Are you thinking about booking a podcast interview to document your story and experiences as an apprentice in technology? We're so excited for you.
Here are 32 examples of questions we might ask and topics we might breach. We'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and recommendations so we can tell your story in the best way together.
- Can you tell me about the educational upbringing of your childhood? Not just formal education, but also your relationship with learning and the people who inspired you.
- What do you want folks to know about you and your life story that they might not be able to see online?
- Looking back now, what do you wish you knew then, that you realize clearly now?
- What was your experience like in your apprenticeship?
- What advice or words of inspiration do you have for apprentices out there?
- Programming and dance seem totally different to most people. For you, there's a connection between writing code and dancing, can you describe that for us?
- What does it actually feel like succeeding in such an incredible transition? Do you feel like you've "made it"? Do you feel like you can do anything you want now?
- What do you wish other companies knew about your value as a non-traditional, underrepresented engineer, and the value of apprenticeship?
- Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for other non-traditional and underrepresented engineers who are in the slog of learning to code or the slog of the job hunt right now?
- If you and your career leaves a legacy behind for others to follow, what would it be and why?
- Can you compare and contrast your Masters with your learning at Dev Bootcamp? How were they similar and different?
- Now that you have this skillset and experience under your belt, what do you want to do with your life? What’s your biggest career aspiration?
- What was your experience like at community college? How has it been navigating your adult life today without a 4 year degree?
- Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for other community college students and grads out there trying to make it in tech?
- What does learning to program represent for you?
- What do you love to do outside of programming? What other things give you life?
- How can more non-traditional engineers fall in love with the struggle and the process? How did you fall in love with the struggle and the process? How did you deal with the reality that there’s always a new thing to learn and a new challenge to tackle?
- What do you want companies to know about you and your journey as a non-traditional engineer?
- What is your biggest dream now that you’re a Software Engineer? What impact do you want to have with your life and your work?
- What inspired you to transition into a career in technology?
- What would you say to other companies considering apprenticeship?
- What’s it like to be a mom? What’s it like to be a working mom?
- What was it like for you growing up in Baltimore?
- There’s a lot of discussion about community colleges being the backbone to rebuild the American economy after COVID-19. What was your community college experience like? Would you retrain at a community college today?
- Can you share some of the highs and lows, and realities of your journey?
- What would you say to those people who harshly judge others’ educational history? What are they missing?
- Do you recommend teaching or TAing after bootcamp?
- What was the most interesting technical lesson you learned during your apprenticeship?
- What was the most interesting interpersonal lesson you learned during your apprenticeship?
- What does it actually feel like to be an underestimated SWE who has worked at a tech corporate? What boundaries or advice do you have for other underrepresented folks who might experience becoming a poster child?
- What advice would you give to Black women who are considering a career transition into tech?
- What are some of the things that have always brought you joy in your day to day life? What are some of those joyful everyday moments for you?
