How I learned to Code - my Roadmap | from 0 to Big Tech

This has been a highly requested video, I hope it is helpful :) you can get a 14 Day Free Codecademy Trial with the code CSJACKIE23 at checkout.
Courses and Resources mentioned:
Sign up for Codecademy Pro here for the courses below: try.codecademy.com/csjackie/fr...
- Learn JavaScript: www.codecademy.com/enrolled/c...
- Full-Stack Engineer Career Path: www.codecademy.com/career-jou...
- Data Scientist: Machine Learning Specialist Career Path: www.codecademy.com/career-jou...
- Recommendation System project: www.codecademy.com/projects/p...
Designing Data Intensive Applications: www.oreilly.com/library/view/...
Cracking The Coding Interview: www.crackingthecodingintervie...
AWS GitHub page: github.com/aws
Martin Kleppmann YT channel: / @kleppmann
Think Software YT channel: / @thinksoftware
System Design Interview YT channel: / @systemdesigninterview
Start on Codecademy with a 14 Day free trial and use code CSJACKIE23: try.codecademy.com/csjackie/fr...
Instagram: / csjack9
TikTok: / csjackie
I built an automated crypto trading journal: edgesheet.com
🤓 about
I’m a software engineer based in London with a background in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Most of my time is spent reading, coding and drinking too much coffee. I got into coding by automating simulation workflows and building EdgeSheet.com, and now I’m documenting my life as an engineer on the internet.
Thanks for watching! :)
📝 chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:02 How I got into Programming
2:25 Learning my first Language
4:11 Learning Web Development
7:13 Learning Data Science
8:42 First Job after Grad Aerospace Program
9:02 Learning AWS & building a side project
11:39 Switching from Aerospace to Tech
12:13 Preparing for Coding Interviews
14:56 My Offers
15:32 Outro
📝 contact
[e-mail]
🎵 music
most of the music in my videos come from: share.epidemicsound.com/5swi7a
👀 disclaimer
Views and opinions are my own and do not represent or reflect the opinions of my current or past employer(s).
This video is sponsored by Codecademy.
🏷 hashtags & video content
Software engineer, coding vlog, learning to code, how I learned to code, programming roadmap, roadmap to learn to code, system design, coding interview prep, big tech, algorithms and data structures, FAANG, how to get into FAANG, backend development, programming, chatGPT, aerospace engineer, career switch.
#learntocode #career #coding

[@greenflor]

thank you for sharing your journey :) would love to see those notes you made while preparing for tech interviews!

[@swedishguy83]

Fantastic video, Jackie! I’m always happy to see your content show up in my feed

[@shauryakansal1081]

Thanks a lot loved hearing your journey! It'll help

[@mohdjibly6184]

Very inspiring journey….thanks for sharing Jackie 😊

[@jorgedinis3]

this is, by far, the most honest and insightful `from zero to hero`coding video on youtube! congrats. Indeed, nowadays, if you manage to get as many certifications as you can and as many projects as possible, the better.

[@jennisonb37]

Jackie, you extremely impressive. Thank you for sharing your journey and being so candid about it.

[@naikara20_84]

Thank you for taking us on your journey

[@Avery.77]

Thank you for taking us on your journey and the motivation! I'll check on Python courses after I finished my requirements engineer work today. Time to get into action! 🤩

[@KatyVLOGS12]

Thank you so much for making this video! I’m from a different background than you, but this video really motivated me to keep learning programming. You are very smart and inspiring, so glad I found your channel - I will be on the look out for more content!

[@carlosIC]

Thank you for uploading this video. I 23, still don't know where to build a career, this video was definitely helpful.

[@elins4143]

Hi Jackie, thanks for sharing your story this is super inspirational to me. I recently graduated with a marketing master's degree and started my real first job experience. I've found that I'm the kind of person who needs to apply hard skills in a job rather than soft ones (which is 80% of marketing..). In high school, I took a coding course and always thought of later becoming a software engineer but was discouraged by some professors and being told my math was not good enough to become an engineer. At 24 today I felt that it might be a huge challenge to get into coding and change careers but I now still want to give it a shot.

