Celebrating Three Years at Capital On Tap: Volunteering, AI & Letting Go of Worry

Before joining Capital On Tap, I had an entirely different career path in mind. I started out studying law, with no idea I would one day transition into tech. My entry into software engineering began with YouTube tutorials and bootcamps, where I learned the basics of coding and discovered my passion for problem-solving through technology.

It wasn’t an easy shift but it led me to move from Wolverhampton to London to pursue my career in software engineering. Fast forward to today, and I’m now a mid-level developer at Capital On Tap, recently celebrating my 3-year (insane!) anniversary and reflecting on how far I’ve come.

Volunteering and a Full Circle Moment

One of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had recently was volunteering with FutureCoders at a local school. On February 3rd, I joined FutureCoders to help Year 12 and 13 students prepare for their digital/IT exams.

I initially planned to go alone, but my CTO was really enthusiastic opening the offer up to my colleagues, and thankfully six of them were happy to join me. Together we provided mentorship and shared our knowledge with the students. It was a great way to give back and encourage the next generation of tech talent. (Thanks guys!)

The most heartwarming part of the day came when I had a full-circle moment. Walking through the school corridors, I spotted a row of framed pictures of inspiring women in tech — and one of them was Charlene Hunter MBE, the founder of Coding Black Females and co-founder of the Black Codher bootcamp. Black Codher was where I took my first steps into tech, learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and everything I needed to begin my coding journey. Seeing Charlene’s picture was surreal — she had once shared her knowledge with me, and now, six years later, I was in a position to do the same for others.

That moment reinforced the importance of paying it forward. If not for Black Codher, I wouldn’t be writing this article, living in London, or working as a software engineer. That bootcamp was my gateway into tech, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity it provided.

Worry Is the Most Useless Emotion

I celebrated three years in October, feeling both shocked and grateful. When I joined as a graduate — an absolute beginner — I was filled with imposter syndrome and worry about how much room I’d really have to learn on the job. Here’s something I wish I’d known sooner, not just for my career but for life in general: 91% of worries never come true, and for the 9% that do, people handle them better than expected (LaFreniere & Newman, 2020).

The fact that I’m still here — and significantly improved, if I do say so myself — proves that I handled my worries better than expected. Growth came from learning from mistakes, practicing, asking for help, and having a supportive team. This 3 year journey at Capital on Tap helped me grow both professionally and personally.

AI, Revisiting Python, and the Importance of Side Projects

Just as I was getting comfortable, AI surged forward. Am I worried? A little. It’s not far-fetched to think AI could replace graduates, juniors, and maybe even mid-level developers. It’s faster and, in some cases, better — which is a little intimidating. I only just got here!

Being proactive, I’ve spent my weekends re-learning Python and exploring machine learning. I say “re-learning” because before joining Capital On Tap, I knew Python and Ruby, but since I didn’t use them at work, I forgot them. If I could give my younger self advice, it would be to keep up with side projects and maintain all my skills — even the ones I didn’t use at work. Python is one of the easiest languages to learn, but I’d be much further along if I had kept practicing.

As for the Machine Learning side of things, currently I don’t love it and I haven’t fully wrapped my head around it, but I am enjoying the challenge. It’s unfortunate some of this is being pursued out of slight fear. In todays world, it feels like not keeping up with AI would backfire on me career wise, so I’m hoping the more I pick it up, my pursuit comes from a place of enjoyment and curiosity rather than necessity.

New things & what’s next

Outside of coding, I’ve picked up new hobbies — bouldering, horse riding, travel and food content creation, and Reformer Pilates. Staying active is important to me. I never want to feel glued to my chair, especially since I can get fixated on work. If I’m stuck on a bug or project, I tend to sit for hours without moving, sometimes skipping meals or social interactions. This year, I’m making a conscious effort to stay active and balance work with movement.

As for what’s next: growing my confidence in coding (a never-ending journey), diving deeper into AI, building Python side projects, staying active (and becoming a Pilates expert without injuries), and taking my travel and food content more seriously — it’s been getting great feedback so far.

Thanks for reading — see you at year four!