From Non-Technical Background to Amazon, Fabian Credits Sabio Coding Bootcamp
Originally from Orange County, Fabian had a very non-traditional background for his circumstances, “I wasn’t sure what to do next out of high school, so I joined the marine corps. While I was there I was a combat engineer, but I did absolutely nothing tech related. I did construction, bridges, controlled explosives, things like that. When I was finished serving, the pandemic hit, and I put together pretty quickly that I needed to build a skill, since none of my military skills were really transferable to a good paying job. I knew that tech was an ever-growing field, so I started to look at my military resources to potentially make that switch. I remembered throughout my whole life, always being interested in websites and fascinated by how code creates design. I saw that Sabio accepted veteran benefits and I just decided to hit the gas on learning to code.”
Immediately, Fabian knew he made the right choice, “Sabio is a community and a family. It was crazy, from day one, we were actually immersed in a real developer workspace. We’re talking with our team, collaborating with each other, working on projects, it’s all inclusive learning. It is definitely an intense 12-hours a day, but at the same time, we’re developing those habits that development teams actually do on a daily basis. We did morning stand-ups, code reviews, peer reviews, and just kind of talking through code, all of which was extremely helpful. I was worried at first that it would be challenging for me to learn to do this remotely. I haven’t been in school for a handful of years, so this was my first time in an online classroom environment, but Sabio alleviated all of that anxiety. I keep saying the word inclusive because it’s true, we learned from the beginning how to communicate with the instructor and each other, it was just like my job today.”
Despite learning online, Fabian really vibed with his cohort-mates, “I was actually one of the first ones to break the ice in the beginning. I figured, coming from a non-technical background, all of this was pretty new to me. I was the first to kind of break the ice and admit that I didn’t understand a lot of what was being said off the bat. But I know as a team we could all help each other. To my total surprise, over half the class was in the same boat as I was. That really helped us breakthrough that initial wall. The instructors were super knowledgeable and communicative as well, which was also great. I didn’t realize that combined they have over thirty years of diverse experience in the tech field, and just first hand knowledge with coding in general. I really felt like they wanted to help us come out successful once we graduated and they did everything in their power to make that happen. They really just wanted us to succeed.”
Despite learning online, Fabian really vibed with his cohort-mates, “I was actually one of the first ones to break the ice in the beginning. I figured, coming from a non-technical background, all of this was pretty new to me. I was the first to kind of break the ice and admit that I didn’t understand a lot of what was being said off the bat. But I know as a team we could all help each other. To my total surprise, over half the class was in the same boat as I was. That really helped us breakthrough that initial wall. The instructors were super knowledgeable and communicative as well, which was also great. I didn’t realize that combined they have over thirty years of diverse experience in the tech field, and just first hand knowledge with coding in general. I really felt like they wanted to help us come out successful once we graduated and they did everything in their power to make that happen. They really just wanted us to succeed.”
Currently a fullstack developer at Amazon, Fabian credits Sabio’s alumni network for the opportunity, “I got this paid apprenticeship with Amazon literally through the connections I made at Sabio, and after two more months of training, I’ll be a full-time employee. Not only did the instructors help coach us through the job interview process, but the alumni gave us all of these tips and info that helped. Sabio is such a huge community, so a lot of the actual alumni keep in contact with current Sabio students and are always giving job referrals. My current opportunity at Amazon is exclusively for military personnel, and I got the interview through some Sabio alumni that had already done the apprenticeship.”
It wasn’t just the connections at Sabio that helped him score a job at Amazon, “Aside from teaching how to code, Sabio also teaches people skills. How to actually communicate effectively, how to talk like a developer, how to ask the right questions to get your problem solved, how to look for the right resources. They also taught me how to network effectively, something I had no idea about beforehand. I see so much growth and opportunity at my current position and really think this is the right fit for me. Amazon has some leadership principles they abide by that definitely align with my own, so I could see myself here for a long time, and it’s all thanks to Sabio.”
He may just be an apprentice now, but Fabian is already reaping the benefits of his new career, “Because of Sabio my life has taken a huge stride forward. My finances have definitely increased, I more than quadrupled my hourly wage in less than a year, along with working from home. I have more control over my time, money, and really, my entire life. I am actually planning on purchasing a home soon, which is nuts to think about how that is a possibility for me now, especially in this economy. I no longer have to worry about filling up my car halfway and I have so many new friends now around the world. I’m just so grateful for all of this.”
For those looking to get into code, Fabian says, “Try it, and if you like it, have an all-in mentality. Fully immerse yourself because this is a skill that moves you forward quickly. There is so much opportunity and growth in coding and the tech world, and Sabio is the place to go to get you there. It’s not just about the skills you learn at Sabio, but the community that lifts you up. Regardless of your background, it’s going to be scary to start something new, but just go for it. You are never too old to learn a new skill, our cohorts had people of all ages and backgrounds. There’s nothing stopping you from success but yourself.”
Fabian was hired by: 
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