[@jemessonlima]

She is incredible. I follow Jackie a long time, and she inspires a lot.

[@CarlosHfam]

Very cool! You're very smart and inspirational!

[@andresruisel]

Very helpful video, keep crushing it!

[@metalmlover]

Very inspirational, thanks for sharing, I'm currently working as a software engineer coming from mechanical engineering too. It took me almost 2 years to make the shift and It's been an amazing journey.. best of luck :)

[@rune.3918]

This is amazing, thank you so much for the inspiration

[@adnankhamis8328]

Currently doing the front-end engineering career path on codecademy, this is inspiring !

[@Laura-nt3nd]

This is very insightful. Thank you for this video :)

[@CSJackie]

Thank you so much! :)

[@selimpeksen]

It was the most useful and inspiring 16 minutes I've had in KZbin for a while. Thank you !💯

[@CSJackie]

Thank you so much, I’m glad it was helpful!

[@davion.258]

You are so committed to keep learning for such a long time. I'm an experienced developer and have been preparing for interviews with big tech companies. It's helpful that you emphasized the importance of building side projects, which I just thought about lately. You inspired me a lot and your content is so informative.

[@user-rx8gb5gz1j]

Thanks for the video!

[@fahadbshahid]

Eventhough I have studied Computer Science in my Bachelors and have been working as an Engineer for above 2 years now. But still I find myself coming here at your channel to take inspiration from your dedication and discipline of how you worked on and invested in yourself to take that leap of faith in switching careers. You are a source of motivation for me and many, keep that in mind if you ever have a bad day.

[@carlosbaldwin6335]

fake account

[@fahadbshahid]

@@carlosbaldwin6335 what? 😕

[@BrokenCalculator]

You work as an engineer with only a bachelors degree? Genuine question cuz im studying my bachelors atm.

[@fahadbshahid]

​@@BrokenCalculatorI do not know which country you are from. But here in mine (Pakistan) majority portion of the job industry are bachelors.

[@BrokenCalculator]

@@fahadbshahid I'm from croatia

[@TiagoDiass2]

great video, keep it up!

[@juanhernestogomez433]

Loved this! Could you share your study guide for interview prep on algorithms/data structures?

[@randyuspeed]

I need to learn more from you is awesome 😊

[@vamsykamal8932]

Ethical Vlogging.....keep it up Jackie!!!!

[@Er0t0maniac]

First of all great video explaining how you did it step-by-step, the question that I have is how did you avoid getting burned out with a 9-to-5 and long study hours even with weekends

[@mtbbk]

Very helpful video thanks a lot!

[@CSJackie]

Thank you! :)

[@etnies777]

You inspire me, you typescript writing woman ✨

[@anhluongbui2001]

Thực sự hữu ích để một sinh viên năm cuối đại học chuyên ngành CNTT như tôi có thể hiểu hơn về chính ngành nghề của mình. Tôi từng cảm thấy rất thất vọng và không thể tưởng tượng nổi con đường mà mình cần đi trong chính ngành nghề của mình. Quả nhiên là cần trải qua nhiều điều và giữ trong đầu tinh thần học hỏi liên tục thì mới có thể cảm thấy vui thích ngành nghề này. Tôi thật sự rất mong chờ sự thay đổi của chính mình sau khi học hỏi được nhiều điều từ bạn. Thank you so much!

[@dempseydeclerck2911]

Such a great journey 🔥🌱

[@CSJackie]

Thank you so much 🙏😊

[@sachinallugani3229]

I know you from instagram since 2020 i followed you at that time but then i lost the touch ever since i got job, you use to work on react for some aerospace company i guess. Inspiring journey by the way, nice to see you again.

[@Keralite29]

You are such a smart and hard-working individual. Thank you for making this video.

