Shift happens: Ysobel kickstarts her new tech career
Hear how one moment in a previous role became a turning point for Ysobel to find a more fulfilling career in IT
People join the Ten10 Academy from all kinds of backgrounds – whether its fresh out of school, post-graduation or changing lanes from another career entirely. In fact, we often find people with experience from a completely different field are able to tap into transferable skills that help them become brilliant technologists just as much as our coding modules do!
Take Ewan, who became an Academy Consultant with us this year. He lent us some time to take part in our newest ‘Shift Happens’ interview series and told us about the many stops on his career that led him to apply to Ten10.
What position and industry did you work in before joining us?
Before joining Ten10, I was a Junior Engineer working in the oil and gas industry. My role revolved around understanding chemical processes in oil and gas production and ensuring the quality of fluid processes was maintained for efficiency in manufacturing.
What made you pursue changing careers to tech?
I changed careers to tech because I wanted work that felt more engaging and creative. In my previous role, I felt like I wasn’t as challenged or growing in the way I wanted to, but the first time I wrote code to automate a robotic arm, I found it fascinating and delved deeper into learning to code in Python in my spare time. I built a few small projects on CodeAcademy and realised I liked it. I wanted to do more with it and be part of an industry that greatly contributes to developing society. That’s when I knew I wanted to take the leap and grow my career in this field.
What was your perception of tech before joining Ten10?
Before joining Ten10, I thought tech was quite difficult and complex – that only experienced people or people who had started learning from a very early age could navigate it. It felt like uncharted territory from the outside and looked almost impossible to attempt. But once I started learning and eventually working in it, I realised it’s just about problem-solving, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Do you feel that having prior work experience has been an advantage during your training?
Yes, I do think my prior work experience helped a lot. During training, I noticed some common skills I utilised in my previous work experience as a Junior Engineer – things like how to manage my time, work with different people, and utilise similar technical tools for problem-solving and organisation. Those skills were carried over into my training, and I could confidently approach challenges with patience and stay open when learning something new. Of course, having these skills didn’t make the training a walk in the park, but it allowed me to adapt quickly.
How do you feel about your career change so far? How are you enjoying working in tech?
I’m really enjoying the role overall. I still have moments of imposter syndrome, especially when I’m exposed to unfamiliar systems or topics, but those moments are gradually shrinking as I build context and habits like asking questions and self-study. Sometimes it’s messy, but the team culture makes a big difference in how I get through challenges. It’s rewarding and full of learning, there’s always something new that keeps you engaged, and Ten10 has been very supportive each step of the way, from training to being deployed to a client role. I also appreciate getting quarterly feedback from clients; this allows me to grow personally and incorporate new ways of thinking while approaching different situations. There’s still a lot I’ve got to learn, but I believe that’s what makes it exciting.
What advice do you have for other people considering a career change to tech?
My advice would be to give yourself a chance to try something new! You’re not expected to know everything from the get-go; what matters is being open to learning and growing along the way. My experience transitioning into tech has taught me that anyone can learn anything and that it’s never too late to start. You just need to muster the courage to take the first step, and you’d be amazed by how much you can accomplish after that!