From Correctional Officer to Coaching: Andrew Reynolds' Journey into Tech and Beyond

My name is Andrew Reynolds. I am a software developer at NetBenefit Software, the founder and Chief Gaming Officer of GetGaming, a proud alumni of the Get Coding program, and a Get Coding coach; I am lucky to be the father of two wonderful girls, I love coding, coffee, sports, and board games.

How did you get into programming, and what attracts you to it?

Tech is something that has always intrigued me, but not something I pursued academically. I don’t really have an answer as to why that is. Prior to joining the Get Coding program, I was a Correctional Officer for 8 years. It was not something I enjoyed. In late 2021 I finally decided enough was enough and seriously began to pursue a career in Tech. I had attempted various online coding courses in the past but always ended up dropping it when things got hard or life got busy.

When I found the Get Coding program I quickly realized it was perfect for me and I ended up joining in early 2022. As for what attracts me to it ?

Simply stated, I love getting to use my brain again. I love the problem solving, the creativity, the opportunity for continuous learning; Beyond that I love the community, I love the culture being fostered in Newfoundland Tech, and I love the flexibility. It’s honestly a dream job for me. I love that I am professionally happy for the first time in my life.

Why did you decide to become a coach in Get Coding? What does coaching mean to you?

I knew before I finished the Get Coding program that if and when I had the opportunity to become a Get Coding coach, it was something I absolutely wanted to do. I’m not shy to state that Get Coding changed my life.

I am immensely grateful for the opportunity Jan and Sahand gave me and I want to give back however I can. That said, when I began my career in November 2022 I was not confidant I would feel ready to jump into the role of a Coach in just one year.

For that, I also have to give credit to the amazing support I have at NetBenefit. The amount I learned in a single year still blows my mind and that is in large part due to the great group of people Iwork with and how they have supported my growth as a developer. So I think I have already addressed the second part of this question in some ways, but being a Coach means a lot to me. It means I get to be a part of that life changing experience for current and future Get Coding students. It means I get to giveback to Get Coding for what they have done for me. But it also means I get to continue my journey as a Developer in a different capacity – which is very exciting !

Is there something in your coaching that you consider unique or especially important to share with students or other coaches?

I think being a former Get Coding student provides me with a unique perspective for students. I understand the program from their side. I know what worked and what didn’t work for me. I really hope I am able to pass that experience on in a positive and effective way.

Another aspect about me that I feel can help students is my past, specifically my career transition. To my knowledge, the majority of Get Coding students are individuals like myself who are beginning a transition from a different industry into Tech. It’s not an easy thing do. It’s a scary thing to do. Having that life experience to draw on and relate to should allow me to form connections and provide advice and reassurance when needed.

What changes in the programming field are you most excited about right now?

I’ll take the easy and obvious answer here, but it’s also true. Definitely AI. Anyone that knows me knows how much I love ChatGPT. I credit ChatGPT in large part for my rapid career growth. I think itis an amazing productivity tool and I am very excited to see how these tools continue to develop.

So far, that is the extent of my experience with AI models but I look forward to future opportunities to dig into them in various other ways.

How have you evolved your coaching methods since starting at Get Coding?

This is a tough one to answer because I feel like I am still very much developing as a Coach. My first student just completed their project and I am just starting with my second, so things are still fairly new for me.

It was intimidating in many ways to begin and there were definitely some bumps along the way. I have tried to maintain open communication so that I know what works and what doesn’t work for the student and I will continue to do that and be adaptable. I have also tried to draw on my past experience as a student, taking things I liked from each of my coaches to form the basis of my process.

Overall, I am happy with how things have gone so far but also excited for myself to continue to evolve as a Coach.

Do you use any techniques to maintain students' motivation?

At the risk of repeating myself, I try to really hammer home how much this program changed my life.