[@RaniaIsAwesome]

i already coomed hoy.

[@raimonvibe]

Hello! I loved the video. Can you share which resources you used to come up with the behavioral questions?

[@grammenosgeorgiospolymerid7806]

You are Adorable I actually try to start with contributing into open source projects and personal projects, idk if its correct but actually trying to do something robust, with high performance is my ultimate goal. I have good programming background but never tried actually making a full piece of software Electrical & Computer Engineer Here

[@mrmuffin5046]

its called genetics equipped with hard work. good job and all the best

[@davidmachado7459]

Obrigado. Ajudou bastante! Thank you

[@mauriciojcYT]

Great advice, and congratulations on your effort. I'd like to know how did you find what companies to apply, how to know if they'd be a good fit for you (salary, location, work enviroment...)

[@phlix1]

I love drive and passion! It opens so many doors :)

[@CSJackie]

For the most part yes :) I was lucky as well but worked very hard for everything, for sure! It’s very important to keep believing in ourselves even when faced with rejection and hardship

[@phlix1]

@@CSJackie for me covid times were really hard! Now I am better and can keep focusing on my dreams! You should always believe in yourself :)

[@user-lh2cw2bh7k]

Really beautiful!

[@willw.1734]

Very informative vid! Would you say a lot of it comes down to self-discipline and managing your learning over a long period of time?

[@marcorodrigues1331]

Excelente video! Muito bom!

[@adityanjsg99]

Relatable, I gave 5 yrs to UPSC , could not clear. Then in 2 yrs learnt Python, ML, Deep Learning, NLP, OpenCV, Django, Dash. I am Senior Data Engr. In 2 months I will get my Databricks Spark and Confluent Kafka certifications. Planning to go big from there!!!

[@danielvivas7088]

Your voice is super sweet and calm, I really like the vibe of your vlogs.

[@JustinBishop]

I left oil and gas at 34, left 100k in oil fields, moved cross country, started a 2 year software development/programming program at Provincial college, got jacked, and switched careers into software development. I talk about my experiences on my channel. I share tips, and things I went through to get to where i am now. Very risky move but anything in life is worth struggling for.

[@nagydaniel837]

Thank you Carmen.

[@mammers15]

I really enjoyed this video, thank you for making it. I have a mechanical engineering background too, so it was really serendipitous that I found this because it's a path I'd also like to start down. I'm currently running my own business and there are a couple of tools I'd like to create to help me take it to the next level. I'm approaching my quiet trading period, so I'll be looking to get started in the next month. You really sold the idea of codeacademy to me, but do you have any experience with CS50?

[@1matim]

thanks, good video

[@vasyl8889]

I'm currently working at work, but I'm not happy that I know less than other developers, but watching videos like this inspire me to learn more and not think anything pessimistic

[@CSJackie]

Thank you :) no one knows everything, and there’s always more to learn. It’s not a negative thing

[@Danuxsy]

"im currently working at work" LMAO

[@robertocarlosp.depaulo4459]

Very nice!

[@user-gg4uj5kd8r]

Hey jackie, how often do software engineers in big tech such as amazon, use Javascript? Are there specific programming languages they prefer their engineers to use?

[@towahiro]

Thank you for your detailed background and you are beautiful tech woman

[@theproactivemindset]

great video Jackie, one question where did you buy your chair, I’m finishing my desk setup and I need a good chair

[@MattAero]

How are you liking the tech job at Amazon and what is your role exactly? I did my BS and MS in aerospace engineering (controls) and my favorite part of the MS degree was the coding part of it. I work in aerospace now but wanted to switch to tech. I think I’ll make an internal switch to a software position then switch companies. But yeah just wondering how you like tech vs aerospace?

[@MikeNugget]

Nice! Would be great to improve sound quality too

[@btm1]

wow that's so great for you

[@D4rkysLP]

I just registered for Codecademy, but wasn't able to use your coupon code. I couldn't afford the yearly subscription for now, so I enrolled for the monthly plan.

