DEV Community: Steven Garcia

From Automotive Technician to Junior Software Developer: My 4+ Year Coding Journey

Steven Garcia — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:36:54 +0000

From Automotive Technician to Junior Software Developer: My 4+ Year Coding Journey

More than four years ago, I started learning to code with a dream of changing careers, improving my family's future, and finding a more sustainable way to work. Today, I have a new milestone to celebrate: I'm officially a Junior Developer at the Joy of Coding Academy!

This is the story of how I got here, what I've learned along the way, and why I'm not giving up on the dream that started it all.

Starting From Zero: A Career Change Into Software Development

My journey into tech didn't begin with the Joy of Coding Academy. Before enrolling, I joined Freemote, a freelance web development bootcamp focused on building and customizing Shopify websites. I wanted to learn how to build websites and turn those skills into a potential career.

As I progressed, I realized that customizing websites and building more advanced web applications required a deeper understanding of programming than I initially expected. I wanted to go beyond working with website themes and develop the skills needed to understand code, solve problems, and build applications from the ground up.

That realization led me to enroll in the Joy of Coding Academy in November 2023.

Founded by Dr. Emily Hill, a computer science professor specializing in software engineering, the academy became an important part of my journey into technology.

When I first signed up, I thought learning to code would be relatively easy. I knew it would take some effort, but I didn't fully understand what I was getting myself into.

Coming from a non-coding background, learning software development felt like stepping into an entirely different world.

Imagine a farmer who spends his days working the land, caring for plants and animals, or a police officer who enforces the law and responds to dangerous situations. Now imagine either of them transitioning into a career where their primary tools are a computer, a code editor, and programming languages they have never used before.

That was what this transition felt like for me.

Don't get me wrong. I believe you can accomplish incredible things when you commit yourself to learning and improving. But commitment is more than simply deciding that you want something. It means investing your time, energy, and patience, even when the results aren't what you expected.

And I learned that lesson firsthand.

The Sacrifices Behind the Screen

I dedicated days, nights, and weekends to learning how to code. I spent countless hours in front of my computer, studying programming concepts, reading code, writing code, and trying to understand why something worked one moment and broke the next.

But there was a personal cost, too.

I was giving up family time. Instead of spending as much time with my young daughter as I wanted, I was often sitting in front of a computer, trying to make sense of concepts that sometimes felt completely foreign to me.

Before pursuing software development, I had spent years working as an automotive technician in dealership environments. The work could be physically demanding, requiring long hours on my feet, troubleshooting complicated problems, and using both physical strength and technical knowledge to get vehicles back on the road.

I remember coming home after dark, exhausted from the day's work, only to find my daughter already in bed. Sometimes, I couldn't even be there to tell her goodnight.

That was one of the things I wanted to change.

I wanted to build a career that would give me more opportunities, greater flexibility, and the possibility of being more present for my family. Software development offered a path toward that future, with the potential to work remotely and build a career using skills I could develop from home or anywhere with an internet connection.

That vision kept me going.

Even when progress felt painfully slow, I reminded myself why I started.

And I learned something important: slow progress is still progress.

The Reality of Learning to Code

One of the reasons I decided to pursue this career change was that I had heard from various sources that transitioning into software development could be relatively quick. The idea that someone could go from having zero coding experience to earning a full-time software developer salary in six to eighteen months sounded incredibly appealing.

I wanted to believe that timeline was realistic for me.

It didn't take long to discover that my journey would be much more complicated.

Learning to code isn't just about memorizing syntax or watching tutorials. It's about developing a completely different way of thinking.

You have to learn programming languages, understand frameworks, work with data structures, debug errors, test your code, and break complex problems into smaller, manageable pieces.

Then, just when you think you've figured something out, you encounter a new problem that forces you to go back, rethink your approach, and try again.

I've had to learn how to read code written by other developers, navigate unfamiliar codebases, adapt to different technologies, build applications, and troubleshoot problems that arise as projects become more complex.

