This pattern is one among the many which I have drawn so much knowledge and think will go a long way to help me grow in my future employment activities as far as software development is concerned. Educationists will tell you that learning is a gradual process and I know it’s not going to end in the classroom when the time come and I am out of the classroom to the field to face the world. This pattern has just reaffirmed that learning is still going to take place afterward. It is really hard as David H. Hoover admitted to say you don’t know when they expect you to know what they are asking you to deliver. But for my own good I will not be tempted to give quick answers to questions that will put me in trouble later on. Again, this  pattern has also given me the idea that as an apprentice, my goal is not to become an expert but that will come naturally as I go the journey and explore deep into an interesting areas of  learning.

I strongly agreed with the point that when your answer questions, you become clarified of your own knowledge. This is true because, anytime I help someone do something or explain something to someone, I will never forget that subject again; that is stick in my head forever. I used to be shy to speech in public even if I know the answer but as I grow and become more familiar with difference group of people, things began to change. From then,  anytime a question is asked in the mixed of people, I always try to be first to respond  to it if only I have an idea of what is being asked  because I know how it help me in understanding the scope of my knowledge better.

I have been trying to cherry pick these patterns but I realized going through all of them will help me more because, they are interconnected. So far, with what I have learned, all the patterns has something unique that I think if carefully adopted will go a long way to help me deal with all the problems I will be facing as an inexperience apprentice.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Computer Science Exploration by ioplay and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

This pattern has reopened my mind on how the society expects us to function without taken into consideration what the individual passion is. I kind of knew many point mentioned in this pattern but didn’t know how to deal with them until I read this pattern.  It is true that the community I live in wants me as a young graduate to get a nice reputable job with lucrative sum of money. They would expect me to have solutions to problems at the tips of my hands. But the little I know is that learning is an ongoing process and takes place gradually. Implies I might get my four years college training and graduated alright but my learning doesn’t end there. As an apprentice, I should continue to learn in order to achieve that mantle of the journeyman. Looking up to satisfy the society would do me no good than to draw me back from the long term goals that I have set for myself. Being able to growth in this industry requires me to be patience and stay focus to my long term goals.

One thing that marvels me is promotions. I didn’t see promotion as a detractor until I studied this pattern. I usually would take promotions as a reward for your good and professional word. But after reading this pattern, I have come to realized that not all promotions are worth taken.  For example, as a software developer, taken a promotion to managerial position that has no connection with your previous duties will harm you at the long round. I would rather demand an increase in pay than promotion in order to stay focus on my passion for developing.

Also, it’s a norm, and as society demands, people would always seek a well paying job than seeking to develop their skills. It is quite challenging to work for less money when you know you can get more for the same input. But that notwithstanding, one need to weigh passion and long term ambition for his career against the present even though, I think the long term would pay you than your present.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Computer Science Exploration by ioplay and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Most apprentices like me always face problems such as frustration and discouragement from peers and even their craftsmen sometimes. It is my dream as an apprentice to excel in my learning.  Some craftsmen will always intimidate their apprentices and it takes a brave and focus apprentice to stay on track. Sometimes, it is not just the craftsmen that will give you hard time. Being in a team that dictates your contribution can cause you a lot of damage in your learning. As a first comer, those who have been in the apprenticeship for years might have the mind set of you not knowing anything yet and will not value your contributions. Also, moment you have that feeling of fear and not able to speak out your ideas, you are on your way to failure.

However, this pattern has good information that can help me as an apprentice to figure out how to deal with most situations whiles learning.  One thing I have come to notice is that you cannot meet your desired expectation if you have no passion for what you are learning. Being happy or excited of what you learning or working on will actually enable you to put much effort into achieving your goals.

I am actually surprised of what makes a better team. Even though I am aware that a team of experience members can have problem due to everybody trying to be the leader, I usually think they will still have a better result. A team with varying levels of experience is the least I can think of being successful in its activities. I also think, believing in yourself that your contribution to a team will make a difference will enable you to openly speak out. Sometimes, I try to get as much as I could from my team members by listening to all they have to offer but very careful of what information I am taking from them because more often they are either misleading or conflicting with what I knew.

Again, I am not surprise craftsmen learn from their apprentices because a good apprentice will always search for knowledge outside his confined area and when his findings are openly embrace, craftsmen will benefit from it. Reading this pattern has impacted me with ideas that will help me focus on my apprenticeship journey. I will openly unleash my enthusiasm and would never allow others or circumstances around me to dictates what I can offer to my team.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Computer Science Exploration by ioplay and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

As an apprentice or a developer, your career begins with you choosing one language and mastering it. This language will be the grounds at which your early development is going to be based on. It does not have to be big; everything begins with you taking a small step. The best way to learn a language is to work with an expert in it. This is because feedback for your work is very important apart from you having someone who will boost your morale in learning such a language. Your first language is not only the foundation of your career but the pivot at which you will learn other languages.

So far, this book has enlightened my taught very much and I am really happy for laying hands on such a materials. I totally agreed with every point made in the aspect of the book. I will say it is a wake-up call to me and for my colleague students who will want to excel in the programming industry. I deemed it very important to have one language mastered and any other language could be learnt afterward than trying to learn two or more languages at the same time; you will end up haven a shallow knowledge in all of them.

Also, haven someone as a mentor is as equally important as your choice of life. There have often been times that I went through tough time trying to do things myself and there were times I had thing very easy with the help of an expert even though I did not like his style of mentoring but after reading this portion of the book, I have now come to realized why he did what he did; he didn’t wanted me to be solely dependent on him to do my work. I used to study ahead of what I was assigned to do before our meetings in order not to appear before him looking stupid and some time he only ask questions which lead me to solving my own problem without him given me the solution. I can clearly differentiate my level of production on those days we worked together as compared to the time I worked on my own especially the time spent in solving a problem.

In conclusion, I will say this portion of the book has boost my morale of choosing and mastering one language before trying to learnt any other language and I am also reconnecting with the expert I have worked with in the past as a mentor for my career.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Computer Science Exploration by ioplay and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

From the blog CS@Worcester – Computer Science Exploration by ioplay and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.