Not so long ago I had a great opportunity to be part of the mentoring team at a bootcamp organized by the Centre for Information Technology (pl. Centralny Ośrodek Informatyki). The bootcamp, called New Us in IT (pl. Nowi MY w IT), aimed to help people start their journey in the tech industry while emphasizing diversity and inclusivity.
The bootcamp’s core idea was learning through practice, allowing participants to gain hands-on experience by working on a real-world-like software development project. We started with an intensive theoretical phase before moving on to project implementation. At that stage, the bootcampers were given the freedom to lead the process, with the mentoring team providing guidance and support.
It was an intense five-month journey filled with regular late-evening calls and a lot of organizational work. I was amazed by the dedication and passion the participants showed. It was a striking contrast to a typical university setting, where only a handful of students are truly engaged while the rest are just looking to pass the class (I don’t blame them) 🙂
I also learned a lot myself. The organizing team was large and full of incredible people with diverse skills and knowledge. It was a true pleasure to work in such an inspiring environment.
I am grateful for this opportunity and hope to take on a mentoring role again in the future.
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