Some days, things finally click. Other days, I find myself questioning whether I'm making enough progress.

I've experienced both.

I've also learned that there is a difference between understanding a concept while someone explains it and being able to apply that concept independently when you're staring at a blank code editor.

That gap takes time, repetition, and practice to close.

My journey has taught me that there is no universal timeline for learning software development. Everyone comes from a different background, has different responsibilities, and learns at a different pace.

For me, the important thing was not how quickly I could reach the finish line. It was whether I was willing to keep learning when the process became difficult.

And I was.

From Learning to Contributing: My Internship Experience

About six months ago, another important opportunity opened up for me at the Joy of Coding Academy: I was able to begin an internship.

This was a significant step because it gave me the opportunity to move beyond learning concepts in isolation and start applying my skills in a collaborative development environment.

Over the following months, I contributed to two different projects, gaining experience with real development workflows and the responsibilities that come with working alongside other developers.

I began working through development tickets of varying complexity, using Git branches to manage my changes, submitting pull requests, receiving feedback through code reviews, and getting my branches merged into the staging environment of those projects.

These experiences taught me that software development involves much more than writing code that works on your own computer.

You need to understand existing code, follow project conventions, communicate with teammates, respond to feedback, and make changes that fit into a larger application.

You also have to accept that your first attempt might not be your final attempt.

Code reviews and feedback became opportunities to improve my work and better understand how collaborative development operates.

There were moments when I felt uncertain about the scope of a task or whether my contribution was making enough of an impact. But I kept pushing forward, learning to focus less on getting everything perfect the first time and more on contributing thoughtfully, learning from feedback, and improving with each task.

Looking back, those experiences helped me see how far I had come since I first started learning to code.

I was no longer just studying software development. I was participating in the development process.

I'm Officially a Junior Developer!

Recently, I received news that made all those hours of studying, practicing, and pushing through difficult moments feel even more meaningful.

My application for the Junior Developer position within the Joy of Coding Academy was approved. I'm now officially a Junior Developer!

This is a milestone I'm incredibly proud of.

I know I still have a lot to learn. I know there will be new technologies to explore, unfamiliar problems to solve, mistakes to make, and lessons that only experience can teach me.

But that doesn't take away from this accomplishment.

For someone who started with no formal coding background and spent years working in a completely different industry, reaching this point means a great deal to me.

I'm proud of the progress I've made, the skills I've developed, and the opportunities I've earned through persistence.

And yes, while I haven't landed a Junior Developer position at an external company just yet, I'm proud to officially recognize the role I've earned within the academy.

This is a meaningful step forward in my transition from automotive technician to software developer.

It's proof that the work I've put in has led somewhere, even when progress wasn't always obvious.

What's Next? Landing My First Full-Time Developer Job

My next milestone is to land a full-time software development position where I can continue growing, contribute to a development team, and put the knowledge and experience I've gained over the past three-plus years into practice.

I want to keep building applications, solving problems, collaborating with other developers, and learning from people who have more experience than I do.

I'm also looking forward to documenting more of this journey here on the DEV Community.

I want to share what I'm learning, the challenges I encounter, the projects I build, and the lessons I pick up along the way.

If you're also transitioning into tech from the automotive field or another industry, learning to code while balancing family responsibilities, or wondering whether it's too late to start a new career, I hope my experience reminds you that your path doesn't have to look like anyone else's.

You might take longer than you expected. You might have to revisit concepts you thought you understood. You might even question your decision along the way.

That doesn't mean you're failing.

Sometimes, progress is simply showing up again, opening your code editor, solving one more problem, or finally understanding something that confused you for weeks.

Those small victories add up.

A Final Word of Gratitude

Above all, I'm thankful to God for holding my hand throughout this journey and giving me the strength to keep moving forward.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to reach this milestone, for the lessons I've learned, and for the people who have helped me along the way.

I started this journey hoping to build a better future for myself and my family. Today, I'm one step closer to that goal.

I'm a Junior Developer, and this is only the beginning.

