Let me start off by saying, I thought I knew it all. As a seasoned Frontend Developer with over two years of experience, I was pretty darn sure I had the web development game in my pocket. I'd jumped straight into the big leagues of React and Vue.js right from the get-go, thinking I was riding high. But boy, did my journey with the Povio Frontend Engineering Academy throw me for a loop!
Seriously, it was a total eye-opener.
The academy kicked off with an intense focus on HTML and Accessibility, and I quickly realized that I was about to embark on a trip down a rabbit hole of web development fundamentals. As students and web developers, we often do not realize how important HTML is and are quick to judge based on the perceived “simplicity” of the language. It was intriguing to witness how much in-depth knowledge could be imparted in just a single lecture. Who knew there was so much to learn about these basic building blocks?
Next up, we ventured into the land of CSS and got cozy with a cool tool called Figma. Now, let me tell you, CSS was my weak spot, and this is where I had to put on my thinking cap. Even after two years, wrestling with CSS felt like cracking a complex puzzle. But the experienced mentors did a great job of explaining the core principles and elements of this technology, shining light on my frontend mysteries.
The significance of collaborative coding became apparent as we delved into Git, deployed with Netlify, and agile methodologies. Although these were skills and tools that I had already heavily invested in in my career, it was still exciting to see the experts talk about their ways of doing them.
With Javascript being my stronger suite, for once, I kind of thought I could coast for a while. But of course, the Academy had its ace up its sleeve, and it didn't take long before we plunged headfirst into Javascript concepts, some of which were totally new to me. So there I was, soaking up every bit of JavaScript and the DOM, filling in the gaps in my programming foundation.
Beyond the technical expertise, I really like that the Povio Academy places emphasis on mindset and wellbeing. These sessions were refreshing and underscored the importance of a balanced approach to coding, highlighting the significance of a healthy mind and body in nurturing creativity and productivity. As someone who's tinkered with self-improvement, habit hacking, and flexing that growth mindset muscle, it hit me like a lightning bolt that staying humble and always open to learning are essential ingredients for long-term success.
But wait, there's more to this story. My Povio Academy journey wasn't just about cranking out code. The Academy mentors are not just experts in their fields, but also warm and supportive individuals. The casual hangouts, be it over drinks or dinners, created a relaxed environment that encouraged interaction, sharing ideas, and just having a good time.
Wrapping it up, my Povio adventure turned out to be a total game-changer. I learned that going back to the basics is like hitting the turbo boost button on your skills and laying the foundation for killer projects. I have already started to incorporate the experiences gained into my existing and new projects. Armed with this fresh outlook and newfound wisdom, I'm all in for this wild ride of learning and leveling up, with a curiosity that just won't quit.
Povio is preparing an Autumn edition of Engineering Academy. If you are up for a challenge apply now!