If you want this career, truly want it and not just seeking one of those sweet work from home gigs, the hard work WILL pay off. And it is hard work. It’s tough to find the necessary time to develop these skills when you’re trying to maintain a fulltime job, when you’re trying to raise and care for a family, when you’re trying build a strong network, but putting in that work is what you need to do and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Treat every bump as a learning opportunity and don’t be afraid to lean on your fellow students, your coaches, and your network.

How do you manage a student's workload?

This is one of the things I am still working on as a Coach, which is ironic considering I went through the exact same workload. But it’s tough because everyone’s life situation is different so I don’t think it’s fair to set the same expectations I had for myself.

I also feel that the pace I set for myself was a little extreme and I almost burnt myself out so that’s not something I want to encourage. What is important is that you are consistently coding. There will be ups and downs, the downs definitely feel more prominent and they are discouraging, but fighting through that and keeping in mind that the work is worth it is key. And don’t be afraid to lean on your Coach when times are tough, that’s part of what we are here for.

My coaches were my lifeline when times were tough as a student. I firmly believe Coaches were the missing link in my past attempts at learning to code –without them I can only wonder if I would be where I am today (but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be).

Are there any things that you have learned while being a coach that you applied to your regular work life?

Absolutely. Around the same time that I began as a Coach, I started getting deeper into doing Code Review at work. It’s apart of my job that I have come to really enjoy and I definitely feel that my experience as a Coach as allowed me to further develop that skill. I feel that I am becoming stronger at reading and understanding code that I didn’t write, as well as better at finding potential issues with the code.

Are soft skills, like communication and teamwork, important in programming? 

Yes! Something that was explained to me early on was that in most cases companies will prefer to hire the less skilled developer who is a pleasure to work with over the expert developer who is difficult to work with. Even in a world where hybrid/remote work situations are becoming more prevalent, we still work tightly with our team members.

A strong team dynamic is crucial for success. Effective communication  keeps the team aligned, allowing them to efficiently solve problems together.

 Are there any new technologies or tools you strongly recommend students explore?

I am a strong proponent of using Chat GPT, as long as you use it right. It shouldn’t be used as a crutch but it is an amazing productivity tool. I attribute a lot of my early career growth to ChatGPT.

It has basically acted as my own private tutor. Is it perfect ? No. But it saves me so much time for tasks like searching documentation or deciphering error codes. AI is definitely here to stay, so I think it’s a tool you have to learn to use effectively.

What role does community and networking play in a programmer’s professional growth?

It is arguably more important than your actual tech skills. That’s probably hyperbole, but it’s not far from the truth. Every day more and more people are trying to move into Tech so standing out in the crowd is becoming more important than ever.

Some Tech jobs see thousands of applicants and recruiters don’t have the time to meticulously review every resume, so unfortunately some good candidates will always get missed. You need to get yourself out and network. Building a strong network can literally be the difference between your resume being one of the ones that gets glossed over versus one of the ones that gets a second look.

That may be because the recruiter recognizes your name all of a sudden, or it may be because someone has personally recommended you; either is good !

I consider myself lucky in that this stuff was stressed to me very early in my career transition so I went to everything. I even started hosting board game nights for local Tech companies as a way to get my name out there. It worked.

 What is the best advice you would give to students starting their journey in programming?

Network. Network. Network.

It will most likely feel awkward in the beginning, but I promise that’s not just you and eventually it does start to become more natural. As you get to know people in the community and they get to know you, the awkwardness begins to fade and your network begins to grow ! But I also want to stress that networking doesn’t always mean talking about your resume or asking about the Tech stack or hiring outlook.

Sure those questions have a place, but I think you should use those opportunities to let people get to know you as a person. What do you like todo? Why do you like Tech? Tell me something interesting you’ve done lately.

Basically, try to think about the interaction from the other persons perspective. They may not want to talk about their Tech stack again or hear about another resume.

A casual conversation begins to stand out because it feels more real. And besides, I want to know the people I’m going to be working with so consider this your first opportunity to show me !

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