Week 7 Reflections: My Skills and Future Goals

As I progress through my Outreachy internship working on Arquibot, a Wikipedia bot that helps preserve web citations on Portuguese Wikipedia, I’ve become even more certain of the kind of work I want to do going forward. I’m actively seeking backend development internship or junior roles, especially in open source or community-driven tech projects. I'm particularly interested in roles that involve Python, Django, and web scraping or automation.

I'm particularly drawn to backend development, especially using Python and Django, which I’ve come to enjoy deeply through both personal projects and professional experiences. However, I’m also curious and excited about branching out into other areas, like JavaScript, which I plan to go into after my internship ends. Beyond coding, I’m also growing increasingly interested in technical writing and low/no-code tools. I’m open to roles in these areas as well, especially so in communities that offer opportunities to learn while earning. This doesn’t mean I’m moving away from programming, in fact, it reflects my openness to learn and work across a range of technical domains while broadening my problem-solving skillset.

I will be available to start new opportunities starting September 1st 2025, immediately after completing my Outreachy internship in late August. I’m open to paid, remote-friendly roles, whether full-time, part-time, freelance, or contract-based. While I strongly prefer working remotely 100%, I’m also open to hybrid roles in Lagos, Nigeria, and I am willing to relocate if visa sponsorship is available.

What excites me most are projects that solve real-world problems, especially open source or community-driven initiatives. I’m passionate about building scalable, accessible tools that help people find information or access essential services. My current work with the Wikimedia Foundation has been a powerful learning experience, sharpening my ability to write clean, maintainable code, collaborate with others asynchronously, and actively brainstorm technical design decisions.

I am proficient in Python, Django, HTML, CSS, and MySQL, and have experience working remotely in a team environment. I am very comfortable working with fully remote teams, and in using Git and GitHub for version control and collaborative development. Going forward, I want to deepen my understanding of REST APIs, containerization with Docker, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. I am also keen to explore frontend frameworks like React to become a more versatile developer. At this point, I’m committed to continuous learning. I understand that at some point, I’ll need to pick a niche and specialize, but for now, I’m focused on gaining broad, practical experience, understanding how different systems work together, and building real things that make a difference.

I’m someone who values clear communication, active listening, and collaboration. Being a remote intern, I've learned to work well independently and within teams, and I’ve learned how to navigate time zones and asynchronous workflows effectively during my remote internship. I take pride in being resourceful, reliable, and deadline-conscious, and I genuinely enjoy helping teammates troubleshoot and grow alongside me.

I am fluent in English which helps me connect with a diverse set of people and communicate freely. Being a Nigerian woman in tech, I bring a unique perspective to the teams I work with. I strongly believe in the power of diverse, inclusive teams to create better, more thoughtful products that reach more people.

Ultimately, my goal is to build a fulfilling and impactful career in software development, one where I can continuously challenge myself, support important causes, and never stop growing. I look forward to connecting with organizations and mentors who value learning, growth, and diversity.

If you're working on something exciting and need a dedicated backend developer (or an enthusiastic learner in general), I'd love to connect.