Elevating My Open Source Journey with the GitSkilled Education Program
Efe Akhigbe
Open source has always fascinated me. For a long time, I thought of it as something beyond my reach because I saw it as a community where only experienced developers could contribute. Although I was already familiar with Git and GitHub, I saw Open source as a complex space, one where only unique, groundbreaking code had a place.
But like everything I'm passionate about, I began reading articles and exploring Open source projects on GitHub. I was blown away by how thousands of people could contribute different lines of code, and it would still all come together to make sense.
As a designer, I believed Open source was exclusive to developers, that there was no room for designers or non-coders. It became overwhelming at some point, and I eventually took a break.
Wait... Designers Can Contribute to Open Source?
Everything changed when I stumbled upon Mautic, an Open source marketing product that welcomes non-code contributions. You can imagine my joy when I saw the opportunity to contribute through design. It felt like a dream come true.
I made my first contribution by designing visual imagery for the Mautic 5.2.0 release. I was thrilled when my contribution was accepted and even more excited when I saw my name listed in the credits section of the blog post announcing the release.
That same month, I won a case study challenge. My entry, AccessPalette, was centered on accessibility and Open source. It’s a tool that helps designers and developers choose accessible text and background color combinations that meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards. I was excited that my idea was recognized and awarded.
At that point, I had to decide: would AccessPalette remain just a case study, or could I turn it into a real product? I believed it could be a valuable tool for designers and developers alike, but reality hit, I had no idea how to start an Open source project.
Discovering the GitSkilled Education Program
I searched endlessly, reading articles, browsing forums, and digging through resources on how to launch an Open source project. While I found helpful content, nothing provided the practical guidance I needed, not just to contribute, but to maintain an Open source project.
I didn’t know what license to use, how to set up an issue template, contribution guidelines, and so on. It felt like too much, and I became overwhelmed. Eventually, I abandoned the idea until I discovered the GitSkilled Education Program through the She Code Africa community.
What Is GitSkilled?
The GitSkilled Education Program helps aspiring developers and contributors get started with Open source. It offers both guidance and resources for contributing meaningfully to Open source projects, including exam vouchers for the GitHub Certification, covering the cost entirely.
This was exactly what I needed to revive AccessPalette. Through the program, I gained access to the Microsoft Learn Platform, where I learned things I’d never explored before like setting up a GitHub organization and managing work with GitHub Projects.
I also discovered how to foster engagement through GitHub Discussions, something that will be very useful when contributors begin joining the project. Plus, I got to try out features like GitHub Codespaces and GitHub Copilot. Mind-blowing right!
The GitHub Foundation Learning Path
This experience opened up a whole new world for me. I completed the 8-module GitHub Foundations Learning Path and earned my completion trophy. I learned more than I ever imagined, especially about features that are foundational to starting a successful project.
I realized that I could actually do this. The skills I gained weren’t just theoretical, they were practical and empowering.
Joining the GitSkilled Africa Community
Completing the course gave me access to the GitSkilled Africa Community, a supportive group of like-minded individuals passionate about open source. The atmosphere was welcoming and inspiring. I met people who had already launched their own projects, and reading about their journeys gave me the motivation to keep going.
I'm incredibly grateful to be part of this community.
Becoming GitHub Certified
Preparing for the GitHub Certification Exam was a challenge but a worthwhile one. Even though the voucher covered the cost, I didn’t want to take the opportunity for granted.
I revisited several modules, carefully studied every topic in the examination prep guide, and found helpful resources like a practice test and a FreeCodeCamp article that explained the exam topics in depth.
I was overjoyed to pass the exam and receive my certificate and badge almost immediately. Becoming GitHub Certified means a lot to me, it’s proof that I have the skills to lead and build Open source projects.
Gratitude
I'm truly grateful to the GitSkilled Education Program for helping make my open-source dream a reality. With the knowledge I gained, I was finally able to start AccessPalette.
Thank you for equipping me with all the tools I need to succeed.
A big thank you to She Code Africa for bringing this opportunity to my attention, for checking in on us, and for helping us stay focused from start to finish. Your support has been invaluable.
If you’d like to contribute to AccessPalette, that would be amazing! You’ll find the repository here. Don’t forget to drop a star ⭐. Thank you!
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