Cop to coder. Not a conventional transition, but this transition is part of my long-term goal. My name is Jay Conner, and I have been a cop for over twenty years. There’s not much I haven’t seen or done in the law enforcement field, and I’m proud to continue serving with some of the most dedicated and professional members of my community. I am a long-term planner, and as I approach retirement from law enforcement I have decided to prepare myself for a second career in web development.
Let me tell you a little bit more about myself. I am a husband and father of three, living in Northern Virginia, where there are tons of opportunities for web developers, coders, and other computer professionals. Ashburn, Virginia has positioned itself as one of the leading hubs for worldwide internet traffic, with numerous data centers in and around Ashburn. Additionally, the Washington, DC area is home to numerous companies who serve the federal government and require a workforce capable of building all kinds of applications to support their missions.
So where does a guy like me turn to when faced with the monumental prospect of breaking into web development full-time, as a long-term career goal? After a couple “false starts” with other online resources over the last couple years, I finally found TheOdinProject and have committed to sticking with it until the end of the Full Stack Developer curriculum. I decided that TheOdinProject is perfect for me because:
- It’s online, so I can work at my own pace;
- The curriculum covers essential tools such as Linux terminal, git and github;
- It covers complicated material in an understandable way; and
- It’s free!
I’ve already completed most of the curriculum now, but I will go back and highlight a few of my most significant experiences from the introductory course. Then, I will begin providing regular updates as I proceed into the more in-depth courses, such as Ruby, which I just started.
