The Gender Gap in Technology

The journey begins with acknowledging the gender gap in the technology industry worldwide, and Bulgaria is no exception. Although it boasts one of the highest percentages of women in technology in Europe, the disparity in representation, especially in programming and technical roles, remains an issue. Women programmers often find themselves in the minority in their work environments, which can lead to feelings of isolation and a lack of representation.

Stereotypes and Cultural Norms

Stereotypes and cultural norms present significant obstacles for women in the technology industry. From an early age, societal expectations and stereotypes can deter girls from showing interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These circumstances contribute to a self-perpetuating cycle of underrepresentation, where the lack of visible female role models in technology further diverts girls from envisioning a career in such professions.

Workplace Challenges

For those who dare to engage in programming, the workplace presents its own set of challenges. Women programmers in Bulgaria, like their colleagues around the world, report experiences of prejudice, where their technical skills are often underestimated. The well-known “bro culture” in the technology industry can create an unwelcoming environment for women, hindering their professional growth and development opportunities.

Balancing Act

The challenge of balancing professional and personal life is particularly pronounced for women in the technology industry. The demanding nature of programming work, combined with traditional expectations regarding family responsibilities, places additional strain on women. This act of balancing can be daunting for women considering a career in programming or those looking to advance in their career.

Overcoming Barriers

Despite these obstacles, women programmers in Bulgaria are forging paths to success and creating supportive communities. Initiatives aimed at encouraging women to pursue education in STEM fields, such as coding workshops and mentoring programs, are gradually changing perceptions and inspiring a new generation of women in technology.

Professional networks and organizations for women in technology offer platforms for sharing experiences, encouraging mentorship, and increasing the visibility of women in the industry. These communities not only provide support but also work towards breaking stereotypes and challenging the status quo in the technology sector.

The Path Forward

The path to gender equality in the technology industry continues, and while challenges remain, the resilience and achievements of women programmers in Bulgaria pave the way for future generations. By continuing to address barriers and promote diversity, the technology industry can unlock its full potential, benefiting from the wide range of perspectives and talents that women bring to the field.

Code Academy wishes a happy International Women’s Day to all the brave and inspiring Bulgarian ladies who represent our country so well in the IT sphere worldwide!

As mentioned, the group that completed the course was strong. Each participant had initial programming knowledge acquired before the start of the course. Some of them had watched the Introduction to Programming course on Codecademy, others had studied IT specialties at university or school, and some had dabbled in coding as a hobby. The presence of a solid foundation and the homogeneity of the group were the main prerequisites for their success. All these people shared with us during the initial interviews that they enjoyed programming, found it interesting, and wanted it to be their future profession. This motivation and enthusiasm remained throughout the duration of the course.

How did the course go?

The inclusion of many technologies in the curriculum imposed an extremely high pace to successfully cover and assimilate all the material on time and to prepare people for the real IT work environment. Lectures were held 3 times a week, each lasting 3 hours. Additionally, there were mentor meetings for 1 or 2 hours per week. Just with the C language, our students solved more than 300 tasks (individually or divided into groups) on which they subsequently wrote tests (in BASH). For both C and Python, they had both individual and group projects for writing various software. They had 2 very large projects (one after completing the C module, the other after Python) with mentors from Strypes. Each of the projects had a 3-week deadline, and our graduates, divided into teams, performed brilliantly. For C, they wrote back-end logic for games, and the Python project was tasked with writing a web scraper. The theoretical part of the course covered five technologies, and mastering each of them required a lot of coding. The learners in the course went through everything with their heads held high and the determination that they could handle any challenge. And they did it!

In conclusion, we can only say that we have found the formula for successful training, after which the students really start working as junior developers. Several technologies should be included in the curriculum because even junior developers never use just one in their work. The technologies and scope of the training should be aligned with the IT employer. Participants in the training must have a solid foundation (knowledge) related to programming, be highly motivated to succeed, and write code, solve tasks, and execute projects on real business assignments every day for 6 months. Never, ever give up and say “I can’t.”

Following this formula, those who successfully completed the Junior Developer course with C, Python, Linux, Unix, and Basic BASH achieved the desired end result – they launched their dream IT careers at Strypes.

Dear students, now Junior Developers, we wish you fair winds, lots of inspiration, much satisfaction, and never lose the curiosity and perseverance with which you entered the profession! We are proud of what you have accomplished!

