Pandemic pivot: From bartender to coder with just three months of school
Global News
After months of being out of work, Maggie DeVito wanted to become a web developer. Luckily, it didn't take years of schooling and tens of thousands of dollars in tuition.
The earlier phase of the pandemic was a rough ride for Maggie DeVito. The 26-year old Vancouver-based former bartender says she was out of work for months amid repeated restaurant shutdowns and COVID-19 restrictions.
So when her former employer had to temporarily lay her off again after the summer of 2020, she started thinking about a radical career change, she says.
Roughly a year later, DeVito is working as a full-stack developer for a record label, working on the company’s site and building and designing websites for its artists as well.
The job is “super interesting,” she says. “And I get a little sneak peek into the music industry.”
Her hourly pay has jumped to $25 an hour before tax, a significant increase from the $15-$20 an hour with tips she used to make as a bartender. And unlike her previous job, there is no uncertainty about how much she’ll earn every week.
Even better, DeVito was able to pull off the dramatic professional pivot with just three months of schooling.
Robert Furtado, who heads CourseCompare, a website that compares courses and training programs in a variety of industries, says his staff often hear from prospective job-switchers who assume they’ll need a four-year degree in computer science to land a job in tech.
“The reality is, if you’re interested in becoming a web developer, for example, you should pursue all avenues,” Furtado says.