The latest articles on DEV Community by Jake (@jakesvoid). https://dev.to/jakesvoid https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3492706%2F607a6346-b90e-4b36-847e-d0f18ece3098.png https://dev.to/jakesvoid en Jake Sun, 21 Sep 2025 14:27:07 +0000 https://dev.to/jakesvoid/my-workstation-1jke https://dev.to/jakesvoid/my-workstation-1jke <p><em>Photo of my workstation, decorated by my cats fur, while writing this blog</em></p> <p>A workstation is like a second home to many of us that spend most of their time on a computer; And like a home the mess can have a method to the madness.</p> <p>I wouldn't say my workstation is perfectly tidy - I've got a dongle and some cables over here, a kindle and a stack of books over there, I've even got some RAM sticks I swore "I'll check if it's compatible to add to my system" - but it's mine, I know where everything is and what I was using it for. In that way - it's my home.</p> <p>Unfortunately my 'home' is kind of small, and I need it for various purposes, it is both my place to work as it is my place to relax. So I think it's important to be thoughtful about such a place; The occasional spring cleaning makes a big difference and the way I orient myself often sets me up for different activities - without even moving from my chair.</p> <p>I'm fortunate enough to have 2 main machines, a laptop I can focus on work with and a desktop I can game and relax from. It's amazing how my focus can drift just by using the same headphones from my desktop when I try working. Such a subtle thing can influence the mind and completely change which mode we are in.</p> <p>If you're like me, with lots to do and limited space to do it in, ask yourself "How do I set up my space to do x? How does that differ when I do y?"</p> <p><strong><em>I suppose it's also a good time to do some spring cleaning</em></strong></p> Jake Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:06:18 +0000 https://dev.to/jakesvoid/apprenticeship-and-the-importance-of-community-1phc https://dev.to/jakesvoid/apprenticeship-and-the-importance-of-community-1phc <h3> Hello and welcome to my first blog! </h3> <p>You can call me Jake, I am a tech enthusiast with some professional experience in IT support and have just started an Apprenticeship for Software Engineering! I hope to establish this blog as a sort of check in - talk about what I've been learning and going through as I push this career off the starting line; Maybe we can start some good discussions here</p> <p><em>Without further ado...</em></p> <h3> How does community affect us? </h3> <p>This is something I have been grappling with over the past year. Struggling to land a software job and continuing to sharpen skills can quickly feel lonely. It's often that the though 'I just need to lock in and focus' can quietly turn into isolation; The desire to build it all yourself and show off those skills can be strong, but it detracts from one of the most important skills - community involvement. </p> <p>Wherever you go, there will be a community, and even in the places you go alone your communities have an effect on you. As a social species we thrive when we are together, the work we put into pushing others up often brings us up with them. Sometimes just seeing another push through the same challenges can give us the courage to keep attempting it ourselves.</p> <p>I see this in my own experience. Even just starting an apprenticeship, the feeling that I'm alone beings to fade and the desire to work on these goals grow stronger. I'm eager for the group projects and shared struggles, it's something I have fond memories of.</p> <h3> Why an Apprenticeship? </h3> <p>When asking this question the alternative is usually "Why not go to school" or "Just find related work and up-skill into that role" but I find both of those approaches miss the mark. Of course they have their own merits, one day I would like to attend higher education as well, but an apprenticeship has something unique - a chance to learn a job, theory and practice.</p> <p>Apprenticeships offer you the ability to both study the material and get real hands on practice in your field of study. Not only that but they usually come with a form of mentorship to smooth the break in process. It's a buddy system to entering an industry. All of those hard lessons learned can be passed down without the damage and hardship that they usually come with (look at you pushing to production).</p> <p>With this apprenticeship I hope to build the foundational skills that will enable me to work like a seasoned veteran in the software industry, and I hope to take some new friends with me :)</p> programming mentorship learning beginners