[@maher_alzoubi]

thanx so much🙂

[@davesmith7658]

Nice, I have a Masters in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and now I am transitioning to Web development. I have done programming before so Im looking forward to the courses. Hope to get job ready in 6 months as I plan to dedicate 20+ hours a week. 🤞

[@superfreiheit1]

Why you do not stay in electronic Enginnering? We need not more websites, but more electric devices.

[@user-py8kj5ve4y]

@@superfreiheit1 Not him but I have a Bachelor's in electrical and computer engineering. I'm switching to CS because there's more jobs, it's easier, and it pays better. Most entry level jobs for electrical are grad programs where you have to work out in the field while with CS you can work remotely on your computer. The job outlook for electrical is something like 5% whereas for software it's 25%+. Most of my peers regret not doing CS instead.

[@CarlosHfam]

I'm just like you that i need to do something creative in my own field of study (accounting) in order for me to get as involved or engaged enough in the work that i do! (Financial analyst)

[@kenbostoen2525]

How are you so smart! I do webdev as a job and you casually mention stuff you learned that usually takes a really long time to master.

[@Danuxsy]

she has genetic privilege

[@georgiosdoumas2446]

She has studied mechanical engineering, and she has done a masters, if I heard it correctly, so she is on the top 1% of students in STEM. Much better that so many other people that have studied on their own coding, coming from "easy" fields like bachelor of business administration/management, or bachelor in literature and history. Actually I am impressed when such people make a transition to the coding field, and not when people like her end up working as software developers.

[@fredrikbergquist5734]

I think that having a background in different areas are crucial to get a coding job today. I know several persons that got jobs in coding and they had backgrounds in astrophysics, behavorial science and psychology. I have a background in visual arts and that have helped me to get a job in UI design. When the market get this tough you have to stand out in some way and the ”only coders” lose out. Are you a Cosmic Girl?😊

[@zayedsharma6416]

Great words

[@lf5216]

Hi Jackie, could you also share your time management and schedule while having a full time job?

[@hieple4256]

thank a lots

[@saninzdit5614]

very good!

[@yanagalenko154]

Hi! I would love to know what is your academic background. Have you ever posted about it? Whick school \ uni did you finish, and which school subjects did you need to know to get into Aerospace Engineering?

[@thecodealchemist7095]

This is a re-upload? I could have sworn i saw this way way back. Can you provide the link to your Prep notes on Milanotes please? I lost access to my other harddrive which had it.

[@tafa8369]

Hey, the "Data Scientist: Machine Learning Specialist Career Path" link is not working

[@Josh-ge1cr]

Kinda curious on the compensation UK big tech gives VS US. Also, the level of competition as well. I believe the US market is doing worse than the UK market in terms of laying people off / competition. Although I'm sure in both nations, competition is still high.

[@IAnE4428]

What do you think about The Odin Project? Did you know it at that time?

[@deanoneill4696]

Taking nothing away from her but she was/is highly intelligent and likely grasped programming a lot faster than the average person.

[@mitkram99]

One hell of a brilliant lady

[@urdarkside1]

Hi Jackie, please can you leave a link to the gratitude journal you use that you mentioned in one of your previous videos?

[@bigbob2364]

thats crazy I want to learn some web dev stuff but the jobs around my area need some specialized stuff like SAP

[@eduardowhermanson]

Nice video! I gotta say that your journey began when you decided to pursue mechanical engineering. So, indirectly, your starting point is not the same as other people who don't have any idea about what programming is. The truth is that, yes, you must develop a scientific and programming mentality before diving into programming logic and coding. So, basically, it took you 7 or 8 years to enter the market."

[@JpDubbed]

How do you feel about the current job market for software engineers? I just started learning about 1 month ago. Enrolled in an MIT Intro to CS course on edx. So many other resources to consider, because I'm not learning much about frontend dev which is the path I want to go into.

