Josie Icaza: From Visual Arts Degree to iOS Engineering Apprenticeship

Josie graduated from Brown University before joining a bootcamp and then Formation, taking a nontraditional path to get into software engineering. Here’s Josie's journey to becoming an iOS Engineering Apprentice at Realtor.com.

What was your educational/professional background prior to Formation?
I graduated from Brown University in 2020 with a degree in Visual Arts, Modern Culture, and Media. After graduating, I worked as a real estate photographer, until I decided I wanted to learn how to program. I joined a bootcamp that lasted three months. From there, I started working as a barista at Starbucks and tutoring CS basics to middle school-aged kids on the side.

What originally got you interested in engineering?
I began taking classes in my major, Modern Culture and Media, which surfaced fascinating questions about the way technology impacts our culture and who should be responsible for those decisions. I started to see coding as a tool for not only art but also for agency and change. During the rest of my time in school, I enjoyed combining my love for the visual arts with my newfound interest in technology. After I graduated, I worked as a Real Estate Photographer during the pandemic and was once again able to see the real-world impact of technology. I was able to create 3D tours of houses so people could still secure housing during an uncertain time. This solidified my decision to pursue software engineering.

What made you want to up-level your career?
I initially joined a coding bootcamp, which was a great introduction to the world of software engineering. While I learned so much, three months did not feel long enough for me to be comfortable starting a new role as a software engineer. I wanted to be in a space where I could spend as much time as I needed practicing the fundamentals in a supportive environment – which is exactly what Formation provided.

How did you find Formation?
I found Formation through a blurb in DiversifyTech's newsletter and immediately bookmarked it. I was in my coding bootcamp then, but I was intrigued by how personal Formation’s instruction seemed. I loved what Formation was offering. I decided to apply just as my bootcamp ended to keep my learning momentum.

What was your specific goal in becoming a Fellow?
I wanted to land my first role in tech with a company I loved. I wanted to also focus on developing strong DS&A foundations as those problems were always a mystery to me. I wanted to know how people developed the intuition to be able to break them down.

How did you work with the Mentors?
Each Mentor had a different approach. Mock interview sessions were really helpful because you had a chance to break down the problem for them and then receive real-time feedback at the end. They also helped me understand how to solve problems, but then brought me to a palace where I could solve these problems at an interview level.

What did you think of the Formation platform?
It was great to be able to see my tasks laid out for the week; I could visualize what I was going to accomplish any given week. That definitely provided a level of accountability I needed. The platform was also helpful for scheduling sessions especially because I was working two jobs with inconsistent hours.

How did you measure your progress/success through the program?Passing Algo Marathon was the biggest measure of success for me. It had taken me months to get there. There were times throughout Marathon when I was stuck on a section and taking the test week after week. So when I passed, it was a breakthrough.

How did your interview skills improve with your Formation training?
I got really great behavioral interview advice. I was doing a “Tell Me About Yourself” session with a career coach and she helped me understand that I needed to explain why my experience was important. Interviewers don’t just want to know that I worked at Starbucks or that I studied Visual Arts at Brown. They need to know why these experiences make me a great candidate for the role and what I could bring to the team outside of just pure coding fluency. I wasn’t connecting my experience to my story; that stuck with me so much!

How did Formation help you prepare for your new role?
It helped me learn things quickly. It gave me confidence that I could pick up new technology quickly. These are both very relevant to the job. I’ve read documentation in my new role and I always have confidence that I can complete tasks because of how Formation trained me.

What is your new title?
iOS Engineering Apprentice

“Quick-Fire” Questions

First code you shipped?
Shipped an e-commerce website

Proudest moment?
Landing my new role; I’ve been working toward this for 2 years!

Favorite Formation group session?
DSA group sessions were so helpful in understanding the material, and I liked that the session included other people so I could see their thought process.

Biggest surprise about Formation?
The career support and dedicated Fellow Managers. They were available any time I needed anything, even just to chat. The level of value at Formation is unmatched.

Anything else you want to share?
Believe in yourself. You are a software engineer even if you haven’t landed your first role yet. You put in the time and you will get there eventually.

Looking to join our Fellowship and land a role like Josie? Learn more and apply today.