If Only I Could Hug My One-Year Younger Self, I Would. Pt. II How Things Worked Out Anyway

I became a Software QA Engineer.

As of writing this, I'm still an SE1. A trainee. And I will stay as one for 6 months. 46 days for bootcamp, the rest for shadowing.

The bootcamp was challenging. I was the only one with no background of programming. I know no programming language. I know no tool.

But they deemed me trainable. I don't want to lose this chance.

I am happy with how my career is going.


The training was challenging. I failed my exam in my first module, did fine with my second module and nailed my third module (seriously, I don't know how, I sure as hell do not know why and I could think of others who I think should get it but I was Top 1 for that module. That module which was supposedly the heart and core of my position as SQA Engineer.) I think I passed my fourth module and this module, the fifth one, is hell. I am forcing myself to learn JavaScript.

I could go on and on about the bootcamp but I won't. Suffice to say, I'm learning a lot and I still need to learn a lot.

I am lucky with my batch and I will miss them when we're floored. During the short period of time I was with them, we actually became close with each other. I am lucky I met them. Even the trainers and other employees like our batch.

I can talk to them of my interests. They know Panic at the Disco. Some of them are GRRM  bitches. They introduced me to the joy of table top gaming and trash-talking. They made me feel like I'm young again and hey! there's a place for me in a work environment.

I also encountered a lot of people. I found out one of my trainers is actually a niece of my cousin. I met a PW employee outside of work environment over a table top game gathering who turned out to be one of the not-so panelist during our case study defense. I embarassedly confessed I cannot remember one of my bootcamp mate's sister when she supposedly became one of my classmates in an education class.

I am satisfied but I still want to move forward. And I will. My path still has a lot of possible turns and forks. Major decisions will come sooner or later. But for now, I am happy, intrinsically happy. Things are looking good. I can picture myself 5 and 10 years from now. I am at the bottom of the ladder I like. That's good. That means a lot.

P.S.: I received an email yesterday from a project manager asking for the last 5 digits of my SS number. It was to prepare for my position when (yes, WHEN) I pass and completed my bootcamp. I was one of the only 4 who received that email.