Here's to the next chapter, the challenges ahead, and the opportunity to turn everything I've learned into a career.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

If you're also learning to code or making a career change into tech, I'd love to hear from you in the comments:

How long have you been learning to code, and what has been the biggest challenge you've faced along the way?

Let's keep learning, building, and moving forward together.

The Journey, the Struggles, and the Road Ahead

Steven Garcia — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 22:21:20 +0000

Almost ten years ago, the Lord blessed me with a beautiful baby girl, my first and only daughter. People always say, “Kids change your life,” but change barely scratches the surface. Transform, that’s the word. She transformed my life. Everything I do and every decision I make is about her and my family's future. That’s where the idea of pursuing my dreams and switching careers came into place.

You see, I haven’t exactly had it easy in life, but that’s in the past and we’ll leave that story for another time. Let’s talk about a decade ago. Before she came into my world, I was already doing well, newlywed and happily married, full of dreams, and excited about the future. But here I am at the start of 2025, realizing that in the blink of an eye, she’ll be turning ten. A decade. And as I reflect on this, you might be wondering why this matters and why I am sharing this.

The Weight of Time and Goals can have a heavy impact. When I first set out on my journey to become a software engineer, I gave myself a strict deadline, a time frame to make it happen. But here’s the honest truth. I have blown past that deadline! I am officially a year overdue. And I am not saying this with regret or disappointment. I am saying it because I want my future self and anyone who stumbles upon this to use it as proof that the journey is not about if you will reach your goal, but when.

Life has a way of throwing you off course. It certainly did for me. The past year and a half have been some of the hardest I have ever faced. The year 2023, in particular, was brutal and took a heavy emotional toll on me. But through all of it, that little girl I mentioned at the start is the reason I kept going. She does not even know it, but she has been my anchor, my motivation, and the force that keeps me pushing forward.

Even if it doesn't sound like much I've been making significant progress, one step at a time despite the setbacks, especially after enrolling in a new software engineering bootcamp at the end of 2023. This is actually my second bootcamp, but in hindsight, it is the only one I should have joined from the start. It has sharpened my programming skills, built my confidence, and reassured me that the finish line is near.

Now, I want to highlight one part of this journey that I have found to be the most difficult, something I never truly anticipated. The job hunt.

Yes, I am officially in that phase, applying, networking, and building connections wherever I go. And let me tell you, if you have ever been lured into tech by podcasts, YouTube ads, or stories that made it seem easy, take it with a grain of salt. I do not say this to discourage you. I say it to be real.

For someone like me, transitioning from a non-programming background, with no prior industry connections or tech experience, the job search is an uphill battle. In many fields, people naturally connect with those who have walked the same career path. But in my case, I have yet to meet someone who made the leap from being an automotive technician with fourteen years of experience to software engineering.

I may not fit the typical mold of a software engineer, but I refuse to see that as a disadvantage. Instead, I see it as proof that there is more than one way into this field. If no clear path exists for someone like me, then I will create one because at the end of the day, persistence and adaptability matter just as much as technical skill.

"From Automotive to Software Engineering." It is and will continue to be a rare transition or at least one you do not hear about often. But that only fuels my determination to make it happen.

With that said, I will keep pushing forward. And if you are on this journey too, keep your passion alive. Keep growing, keep learning, and do not let the challenges discourage you. Your timeline may shift, obstacles may arise, but as long as you refuse to quit, you will get there.

For me, it is no longer a question of if I become a software engineer. It is only a matter of when. And when that day comes, I will look back on this moment and remind myself why I never gave up.

To anyone else chasing their dreams, stay the course. Keep going. Just as my little girl transformed me, your transformation is coming too!

I'll start out by saying that almost ten years ago the Lord blessed me with a beautiful baby girl, my first and only daughter. When they say kids change your life, let me tell you change its close to explain it. I'm use the word "Transform". Yes! She transformed my life, I was already doing good prior to her coming into my life, happily married with a new wife and excited for my upcoming future...many ideas and goals to meet... But let me tell you that as I'm writing this post it's still the beginning of the 2025 year and before I realize it she will be 10 years young! Why do these details of my life even matter now? why am I writing about this? how does this concern you, you may be wondering?

