Joy’s Path from Customer Service to a career in Technology

Joy Chekwume Borokini is a resident of Lagos state, Nigeria, and holds a degree in Theatre Arts and Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Benin. With a decade of experience in customer service, her last job was at Globacom before she decided to transition into a tech career. Joy was motivated by the ambitious dreams of the young individuals around her, and she yearned to achieve the same level of success.

The discovery of Tech4Dev on Twitter sparked Joy’s interest as she was searching for tech-related materials. The program’s great reputation and the potential certification that she will receive piqued her interest, and she felt regretful about missing the opportunity to apply for the Women Techsters Fellowship class of 2024. However, she applied for the Women Techsters Bootcamp cohort 2.7 and thankfully, she got in.

The Women Techsters Bootcamp cohort 2.7 offered her the perfect start in her new journey. The transition into tech in 2023 has not been without its challenges for Joy. Balancing other responsibilities alongside her new career path has proven to be a little bumpy, yet she remains determined. Instead of seeing these challenges as obstacles, Joy perceives them as opportunities for growth and learning.

Every day that Joy made the decision to attend classes, learn, and contribute to the best of her ability, she considered it a proud achievement. One highlight was when she led one of the teams in delivering a successful presentation on Flutterwave. She views all these experiences as part of a valuable learning curve.

While moving from a non-tech role to a tech role naturally comes with its challenges, Joy was prepared for them from the moment she decided to make the switch. To overcome these challenges, she dedicated herself to practice, understanding that practice makes perfect. After the demo day, Joy came across a product in its pre-launch stage and took the initiative to conduct necessary product management work. She plans to present her research findings to the founder in due course.

Joy describes her experience in the Women Techsters Bootcamp as wonderful. She wholeheartedly appreciates the immense effort put in by everyone on the team.

“The Women Techsters Bootcamp served as an excellent foundation for me, providing me with essential knowledge. Learning is a continuous process and I plan to further enhance my skills. The tasks, extensive research, and daily acquisition of new knowledge were the highlights of my training, and I aspire to make a lasting impact in my chosen field. I am determined to excel by creating remarkable products one step at a time. I am committed to working hard and continually improving herself with each passing day.”

Throughout the training, Joy acquired valuable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, leadership, time management, attention to detail, prioritization, and active listening skills. She fondly remembers her facilitator, Theodora Ishola, who treated the participants like siblings. Coach T’s patience, kindness, and insistence on completing daily tasks helped fuel their motivation to learn.

Encouraged by the belief in her abilities, Joy is now engaged in a self-paced accountability group to revisit and solidify her learning. She is also actively seeking internship opportunities to demonstrate her competence, finding the courage to venture into the field.

Moving forward, Joy is determined to keep learning and aspiring to secure a role that validates her skills. She emphasizes that those with curious minds should embrace the opportunity to be part of the builders rather than mere onlookers. Joy expresses heartfelt gratitude towards Tech4Dev and its partners for the scholarship, with a sincere desire to find a way to give back or pay it forward.