Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash
A Tech Community: The Guardian Angel You Didn't Know You Needed
"If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together" - African Proverb
Table of contents
Introduction
Trying to navigate a career path in the tech ecosystem can be very daunting, especially as a newbie. It's even tougher if you're doing it all alone and that is why I have put together this article to tell you why communities are necessary for your growth.
The tech industry as we know it is one very vast environment. It is like having to go to a new school in a new city from a small school in a small town. The first day you show up at school, 'the new kid on the block' with zero friends and absolutely no information on what you should or shouldn't be doing. Having to go through the naturalisation process all on your own would take longer and you would probably make a few mistakes: getting on the bad side of the gang of bullies for instance.
Now imagine that as you step through the gates, someone waves at you and then proceeds to introduce themselves and you both quickly hit it off and become pals. Being an 'oldie' (opposite of newbie lol), they hold your hand and help you find the best spots to hangout, show you the group you need to avoid, and then introduce you to the coolest kids you should be moving with. You see the contrast there yeah? That is what a tech community would do for you.
A tech community is that your new friend that guides you as you step into the campus of building a tech career. Your new friend does not only introduce you to the fun guys, they also invite you to the coolest parties, they advise you, they answer all your questions, they lend you academic materials for study, and most importantly, you both become very good friends and then go on to become BFFs and live happily ever after. Your real life guardian angel. A tech community can be this friend to you, only this time, you get more than one friend.
What Is A Tech Community?
A tech community in very basic terms is a group of persons who are building or have built a tech career. The demographic can vary for different communities. For instance there are tech communities solely for women (e.g She Code Africa, Baddies in Tech etc); tech communities for open source contributors (e.g Open Source Community Africa) or tech communities for Blockchain enthusiasts (e.g BlockchainUNN, LearnWeb3 DAO etc). Despite the specifications, one thing is constant: a tech career.
What's In It For You?
Joining a community early in your career is guaranteed to help you reach your goals faster and easier. I'll give you a few reasons below:
Direction: I decided to build a tech career towards the end of last year. As soon as I decided, I realised I didn't know what to do next. I didn't even know what other areas existed in tech, I only knew about software engineering. Luckily I attended a tech meet up organised by She Code Africa, UNN Chapter. Safe to say that by the end of the day, I knew all the other areas in tech and I was able to make an informed decision about my specialisation. I also joined the community that same day. I mean, how could I not?🤷♂️
Access to Opportunities: One very beautiful thing about the tech ecosystem, especially here in Nigeria is the inclusiveness. Opportunities are always shared within the communities to help the members advance. In my She Code Africa campus chapter for instance, there are several opportunities showing up every other day. From scholarships to internships to job openings, it’s all there. I mean you can actually get a laptop to start your career just by being a member of a community! How cool is that?!
Access to Resources and Mentorship: Tech communities are always focused on growth. Which is why you often find people giving out resources for free, offering to coach a newbie and always answering questions and giving advice. Got a bug in your code? You should probably bring it to your community and watch someone offer to show you how to go about it. Need ideas or resources for a project or job interview? Bring it to your community. Someone has all the answers you need.
Events and Networking: Tech communities organise events from time to time. Attending these events give you the opportunity to learn new things, meet new people and grow your network. Being an active part of a tech community also gives you the opportunity to build meaningful and lasting friendships.
Accountability: Do you struggle with consistency and commitment to your goals? Good news! You're not alone. A tech community is the best place to find an accountability partner, someone with similar goals, to help each other achieve your goals. The focus is on growth.
“If growth is your kind of vibe, join a tech community close to you” — Emmanuella
Conclusion
I just gave you five reasons why you should join a tech community around you and I can actually give you five more. A community of like-minded individuals is what you need to reach your goals faster. I have a theory that if you are a part of an active community, you already have more than half of what you need to build a thriving career in tech. The rest is within your control. I’m not up to a year in tech yet but I can say that I would definitely not have come as far as I have if I was doing it all alone. Most, if not all, of the opportunities I’ve had access to can be credited to the several tech communities that I am a part of. I’m very big on communities and you should be too.
PS: Wanna know something else that's really cool about tech communities? You could get free merch and swags. Sounds like free ticket to join the Cool Kids' Association to me.