of my classmates have faced challenges too—some juggling family, others changing careers, and many like me who have no coding experience. We have an online channel where we can help each other when we are facing trouble with the code and also post about exciting challenges and interesting articles.

The instructors are incredibly patient and approachable, offering guidance when I get stuck, and always making sure no one gets left behind. I’ve learned more in the past few weeks than I ever thought I would, and the collaborative atmosphere makes me excited to come back every day. Even when the concepts seem daunting, I know that I’m not alone. We’re all in this together.

Beyond coding we also have support with employability skills and have the career team helping with building a strong CV as well as preparing for interviews, and just being there for us when we need it.

Excitement for the Future

I won’t lie: There are days when the pressure feels overwhelming. Some concepts take longer to grasp, and there are moments when I wonder if I can really make the jump from care to tech. But despite the challenges, I’m excited about the future.

I’m learning how to code—something I never thought I would do. The idea of working in the tech industry, where I can contribute to creating something innovative and impactful, fills me with energy. I’m not just learning to code; I’m learning to think critically, solve problems, and create things from scratch—skills that are invaluable in today’s world.

Every day at the bootcamp feels like a new step forward in my journey to a new career.  Each line of Java code I write, each new concept I learn, brings me one step closer to my dream of transitioning into tech. It’s a journey that excites me, challenges me, and fills me with hope for the future. If you're thinking about a career change or wondering if you can make the leap into tech, my advice is simple: take that first step. It might be difficult at first (and afterwards too), but the reward is worth every bit of effort. If I can do it, so can anyone who really wants to and dedicates time to it.

I can’t believe that we are already half way through it! And I cannot wait to see what’s around the corner.