[@Dom-zy1qy]

Idk what EdX provides , if it gives you some kind of certificate; that's better than nothing. If you are interested in web dev, I'd learn it on your own time in addition to whatever you're currently doing. I wouldn't worry about the job market so much. This software engineering field has near infinite avenues and opportunities outside of working under someone else nowadays. Being any discipline of engineer will never hurt your prospects in life.

[@joselineyou]

Thanks

[@relaxpinknoise]

ur hair is so pretty

[@JLPJLP-ue9nd]

Jackie, I need help, I want to go all in and learn a role in tech but I'm bad at math, very bad, What roles do you think I can learn without math needed?

[@lancelotdulac6076]

a very insightful video, Jackie, thanks! also, off topic: one can see you exercise a lot, those fit gym arms, well done!

[@UmarFarooq-ht9mc]

You know you are beautiful but beside that i love the way you speaks, your hairstyle, your eyes are MA SHA ALLAH so awesome that i can dive deep into it

[@idegennyelvitanfolyamok]

Thanks. (0:01-től)

[@randomstuffman01]

Thanks. toronto canada

[@__aladino__]

Could you suggest a detailed book for algorithms and data structures? much appreciated!

[@x9rtu3os1t8]

Hi Jacky, Please help me decide in between Codacademy or Educative. Tnx.

[@wrongname3636]

tu com a experiencia que tens e como ja estás a tanto tempo fora tenho uma pergunta. não podias estar em portugal a trabalhar para uma empresa no uk? isso seria possivel?

[@CSJackie]

Seria possível se a empresa estivesse disposta a remote working :) nesse caso, os empregados geralmente trabalham como “contractors” e não são diretamente empregados pela empresa, mas sim contratados como uma entidade independente

[@gustavoy23]

Acho um ponto importante que aprendi numa big tech. Mesmo remoto sempre é contratado no país que é residente fiscal e a empresa é responsavel. Entendo que um dos motivos do hiring screening. Em alguns caso, muito dessas empresas tem subsidiarias em outros países que fazem a contratação ou como tambem por uma offshore/outsourced company. Bom lembrar que contractors nao tem stock awards que é um diferencial de uma FAANG. E se sou contratado em outro pais, plano de saude e outros beneficios não valem nesse país. E a modalidade remoto/hibrido é definido no contrato geralmente. E as FAANGs mudaram o discurso sobre o trabalho remoto 100% . @@CSJackie

[@sailorrmooon20]

im currently doinf the full stack career path...

[@yoursubscriber2032]

from your point of view, which one is more difficult to learn aerospace or computer science?

[@thearianrobben]

Depends upon the degree and depth of math in the program.

[@mauriciotorres6815]

Jackie could you recommend a way to get into the English market ? i mean how get a job from UK since i am living in latin america.

[@rekeo1064]

Do CS new grads need to study system design for new grad swe jobs? Or should I focus only on coding and behavioral?

[@landoashby]

I learned how to write a small program using python am I ready to call myself a coder?

[@qingchen191]

I believe that you must be a good self-learner

[@yevhennesterenko5724]

Hello Jackie. Thanks for the video. What are the names of these plants on the wall ? )))

[@CSJackie]

Ivy 😊 but these are fake!

[@WaveFlightSimulations]

Any advice for getting first job, im a software grad been looking for a job for 5 months 250+ applications done 5 interviews but nothing yet. My skills is react jsx tsx, fullstack, web, web3, python solidity aand java.

[@John-yg3xk]

You have to know someone to get in

[@WaveFlightSimulations]

or luck@@John-yg3xk

[@find2hard]

Say you identify as non-binary for the DEI quotas.

[@abdulrahmanibrahim7815]

Support ❤

[@user-lm8sc2zl4m]

Can you Provide Your DSA notes ? it'll help us.

[@wihu8430]

Where can I find this shelf?

[@yeyytmy8692]

hello what laptop should i go for? not high end one or mac,

[@thom99]

It says your code is not eligible for student Pro membership. I would have loved to support you.