From bicycle mechanic to software engineer
We are pleased to introduce James Sandford Smith. Former bicycle mechanic, now a valued team member here at Cirevo.
Meet James
Before becoming a software developer, I was a bicycle mechanic.
It’s a job I really enjoyed, because it involved a lot of problem-solving and lateral thinking. One of the highlights from that period was helping customers build bikes to travel the world on. We had one customer planning to cycle to China, another across Ghana, and a fair number tackling Land’s End to John O'Groats. I also loved the sense of community - chatting with regulars, sharing my knowledge with curious customers, and getting to know new people. I still frequently bump into old customers of mine on the street! I also got the opportunity to weld up a couple of frames for myself, which was really fun, though sadly a bit too expensive to turn into a regular hobby.
A career change focussed on tech for good
I decided to make a career change because I was starting to run out of new challenges and opportunities to learn.
”I’ve always been interested in technology, which seemed like a field with endless potential for growth and learning.”
Plus, it felt like a place where I could have a positive impact on the world. The idea of leveraging technology for the benefit of people and the environment has always been hugely appealing to me. After nine years of manual labour, switching to something less physically demanding was a bonus as well!
I studied at a coding bootcamp called Founders and Coders (FaC), it’s a peer-led, six-month course. Within the first week, I felt totally affirmed that I’d made the right move! I absolutely loved every minute of the bootcamp. FaC has a big focus on ethics, inclusivity, and accessibility. Various FaC alumni help mentor new students, giving us access to lots of developers with diverse experiences and specialisations. FaC is run out of SPACE4, a workers’ co-operative that provides affordable workspaces for progressive companies and co-ops with a focus on tech for good. This setting gave us the chance to meet many different people and get an insight into what working in tech is like post-bootcamp.
I came across Cirevo because they sometimes work out of SPACE4. I feel aligned with their values, and everyone here has come into tech from quite different routes, which felt very fitting. They’re on a mission to help create good in the world - how could you not want that? On top of that, it was clear that there’s a strong sense of community and that Cirevo genuinely cares about the quality of life for everyone working here. I’ve been here for a couple of month now and I’m certain this is just the beginning. It’s a small team, which makes it easier to be flexible and gives individuals the chance to try their hand at things that wouldn’t necessarily come up in their role normally.
More about Cirevo
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