Well it has to do with time and goals. When I first starting my journey to becoming a software engineer I gave myself a "deadline" or "time-frame" to meet that goal, and to be honest I way well past that. I am a year past that to be exact, and I say this with complete sincerity because I want the future version of me and others that will stumble upon this, to use this as an inspiration to themselves, to use this as proof that you can meet your goals as long as keep pushing yourself and giving it all you got! It is NOT if I become a software engineer, is WHEN I become a software engineer I will do this, that, more of this and that... I think you get my point. Life has it's way to throw off course but it is up to you to steer yourself towards the end of the course to accomplish your journey, and life has made no exception with me because I haven't exactly had it easy in the past year and half and I won't bore you with the details but let's just say that the 2023 year was a very bad year that brought a lot of emotional damage to me and that little person who I started to talk about in this post is the one that kept me going, she doesn't know it but she is the reason why I am still going and growing strong and I'm still in journey to becoming a software engineer. With all that said and aside, I've made a lot of progress thanks to a new Software Engineering Bootcamp that I joined in the of the 2023 year, this is actually my second coding bootcamp but to be fair it is the only one I should've ever joined because it has help my knowledge about programming skills grow, it gives me the confidence that the end of this journey is near.

I do want to emphasize one thing or actually the one step that I find it to be very hard and this entire journey, or perhaps it may be because I never had to go through this, and that is the "Job Hunt"! Yes, I'm officially in the job hunt process and also been building connections wherever I go and with whoever I meet. Now I don't know how you particularly got interested in tech but it is not as easy as it sounded from whatever podcasts episode, commercial, video ad, your favorite youtuber or whereever else got this idea fueling in you. Keep your interest alive, keep growing your knowledge and absorb everything about the actual technologies you are learning, but when it comes to landing a job perhaps take it with a grain of salt. I don't mean to discourage you, I just want to be open and honest that from someone like me with a non-programming background, not having any connections, nor previous employer experience it is not very easy. I'm even going to tell you that sometimes we tend to connect a lot easier with peers that have done or been in the same line of work we have in the past but not in my situation, in fact I've never even met anyone who has migrated from the same line of work which was automotive technician that I did for the past fourteen years to this field kinda rare to believe but it is.

Career change, my thrive, what actually keeps me going.

Steven Garcia — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 21:42:24 +0000

"I never thought that learning this new industry would be easy. On the contrary, it’s hard, but it’s not impossible. Let’s analyze this: If it were easy, everyone, or at least a greater number of people, would be doing it, right?

I’m not trying to get off-topic here, but let’s think about something for a minute… The number of high school or college friends we stay in touch with is very small, maybe even zero. So, it is safe to say that most of the social connections we introduce into our lives come from family and work colleagues. This leads to some of us starting new careers and possibly spending more time with our co-workers than even our own families. Mind you, on most days, the time spent with our family is not what we would label as "quality time." Think about it: we get home from work, often exhausted, and all that is left is perhaps 3 or 4 hours before we go to rest, if that.

Now, the reason why I’m bringing this up is to highlight the fact that we surround ourselves mostly with our co-workers. When one of them decides to leave the workplace, it’s usually because they are going to work for the competitor, relocating, retiring, or getting let go.

Due to this, it is hard for someone to go off course and take a different path or start a new career. But if you do, or even start thinking about it, you’re going to value and consider the reactions of your co-workers a lot more than you should. But let me remind you that most people don’t like the idea of change. The truth is, the typical path out of your current work field, your tenure, your co-workers themselves, and the idea of change shouldn’t hold you back. It should definitely begin and end with you making the decision. After all, it’s your life, and no one else would be in your shoes but you.

