Career Shift: From Photographer & Marketer to Application Engineer

One of the great things about pivoting to a career in tech is that you can make the move no matter what you did in your prior career. Michael Galo, a graduate of both our full-time Web Development Cohort 71 and our Data Engineering Cohort 1 bootcamps, spent a decade in photo production, marketing, and communications for a local Nashville nonprofit. While he had built a successful photography business, he eventually realized he wanted a career that felt like a better "personality fit"—one where he could tinker at a more technical level.

Tapping Into Curiosity

After years of meeting NSS alumni at the local coffee shop where he worked, Michael decided it was his turn to make the leap. He initially chose the software development bootcamp because of its long-standing reputation. He found that the intensive six-month program provided the "fire hose" of learning he needed, but it was just the beginning of his journey.

Specializing with ProTech

After graduating from his initial bootcamp, Michael took advantage of NSS’s ProTech program to enroll in the new Data Engineering bootcamp. ProTech offers free continuing education to Middle Tennessee residents searching for their first job (or next job) in tech and is partially funded through a grant with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

While the software development bootcamp provided an incredible foundation, Data Engineering allowed him to lean deeper into the back-end. He moved beyond simply writing APIs to exploring data architecture and learning how to implement large-scale technical solutions for businesses.

The "Secret Sauce": Community and Collaboration

Michael emphasizes that software development is a "team sport," not a place for lone wolves. He credits the group projects at NSS as the "secret sauce" for his success, providing him with real-world experience in team collaboration with Git and GitHub workflows, effective communication between team members with different personalities, and presenting technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Michael’s Advice for the Job Search

Michael landed his current role after presenting his capstone project at Demo Day to the people who are now his team lead and boss. His top tips for fellow job seekers include:

• Don't Isolate: Michael took the initiative to host a "Hackery" Zoom room every weekday to ensure he and his classmates had a consistent place to support one another.
• Strategic Networking: He focused on learning how to use LinkedIn as a "super user" and tapping into the existing NSS network for referrals rather than just cold-applying to jobs.
• Bet on Yourself: Michael notes that while he had a four-year degree that never got him a job, the few months spent at NSS radically improved his job satisfaction.

"When you land, it will be worth it," he promises.

Ready to hear more about Michael’s journey from photography and marketing to data engineering? 🎧 Tune in to the latest episode of Stories from the Hackery on SoundCloud, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

What's Your Next Move?

If Michael’s story has you curious about the world of data or development, here is how you can start your own journey:

• Try a Jumpstart: Explore our Software Development or Analytics Jumpstarts to see if a career in tech is the right fit for you.
• Apply for a Bootcamp: Get a start on your foundation in tech with our Software Development Bootcamp. (Full-time or Part-time)
• Attend an Info Session: Join us for a virtual info session to ask questions about our programs and the admissions process. RSVP on Humanitix.