Who is CODIX?

CODIX is an international software company specializing in the development and maintenance of financial software. Their product, iMX, is a comprehensive software allowing centralized management of all activities and business processes. Their clients are large international financial institutions, leasing companies, and banks. CODIX is headquartered in France, but has offices in numerous other countries worldwide. Their largest operational office is located in Business Park Sofia. It currently employs more than 500 people, but the teams are constantly growing and expanding. They support and develop CODIX’s unique product using technologies such as Java, C, SQL, PHP, JavaScript, and many others. Of course, the company also employs personnel with non-engineering backgrounds and technical orientations, such as Business Analysts and experts, who are also an important part of the successful project implementation.

Let us tell you a little more about what it’s like for a junior to work at CODIX.

Our former students have told us that right from the start, they are actively involved in the work process, perform tasks, and continue to learn new things. The course has given them a very good foundation, and with real work, they continue to build and accumulate new skills to be increasingly successful. CODIX is an excellent choice for an IT employer; new colleagues receive clearly defined tasks and can rely on support from a well-established structure of mentors and team leaders. This helps them advance in their careers with each subsequent task. We also learned that the teams are cohesive and the atmosphere is calm. We are happy to hear that. We are proud to be part of it.

It is no secret that the IT industry can boast some of the best conditions. CODIX is no exception. The company takes care of its employees and provides them with various benefits such as multi-sport cards, public transport cards, the opportunity for additional health insurance, additional paid annual leave, and many others.

What new joint initiatives are we planning?

Here’s the good news. For the current year 2021, Code Academy and CODIX will jointly organize and conduct 2 more specialized courses, which will be free for the students, and upon successful completion, they will have the chance to start their careers as programmers at the company. One course will focus on WEB Back-end with a Java profile, and the other is entirely new, for the currently relevant position of QA Specialist. We will announce the start dates very soon! Follow us for news or register now to reserve your spot in the groups!

Let us tell you a little more about Strypes. The company was founded in 2008 in the Netherlands and has been developing and expanding successfully for 12 years. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Strypes’ team in Bulgaria has grown by 50 people. Their offices in Bulgaria are located in Sofia and Plovdiv. The company’s main clients are from the Netherlands, USA, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, and the UK. Besides the successful work with business partners and long-term and stable projects, the company places great importance on the treatment of its employees and the atmosphere within the teams. As Todor Marinov, CEO of the company, says:

“At Strypes, we operate under the philosophy ‘happy employees – happy clients – successful business.’

We believe that if we take good care of our employees, they will take care of our clients, which will lead to good business results. We offer a favorable environment where each of our employees has the opportunity to develop even outside their area of expertise.” This belief is embedded in the company’s processes, the opportunity for every team member to give ideas, express opinions, and give their best, flexible working hours, and an individual plan and budget for training and improvement.

Happy Employees – Happy Clients – Successful Business

It is no coincidence that the average tenure of employees is 6-7 years. They have the opportunity to develop both in technology and in the hierarchy. Teams are stable, not frequently changing projects or managers. In several conversations with Strypes representatives, we understand that key to the success of such a flat structure are internal team communication, each programmer’s ability to give feedback, seek information, have a critical and precise assessment of the quality of their work. Therefore, in addition to technical knowledge, it is extremely important for people who become part of the team to be open to communication, enjoy working in a team, not be afraid to take the initiative, respond, give ideas, like to seek new solutions, and improve what they do. Upon joining the company, every new employee undergoes training and then has a buddy, a colleague with a lot of experience in the company, who supports and guides them in the process of getting started with the work.

Why C and Python?

We have mentioned more than once that the curricula of Code Academy courses are created according to business requirements. We teach technologies and practical skills that can be immediately used in a work environment. Strypes wants to increase its team for a project where these two technologies are used, and it is important for the junior programmer to be proficient in both.

What kind of people would be suitable for this programming course?

Curious, thoughtful, and active people who like new technologies and want to become programmers by starting their career at Strypes. The ideal candidate has good logical thinking, can solve problems, and has a strong desire to learn. He/she is a proactive and positive person who communicates well in a team, can adhere to task deadlines, and always strives to give their best. A technical background would be useful for a smoother entry into the subject matter, so we have also planned an introductory programming training for complete beginners.