As I’m writing this, I’m having a difficult time concentrating on the content that I’m learning: new topics, exercises, answering questions, rules to learn, to remember, when to use, when to omit, etc. Does it get frustrating at times? Yes, it does! But it is for this very reason that I’m pausing the subject at the moment to write content like this—not only to remind myself of why I’m pursuing this but to encourage and motivate others who are in the same position right now or will be in the future when reading this.

Think about how gratifying it would be to look back a few years from now and say to yourself, “I did it!” The feeling of accomplishment that comes with that would bring a lot of positivity to yourself and, in turn, you can pay it forward to others. There is no better, more justifiable advice to give someone than when you’ve definitely experienced it yourself.

My number one reason is to be more passionate about what I do on a daily basis than I was before in my previous job. Here’s some food for thought: it has been over 14 months since I left my previous job, and I’ve lost over 16 lbs. I have more energy, which means I get to do more of the physical things I want to do, spend more time with my family and friends, get more quality sleep, and put more miles on my motorcycle instead of having it collect dust in the garage simply because I didn’t have the desire to ride it.

Keeping in mind what I mentioned earlier about spending more of your day at work, having to wake up and go into a job that you dread is not healthy, either on a short or long-term basis. With that being said, I advise anyone in a similar or like situation to at least commit to thinking and planning where you want to end up with however many years you have left in your working lifetime.

In conclusion, if you’re not happy in your current role or even with your career at all, by no means am I saying you should find something different to do instead. It could be very hard and depressing to even think about "throwing so many years of experience away," as some may refer to it. But like I mentioned in the beginning, it won’t be easy. But don’t be afraid of making a big move! Your experience is valuable elsewhere, and you owe it to yourself to figure out where it belongs. If you want to challenge yourself and switch careers like I did, just know that it’s not impossible. There will just be a few more hurdles to overcome.

And remember one thing: the people you currently look up to, follow, or take advice from, who are in the position or have the title you want to end up with, may not have your previous knowledge. With that being said, don’t belittle yourself. When you end up in their spot, that irrelevant experience, combined with new knowledge and fresh insights, can bring a lot to the table. Always think: just by doing this right now, you’re already ahead of those who are still contemplating the idea of doing something different than where they currently are. By moving on and advancing, you will be rewarded!"

What exactly led me to push myself into learning how to code?

Steven Garcia — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 02:59:52 +0000

"Hello world!" Some may have seen or heard this hundreds of times but for some of us it was the first phrase we typed when learning to code, and Ironically enough this is my very first blog to the world so indeed 👋🏼 Hello world!

This may sound kind of cliché, but when I was still working at my previous job the thought of doing the same or similar repetitive tasks everyday until retirement led me to face a reality that I was struggling with for quite some time. Can I really switch careers at this point and time of my life? Should I pursue what I really have been wanting to do or should I find an easier job that pays better just for the money? Should I open up my own business? And if so, how can I do it?

So many questions, but yet I always knew the answer. The how usually reveals itself after the yes. You just have to want it bad enough to find that it's never too late to switch careers. Once I made my decision, I chose the technology path, it's always been in me and it may sound odd but living in a small two bedroom apartment when I was a teenager with very little entertainment around the get-away from that was the computer, even with no internet around.

That’s right, remember the dial-up internet connection days? There were days where someone at home had to use the telephone so I wasn’t allowed to connect to the internet as this was the only affordable way to go online, but I would still find myself occupied and entertained by either figuring out how programs would work, exploring and tweaking multiple settings, using windows explorer, playing around in the command prompt among other things.

Anyways, still to this day I ask myself lots of questions when using programs, applications, websites, I even get upset when using an app and finding lack of simplicity; I’m the type that keeps using an android phone due to its versatility to root them for better performance in the earlier days and in the present time for freedom to customization, even when downloading updates I’m that type of curious person who always reads what the update brings to the device. So, needless to say, I love technology and it's a combination of all these things that led me to push myself to learn how to code so that I can be a contributor to many of these new technologies that we all make use of everyday.