Building Dreams: My Frontend Development Journey

The first time I opened a web browser's developer tools, I was mesmerized. What seemed like magic suddenly became tangible – lines of code transforming into beautiful, interactive experiences. This moment marked the beginning of my journey into frontend development, a path that has led me to the HNG internship program.

The Spark That Ignited My Passion

My father owned a proper cyber cafe in a plaza in front of where we lived while I was younger and I used to go there to play Road Rash and GTA San Andreas all the time. Around that time, he was doing his Master’s, and I used to sit beside his table and watch him research stuff. One day, he gave me a desktop computer setup complete with a monitor, keyboard, CPU, mouse, you know? the old setup, and gave me access to the internet. I remember when we were handed an assignment to draw a well-labelled diagram of the human skeleton when I was in Primary 5. I went home, Googled up such a diagram, downloaded it, printed it on my dad’s printer, and submitted by the due date. My assignment was rejected and I was asked to bring my parent. I remember him saying to the headmistress that there were children around the world who create games and hardware, and that stuck with me, and the idea of being able to build anything I wanted with a computer birthed my dream to become a computer engineer. Anyway, I later realized that what I wanted to be was a software engineer, part of it was learning frontend and working towards being a better frontend engineer like the ones I witnessed firsthand like the Frontend Devs at HNG led me to HNG.

Why HNG? A Gateway to Growth

Honestly, I’ve got a couple of friends whose words I trust so much and have recommended HNG. On a personal note, I’ve been with most of them at the times when they attempted the training programs, and I’ve barely ever seen them with so much dedication and determination at any other thing than I did at those points in time. Moreso, whether they completed the program or not, they did come out different than they started it; more dedicated, significantly upskilled, and more experienced. HNG is renowned for its outstanding track record in training and producing top talent. I trust that I can be a top talent as well with HNG’s internship training program.

My Goals and Action Plan

During this internship, I've set several concrete goals:

1. Build a Strong Portfolio: By the end of the internship, I aim to have at least three substantial projects that demonstrate my ability to create responsive, accessible, and performant web applications.

2. Develop Collaborative Skills: Software development is inherently collaborative. I plan to actively participate in code reviews, pair programming sessions, and team projects to strengthen my ability to work in a professional development environment.

3. Become Employable: I hope that by passing through this training program, I become more skilled than before making me employable. I also hope to be showcased alongside HNG’s Top Web Developers which are available for hire.

The Road Ahead

The journey to becoming a proficient frontend developer is challenging, but with HNG's structured learning environment and supportive community, I'm confident in achieving my goals. I understand that success requires dedication, persistence, and a willingness to learn from failures.

What excites me most about this journey is not just the technical skills I'll acquire, but the opportunity to contribute to projects that make a difference. Frontend development is more than writing code – it's about creating experiences that enhance people's lives.

As I progress through the internship, I look forward to pushing my boundaries, learning from experienced mentors, and gradually transforming from a coding enthusiast into a professional developer. The road ahead may be challenging, but I’m a challenger but with HNG's guidance and determination, I'm ready to embrace every step of this exciting journey.