If you were to draw a map of your career and education, what would it look like?
For someone like my father, it would likely be a straight, steady line: A few well-placed markers noting his graduation, the start of his career with Union Pacific Railroad, and soon, his retirement from that same organization. Clear, consistent, and linear.
Others might have a few bends in the road, perhaps showing a pivot toward a newfound passion or an unexpected opportunity. But if I were to chart my own journey, it would probably resemble a hiker who wandered off trail and had to bushwhack through unfamiliar terrain to find the way forward.
Early Milestones and Unexpected Turns
My map would begin with graduating from the University of Nebraska with degrees in Anthropology and Psychology. From there, it would track my year of service with AmeriCorps NCCC, where I contributed more than 2,000 hours to nonprofits across the country, gaining skills in everything from wildfire mitigation and trail maintenance to community gardening and tax preparation.
The path would then take a sharp turn into another year-long contract as a program manager, which sent me to nearly every U.S. state and Canadian province, and onto more flights than I can count.
Finding Community in Craft Coffee
Eventually, the terrain leveled out when I settled in Denver and worked as a general manager and barista in the craft coffee industry. I loved the fast-paced, customer-centered environment and the community it fostered.
Still, I felt something was missing. Probably a 401k and decent health insurance, but also long-term stability for a future when my wrists might no longer be able to craft hundreds of drinks per day. Encouraged by a regular customer who became a close friend, I dusted off my trusty old map and enrolled in a full-stack web development boot camp.
A Leap Into Technology
What began as a leap of faith quickly became a passion. I found an appreciation for solving complex problems and understanding how the different components of an application work together. Even when debugging was frustrating, I felt energized by the challenge and motivated by the satisfaction of finding solutions.
After completing the program, I moved to St. Louis, where my path led me to LaunchCode. They helped connect me with an apprenticeship at a large consulting firm. After a grueling six months and one capstone project later, the company hired me full-time.
Over the next four years, I had the opportunity to learn from experienced software engineers, contribute to meaningful projects, and continue building my technical skills.
Discovering the Mainframe
When the company later downsized its consulting division, many of us were laid off. Around that same time, my younger brother began his own technology career through the Broadcom Mainframe Vitality Program.
As he shared what he was learning, I realized that despite years in the tech industry, I had no idea what the mainframe was all about. I was shocked to learn that it powers much of the world’s enterprise infrastructure. I reached out to LaunchCode again and asked when the next Vitality Program would be accepting applications.
Four months later, I began my own journey through the Broadcom Mainframe Vitality Program.
Building on What I Had Learned
Luckily, anyone who has gone through a coding boot camp or something similar develops the skill of learning new things very quickly. Instead of JavaScript, I was learning REXX and JCL. Instead of building web applications, I was fumbling my way around a 3270 terminal and combing through logs.
Because of my interest in testing and automation, I chose to specialize in OPS/MVS. After rigorous training, I had the opportunity to apply my skills even before residency, supporting internal teams with their OPS/MVS initiatives.
Having successfully completed one apprenticeship earlier in my career, I entered my residency confident in the foundation I had built through the Vitality curriculum and my previous experience in technology. My focus was to use the residency to keep improving and find meaningful ways to contribute.
So far, I am proud of the progress I have made, and I can see myself building a fulfilling, lifelong career in the mainframe space. I have been fortunate to learn from incredibly talented mentors and colleagues, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunities made possible through LaunchCode, Broadcom, and my brother, Cade who is an Infrastructure Engineer at a large bank–who despite being younger than me, ended up helping pave a path for me to follow.
Embracing the Winding Route
I was once envious of those easy-to-read career maps. Now, I am learning to embrace the winding route.
Every seemingly random destination, every line of code, every espresso shot pulled, and every connection formed has contributed to where I am today. It may have taken me longer to find this path, but the journey has made me a stronger developer and a more resilient person.
I am excited to bring that perspective to the next evolution of mainframe technology and to continue building a career defined not by a straight line, but by intentional growth.