All candidates for the course will undergo a selection procedure, including an online entry test and an online interview. We will sign a training agreement with everyone approved for the course.

If you wish to start working as a programmer, sign up for this training!

“I was a student, studying computers, and in the first year, I didn’t like it at all.”

Gradually, the world of codes captivates him, and it continues to do so today. Despite the academic environment where Victor develops his knowledge, he lacks practical experience and decides to enhance his skills with additional training at Code Academy. He evaluates that the training program is detailed and carefully selected with practical orientation, and he joins the Back-end Junior Developer course with SQL, PL/SQL, Pro*C, and C.

“At Code Academy, I liked the schedule, I liked what I was going to learn. The training included a variety of technologies. I liked the training; we covered C in great detail. It was a quite intensive course that required a lot of attention and time. But I knew I would complete my training successfully.”

The truth is, to succeed in this profession, it takes effort, desire, and continuous accumulation of knowledge and practice. The junior shares his secret to success:

“Writing, writing, and writing again. With desire and perseverance, things cannot fail to happen. I used to seriously dedicate 4-4.30 hours a day to study, trying new things and preparing homework. The rest of the time, I reviewed the lessons. When you add everything up, maybe it’s 7-8 hours a day. In general, I didn’t leave the computer.” – Victor laughs.

Today, Victor is already working as a programmer, and looking back at his training at Code Academy, he shares about the professionalism and the environment that marked the beginning of his career:

“I am extremely satisfied with the course; I liked it a lot, and I also liked the people! Many people from the course are my colleagues now. I liked the teachers, Nasco is perhaps my favorite teacher, he’s excellent. The academy’s team was great; there were no problems. I am super happy with the course!”

Victor recommends to everyone who is now embarking on the journey of embracing programming as a calling to dedicate themselves to it. This is also our recommendation – if you don’t have the opportunity to devote enough time, you won’t achieve such good results.

“If you want to work as programmers, allocate every free second you can spare. Regardless of what exactly you are developing, if you’re starting from scratch and developing skills like typing faster on the keyboard or being able to read more things or doing one or more tasks a day.”

We hope Victor’s story and recommendations are helpful to those of you who have decided to follow his path. The mission is entirely achievable, as long as you enjoy programming and can dedicate enough time to it. If you also want to develop in this field and work as a programmer, you can join the academy’s courses.

“It’s very important to be certain and make a decisive decision for change,” says Bobi.

“I worked as an accountant and before starting the course at Code Academy, I had already made several unsuccessful attempts to requalify with other academies. This time I was determined to succeed and made the decision – I quit my job! The same day I came across an advertisement that Code Academy was enrolling students. I decided it wasn’t just a coincidence.”

Borislav’s story is highly motivating. The choice he made wasn’t just a result of circumstance. He chose Code Academy based on very clear criteria logically:

“What struck me was how comprehensive the program at Code Academy is, and after seeking advice from a close friend who is a programmer and who confirmed that the program was good – I applied.”

The long-awaited change for Bobi came with the interview at Code Academy, where he heard his own words echoed by Stella Todorova, a communication skills specialist and teacher at the academy:

“Studying is a significant investment of time. When a person learns, they are investing in themselves, and that cannot be taken away by anyone else; these are skills.”

Too many coincidences made Bobi finally motivated: this was his course, and Code Academy was the right place to fulfill his dream of becoming a programmer one day.

Such a change in profession requires a lot of work and dedication over months:

“There were quite a few challenges during the training, but that was what made it interesting,” Bobi continues. “I had a basic level of programming, which was exhausted by the third week. Sometimes, I had to spend between 5 to 7 hours a day for additional reading, depending on how quickly I grasped the taught material. It was difficult for me personally, but I managed to learn a lot. And the best part is that everything we learned at Code Academy is currently being put into practice.” – he shares sincerely and confidently from the position of a junior backend developer at CODIX.

To those about to enter the world of programming and start their training, Bobi advises:

“You need to dedicate a lot of time, especially if you don’t have a technical background, and you need to be consistent. There are no impossible things – when a person wants something, they find a way to achieve it.”

This is the essence of the change you can achieve with Code Academy. If you truly want to become programmers and are ready to dedicate the time to learn and be persistent, this mission is entirely possible. You will have to work hard to achieve it. You will need to keep focused on the goal. But in the end, the result will be worth it. The first step is to register.

