🚀 My Journey: From Engineering Passion to Web Development and a Flexible Lifestyle

Miu — Fri, 08 May 2026 08:06:26 +0000

👋 Hello, Everyone!

Hello everyone. My name is Miu Matsuki.
Today, I would like to share a little about my journey so far, my new challenge in Web Development, and the dreams I envision for the future.

⚙️ The Spirit of "Kaizen" Forged in Manufacturing

My career began after graduating from Kagoshima National College of Technology with a degree in Electronic Control Engineering, when I joined Sony as a Production Technology Engineer.

This period of approximately four and a half years was an invaluable time for me to deeply learn:

The intricacies of manufacturing
The importance of problem-solving
The spirit of Kaizen — the continuous pursuit of improvement

💻 Developing Software to Solve Real Problems

Specifically, I immersed myself in developing inspection software using C# to support the quality of audio products.

Through this development, I not only wrote code but also discovered the joy of:

Deeply understanding on-site challenges
Solving problems with technology
Improving workflows through automation

Furthermore, by leveraging VBA and Python to automate daily tasks, I contributed to improving team productivity.

That experience fostered both:

Confidence as an engineer
Joy in helping people through technology

These experiences led me to a fundamental question:

How can we eliminate inefficiencies and build more refined systems?

🌏 Learning Through Global Collaboration

My experience working at overseas factories in Malaysia and Vietnam further broadened my perspective.

Investigated the causes of defects
Collaborated with local engineers
Worked in multicultural environments
Provided technical guidance

Overcoming language barriers and witnessing team growth firsthand taught me the true essence of working in a global environment.

This experience deeply ingrained in me:

The importance of collaboration
Respect for diverse perspectives
The value of working toward common goals

💼 A New Chapter Begins: Freelancing and the Challenge of Web Development

In September 2025, I left my long-term corporate position and embarked on a new journey as a freelancer.

While preparing for this study abroad program, I took on:

Video editing projects
Design work
Freelance creative tasks

These experiences reconfirmed the joy of:

"Creating something with my own hands that can be useful to someone."

🌐 Discovering Web Development

During my corporate years, I also spent three months attending an online WebDev school, where I learned the fundamentals of web development in English, including:

HTML
CSS
PHP
MySQL
Laravel

I even had the opportunity to build a website similar to Booking.com as part of a team project specifically designed for people requiring barrier-free access.

That experience allowed me to feel the excitement of web application development firsthand.

However, I also felt frustrated that I hadn't fully utilized those skills afterward.

That is exactly why I see this Web Development course as:

An opportunity to transform knowledge into practical, real-world skills.

🌟 Expectations for the Web Development Course

In this Web Development course, I strongly aspire to:

Acquire professional web development skills
Improve my English communication ability
Build a foundation for a global engineering career

I am particularly interested in applying the Kaizen mindset cultivated during my time at Sony to web development.

I believe this perspective can contribute to:

Better user experiences
Efficient systems
Thoughtful product improvement

🤝 Learning Beyond Technology

Another important goal is learning:

International team development methodologies
Real-world collaboration skills
Industry practices used globally

Building a network in Vancouver, a city filled with opportunities, is also something I highly value.

Furthermore, gaining practical overseas IT experience through a paid Co-op internship is an indispensable step in my career journey.

Since I love nothing more than:

"Bringing ideas to life,"

I am genuinely excited about this learning experience.

📚 After the First Week: Rediscovering the Importance of Fundamentals

After completing four months of ESL, the Web Development classes have finally begun, and every day feels incredibly stimulating.

The first week mainly focused on foundational concepts, but I strongly understand that these fundamentals will become the base supporting:

My future learning
My future career
My confidence as a developer

Because of that, I am carefully reviewing everything I learn each day.

🛠️ Practical Learning Matters

One thing that particularly impressed me is that the instructors don't simply teach technical skills.

They also share:

Recommended tools
Industry trends
Real developer workflows
Practical career insights

This approach allows me to learn from a much more practical perspective rather than just theoretical study.

I hope to absorb as much knowledge and experience as possible from these instructors.

I also plan to build my own portfolio website in the future and discover the best technology stack through this learning process.

🌈 My Vision for the Future

My ultimate goal is to establish a:

💻 "Free and Flexible Nomadic Lifestyle"

A lifestyle where I can work anywhere in the world with just a laptop:

Canada 🇨🇦
Australia 🇦🇺
Malaysia 🇲🇾
Europe 🇪🇺

By combining skills such as:

Web Development
AI utilization
Video editing

I aim to become an:

Independent freelancer who is not reliant on a single company.

🤖 Helping Others Through Technology

Beyond personal freedom, I want to use technology to help others.

By:

Automating repetitive tasks
Improving efficiency
Reducing unnecessary workloads

I hope to help people focus more on meaningful and creative work.

This goal naturally comes from the Kaizen spirit I developed throughout my engineering career.

✨ Final Thoughts

To cherish my own life design while contributing to society through technology — that is the future I truly desire.

I believe this Web Development course is an important step toward making that dream a reality.

Thank you for reading my story 🙌

DEV Community: Miu