From equations to coding, Shirlette Chambers has a mind for problem-solving. The former math teacher, who spent the last three years teaching in Abu Dhabi, is in Atlanta wrapping up the 16-week bootcamp at Digital Crafts.
Chambers is a backend and frontend force that is taking accolades in her wake. She recently won the Goodie Hack [Gentrification], an event part of Goodie Nation’s ongoing hackathon series. She and her team won the general category for a project that addresses homelessness as a result of Atlanta’s growing gentrification.
Now, she is ready to bring her syntax smarts to your business. Think your company can help her build upon the Javascript and Python she’s holding in her back pocket? Read more.
What program are you currently enrolled in?
I am an upcoming graduate of the July 2016 cohort at DigitalCrafts 16-Week Immersive Bootcamp located in the Atlanta Tech Village.
Tell us about your previous education and work experiences before aspiring to become a web developer.
I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Pure Mathematics with a Minor in Spanish and a Masters of Education in Middle Grades Mathematics. I was a mathematics teacher for the past eight years and recently returned from teaching overseas in Abu Dhabi for three years to begin my career change as a web developer.
We see that you recently participated in the recent Goodie Nation Hackathon here in Atlanta. Can you tell us more about your experience?
I worked with two other developers from DC my class and we created an application for Mini City, an organization that offers “tech-enabled services to alleviate homelessness in highly gentrified areas of Metro Atlanta”. We won first place in the general category and we were so surprised, especially still being students in our coding bootcamp. We were the only all female developer team and we were told that we, along with another team, “had the most complete code”. The entire experience was a confidence booster for us all as women entering into the world of tech. We will continue to work with Mini City as they progress through the Goodie Nation initiatives.
What technology and tools are essential to you as a developer?
Sublime text has become my best friend. A good editor is a must have for a developer. I also rely heavily on Google. I don’t know of a developer that doesn’t. A little help from Google goes a long way.
How do you stay informed & on top of emerging trends?
We have a DigitalCrafts Slack channel where all the current students and alumni communicate daily and there is a lot of sharing of articles, meetups and new tech information. I have also subscribed to plenty of tech blogs that send out emails of their recent postings about the ever changing world of tech.
After DigitalCrafts, what’s next on your list to learn?
I am eager to learn Angular2. I am curious to know how it is different from Angular1 and what features there are that could cause me to use it more. I am also interested in learning how to use EmberJS and definitely want to learn Java and Android studio. I want to be able to build Android apps based on some ideas that I have.
Are you interested in working for a startup, agency, mid-sized company, or a corporate giant?
As a recent graduate, I want to be able to work somewhere that will offer significant training and give me the opportunity to have a mentor that can guide me as I gain experience as a web developer/engineer. I feel that a mid-size agency or a corporate giant would be the option for this.
Interested in looking at Shirlette’s credentials? Check out her website, GitHub, and LinkedIn.