Watch the full interview with Bobi.

The first course at Code Academy, Back-end Junior Developer with SQL, PL/SQL, Java, and Spring, funded by CODIX and free for approved participants, started in January 2020. Behind their success lies a lot, incredibly hard work and a desire for success: nine hours of in-person classes per week, additional time dedicated to daily coding, communication, problem-solving, and finally presenting their group projects.

200+ hours of lectures

Behind these juniors are 200+ hours of lectures, hours during which they absorbed theory and practice in Java, Spring, SQL, PL/SQL. The full course covers the necessary foundation in several technologies, sufficient for a programmer to start working as a junior.

In addition to specific IT skills, we managed to lay the foundations of effective communication, which was at the heart of the success of their group projects. Good communication is what makes a team successful. In the IT sphere, things are no different. To succeed, you need to rely not only on your technical skills but also on excellent communication with the team.

1000+ hours of preparation

But without their perseverance, it wouldn’t have been possible. Our students, on their part, dedicated 4-8 hours daily to self-preparation. Minute after minute, hour after hour – each one of them put in a lot of effort, spent countless hours coding and assimilating theory to apply in practice. A quick calculation shows that they devoted 1000+ hours to writing, practicing, and reading during their training as junior Java programmers. Outside lecture hours, we were in constant contact with those being trained in the course.

Success is in your hands

It was a challenge for us to lead them towards their new career development, and we thank them for succeeding together. We also thank the mentors from CODIX for their assistance to our students. Today, over 80% of those who successfully completed the course work as juniors, precisely with them.

We tell you all this so that you, those who are about to cross with us in the next training sessions, know that without YOU, it’s impossible to succeed. You are the ones who have to bring the unwritten codes from under your fingertips. You yourselves have to craft your future. Those girls and boys we told you about did it. Now it’s your turn! Check out our courses here.

On January 15, 2020, the first course of CODE ACADEMY Back-end Junior Developer with SQL, PL/SQL, Pro*C, and C, funded by CODIX and free for approved participants, started. Initially, the course was held in person, but later we transitioned to online training. After 6 months of lectures three times a week, daily coding, communication, tasks, group projects, and many happy moments with our students, we look back and take stock of the work done and the results achieved.

How much work was done by CODE ACADEMY and the trainee students?

We’ll throw you some information in numbers to give you an idea of what happened during these 6 months.

270+ hours of lectures

We conducted 270+ hours of lectures and exercises with our students, covering theory and practice in C, SQL, Embedded SQL & Pro*C, PL/SQL, Linux, and C++. The full course covers the necessary foundation in several technologies, sufficient for a programmer to start working as a junior.

We also conducted additional practical training on effective communication because good communication is the second component of successful IT teams. As we have said many times, coding is a social activity. To be successful in it, you need to have good technical skills, but also communicate well with your team.

1000+ hours of preparation

Our students, on their part, dedicated 4-8 hours daily to self-preparation. A quick calculation shows that they devoted 1000+ hours to writing, practicing, and reading during their training as junior programmers. You will have the pleasure to meet each one of these motivated and determined individuals who have shown that they can handle the significant challenges we set for them.

Outside lecture hours, we were in constant contact with those being trained in the course. Even in an online format, our communication improved, and we continued to work shoulder to shoulder to achieve the desired result. At CODE ACADEMY, we welcome every student as a member of our team. This means that every participant in our courses can count on full assistance and support in case of difficulties with training, regardless of the day and time. We believe we have discovered the formula for successful programming training. What makes us think so? The achieved results:

After the 6-month course, our students became juniors. With persistent work from both our side and theirs, and with the help of mentors from CODIX, they acquired the necessary knowledge to start working as programmers. Over 80% of those who completed the course are already employed at CODIX. Soon, we will tell you their stories, so stay tuned for updates.

If you also want to start a career as a programmer, check out our courses.

At first glance, the only difference was the profiling programming language – whether it should be C or Java. Quite understandably, your choice of which of the two to invest time and effort in should be an informed one. That’s why we’ll give you some basic guidelines to help you.

Whether you are encountering programming for the first time or have experience with other programming languages, you will find this article interesting to read. We also hope you find it useful when choosing a course at CODE ACADEMY.

C or Java to choose in a course for the profession of back-end programmer? Both are a good idea!

You can create a wide variety of software

Virtually anything can be written using either language.

