Hey, I’m Jared — I used to wire buildings, and now I wire up APIs.

About six months ago, I was an electrician. Today, I’m deeply involved in backend development with Python, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, and Docker. This marks the beginning of my journey from a hands-on trade into the world of coding, and I’ve decided to learn in public.

Why I Made the Switch

For years, I worked with circuits, panels, conduits, and wires. I enjoyed solving physical problems. When I started working with PLC systems, it opened up a whole new world for me. I realized I wanted to build systems that could scale beyond the job site—I wanted to create, deploy, and improve them.

Software development offered everything I wanted: problem-solving, continuous learning, and the ability to build from anywhere.

What I'm Learning to Build With

I'm focused on becoming a strong backend developer. Right now, I’m learning:

FastAPI – for building lightweight, super-fast APIs
PostgreSQL – learning how to model real-world data
SQLAlchemy – a love/hate relationship, but it's becoming clearer
Docker – finally starting to make sense, even though it was tough at first
Database design – more fun than I expected
JWT & OAuth – making login truly secure
Pydantic & Alembic – schema validation and clean migrations

What's Next on My Stack Radar

Here are the tools I'm planning to explore soon:

Node.js – I want to see how JavaScript works on the backend.
Next.js – possibly for portfolio or frontend projects.
TypeScript – safer JavaScript? I'm interested.
Expo – for creating mobile-first user interfaces in PawNode.

I’m working on two main projects:

PawNode – A micro-SaaS to help pet owners track health visits and medications
Travel Wishlist – A CRUD app to track travel goals with authentication, search, and more

I'm sharing this list to show what I'm currently focusing on, so I can hold myself accountable. It's better than sharing something that just sounds cool but isn't what I'm actually using.

Why I’m Learning in Public

Writing blog posts like this serves several important purposes for me:

Stay Accountable to My Progress: By sharing my learning journey publicly, I create a sense of responsibility to keep moving forward. It pushes me to set goals and track my progress, ensuring that I stay on course and continue to grow as a developer.
Document What I’m Building and Why: Each post acts as a record of the projects I’m working on and the reasons behind them. This documentation not only helps me reflect on my choices and strategies but also provides a roadmap of my development journey that I can look back on in the future.
Make Mistakes Publicly So I Can Learn Faster: By sharing my mistakes and challenges openly, I invite feedback and advice from others. This can lead to quicker solutions and deeper insights, as fellow developers and learners offer their perspectives and experiences to help me improve.
Connect with Other Devs and Career Changers: Engaging with the community through my writing allows me to meet like-minded individuals who are on similar paths. These connections can lead to valuable collaborations, mentorship opportunities, and a supportive network that enriches my learning experience.

I firmly believe in the power of learning out loud. While I don’t claim to be an expert, I am committed to showing up consistently, writing code, and reflecting on my journey. By doing so, I hope to inspire others to embrace their learning paths and contribute to a vibrant, supportive community of developers.

What’s Next

Right now, I’m focused on leveling up in a few key areas:

Finishing MVPs for My Projects
I’m pushing to get the core versions of my current projects done and usable. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s getting them out there so I can test ideas, get feedback, and see what actually helps people.
Building a Portfolio That Shows the Work
I’m not just listing skills, I’m building real apps and documenting the process. My portfolio will reflect what I can actually ship, not just what I can talk about. Real projects, real code, real lessons.
Learning System Design and Data Modeling
I want to go beyond just CRUD. I’m diving into how to design systems that scale, handle real-world complexity, and make data actually work with me, not against me.
Writing and Sharing as I Go
I’m committed to writing about what I’m learning, both the wins and the WTH moments. It keeps me accountable, helps me process what I’m doing, and (hopefully) helps someone else who’s on the same grind.
Getting Deeper into JavaScript and TypeScript
Python’s my base, but I’m expanding into JavaScript and TypeScript so I can handle full-stack work. The goal is to become just as comfortable on the frontend as I am in the backend, React, Next.js, maybe even some weird animation stuff later.

That’s the mission right now:
Build useful things. Break some stuff.
Write about it. Fix it. Repeat.

If you’re doing the same, let’s connect!

From Electrical Work to Software Development: Embracing Public Learning in My Career Change