As a construction worker, Andrew Johnson was talented at building things from the ground up. Little did he know, he’d soon be applying this skill set in a new way to advance his professional future. In 2016, a biking accident left Andrew with a broken foot—and he was forced to reassess his career. But he wasn’t ready to…
After selling the tech start-up he co-founded, Charles Gedeon wondered what to tackle next. While handling operations at his company, he’d always been fascinated by the work done by the coders on his team, so that seemed like a good place to start. “That whole process pulled me in,” Charles said. “So I started dabbling…
Growing up with her father in IT, Rylie Johnson was always around computers. But it wasn’t until high school that she enrolled in a computer science class of her own. At the time, she wasn’t all that interested. Years later, after receiving her degree in communications and digital humanities at the University of Wisconsin–Stout, she joined the…
Peter Abeln was a senior web developer at a PR firm in Minneapolis for 12 years. Then, in October 2018, he was suddenly laid off. A few months into his job search, things weren’t shaking out the way Peter had hoped they would. With scattered interviews and only a few leads each week, he was starting…
What do statistics, actuarial science, culture studies, comparative literature, and web development have in common? While an in-depth cross-analysis may bring forward some enlightening insight, the common thread might just be…nothing. If you ask Ian Theis—who has studied each and every one of these topics—one thing is clear: he loves learning. Ian worked as a business system…
A lifelong technology lover, Jake Scheele knew he could turn that passion into a thriving career. Developing an app for his parents’ construction company sparked Jake’s interest in pursuing developing full-time, and it became his north star. Jake’s self-learning and passion projects left him with a thirst that could only be quenched by a formal education. When…
Virginia de la Riva is 54 years old, and to many in the tech industry, that’s too old to be re-entering the world of tech after taking a break to be a mom. Virginia vehemently disagrees. “There may be a perception that older people aren’t as up-to-date on newer technology,” she said. “But that just isn’t…
When people talk about their workplace being like a zoo, they usually don’t mean it literally. For Twin Cities resident Melissa Nelson, it was the honest truth. Melissa began her career at the Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton, North Dakota. As a zoologist, she spent her days cleaning animal enclosures, feeding them, and even training them. “My…
Ugonna Ojiaku had all the makings of a burgeoning career. A series of internships and forged connections led to a great job right out of college—which isn’t always easy with an environmental science degree. Despite her early success, Ugonna questioned the future. She wasn’t sure how long she wanted to continue working at an environmental lab…
Derek Frand is a current student at the University of Minnesota Coding Boot Camp. After getting injured at his construction job, Derek decided to develop new skills that would still allow him to be creative. Derek shared his story about how he became interested in coding and how the program is going so far. What were…
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