“A programming language is simply a means of expression. It depends on the qualities and skills of the programmer how and for what he will use it.”

This has been said many times by Anastas Asenov, a programmer with more than 30 years of experience and lecturer at CODE ACADEMY. And our students proved this in practice in their first projects.

They are an excellent choice for a basic programming language

Neither C nor Java can be described as easy to learn. Especially for aspiring programmers who have no background and experience. Both languages have a relatively small number of keywords: C has 35 and Java has 50. Memorizing their syntax won’t get you in trouble. But learning to use these keywords requires a lot of learning and a lot of writing code.  

What’s for sure – both languages will give you a very good grasp of basic concepts in software development. They are very good choices that will lay a solid foundation. Later on, it will be much easier for you to continue learning new programming languages.

Programmers worldwide like them and write in them

C and Java are general-purpose programming languages.  They’re not the most advanced, but they’re still among the most popular because they give programmers who write in them many options. They also have many libraries of ready-made code that make it extremely easy for developers.   According to Jaxenter’s May 2020 rankings, C is the most popular and Java the second most popular.

IT employers are looking for programmers who can write in these languages

As previously mentioned, neither C nor Java are among the newest programming languages. They have been used in the development of many well-known software products that have been on the market for many years. Yes, technology changes rapidly, but working and quality software does not become obsolete and discarded. They are constantly being optimized, the code is evolving and improving to meet new business requirements. 

However, they cannot be completely rewritten and upgraded to the point that the link to the original version disappears. Stable software companies are looking for programmers who could also understand this original version of their software product.  Therefore, the search for good programmers with one of these two languages is always relevant.

In our courses we train future programmers to read and evaluate the code of their colleagues. Because every programmer, before writing 100 lines of code, must have read at least 10,000 lines of code from the project. We work with the students on the layout of the code and its readability, because sooner or later code is read by new programmers. If it is complex and confusing, it leads to a big waste of time and resources.

In conclusion, we will repeat the obvious. Both CODE ACADEMY courses for back-end developer profession are equally promising. They are promising for the serious candidates who are willing to make the necessary effort to learn. Being a programmer means being able to adapt quickly to change.

Both C and Java will give you a solid foundation to learn and adapt to whatever challenges the profession will throw at you. Remember that successful CODE ACADEMY graduates get the chance to develop professionally. Take a look at the conditions under which you can join the courses we offer.

Everyone who decides to become a part of the IT industry asks themselves: how long do I need to study to practice the programming profession and what do I need?

Our experience so far shows that motivated people with basic coding skills and a developed mindset in this direction can start writing software after just a few months of accelerated coding training. For those wishing to learn coding who do not have any prior training, it will be very difficult to keep up with this high rate of learning. They should consider a longer program (at least 1.5 years) to gradually develop their algorithmic thinking and code writing skills.

Whether you are starting from 0 or already have experience with coding, get ready to learn/write code (5-8 hours each day). We also advise you to choose a programming course for a profession, not just for a programming language.

A course for the programming profession

Keep in mind that learning just one programming language will not be enough to get a job as a programmer. Here’s what Valentin Valchev, a CODE ACADEMY speaker with more than 20 years of experience as a Java programmer, says:

“Programming is not just writing code. It is a teamwork. It involves a lot of research and constant learning, because new technologies come out all the time that we don’t know about but have to use. But that shouldn’t stop us.”

To get started in the profession, you need a combination of theoretical knowledge of three or more technologies (programming languages, libraries, development environments). You also need a lot of practice (writing code) in a real working environment (projects). CODE ACADEMY courses are designed to cover these requirements and provide you with a profession. Their goal is for you to become junior back-end programmers.

Our two courses include:

A module in one general-purpose programming language (C or JAVA);

a module on databases and their languages;

as well as embedding databases in the main programming code.

We stimulate our students to constantly practice what they have learned with practical assignments. We are proud that they are getting better at the challenges we set them.

Upon successful completion, our trainees will have the opportunity to start working in an it company developing complex financial software.  There they will continue to gain knowledge and become better at software development. CODE ACADEMY courses provide a solid foundation for career advancement. But as already mentioned, the programming profession requires constant self-improvement to stay up to date with new technologies. There is no upper limit. Only your motivation determines how much you can learn and what heights you can reach.

Take a closer look at the curricula of our two courses!