Hello,
I am Fearghal,
aspiring developer

About me

I am an enthusiastic, inquisitive, friendly, resourceful and like to learn from and solve problems that I encounter. Originally from Ireland, I pursued a career in optometry after completing my degree in Dublin. Following my qualification, I travelled in Asia, which ignited my passion for exploration and new experiences. I then settled in London, where I have been working as an optometrist since.

Throughout my optometry career, I have gained valuable experience through both full-time positions and freelance work. Since 2018, I have been engaged in locum work, providing me with opportunities to contribute my skills and knowledge to various companies. London has become my home, and I relish the strong sense of community I have developed here. It's incredibly fulfilling to recognize familiar faces and encounter acquaintances while going about my daily life.

In my free time I enjoy exercising currently I run and wild swim in the summer. I have continued to enjoy travelling most recently in Portugal and late last year I travelled to Bali and Singapore. I enjoy learning more about technology and like to buy second hand technology mostly so I can see how it works. I enjoy learning and have recently started in person Portuguese classes.

Why I would want to be a developer

My interest in technology has been lifelong. I had my first interaction with technology when my father brought home a windows 95 computer. I enthusiastically used this even though I had not learned to read yet. As a teenager I was always keen to make my games run better, which lead to googling ways to make the OS run faster and try and implement these. I then graduated to taking computers and laptops apart to try and clean the parts or upgrade components.

I am deeply drawn to the world of technology and have a strong desire to transition into a career as a developer. The prospect of a career change fills me with excitement and anticipation. As a developer, I believe there is always something new to learn and explore, providing me with endless opportunities to satisfy my curiosity and expand my knowledge throughout my professional journey.

I am particularly fascinated by the rapidly evolving nature of the technology industry. The emergence of new technologies and the advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence are incredibly intriguing to me. I know about physical hardware and would like to learn about the software and be a developer. I am eager to be a part of this ever-evolving landscape and witness first-hand the development and impact of such innovations.

Working as a developer offers seemingly unlimited possibilities for growth and personal development. I am eager to embrace the challenges and rewards that come with being at the forefront of technological advancements. By becoming a developer, I can contribute to shaping the future of technology while continuously expanding my skills, expertise and fulfil a life term dream of working with computers.

Transferable skills to Tech

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills honed through years of patient care.
• Strong problem-solving abilities developed in diagnosing eye conditions and recommending suitable solutions.
• Adaptability and ability to work with diverse individuals, crucial in work team environments.
• Detail-oriented record keeping and documentation, applicable to tech project management.

What I have learnt so far

Throughout the application process, I have embarked on a learning journey. I have thoroughly enjoyed attending coding meetups and utilizing various resources to develop my coding skills. Prior to attending these meetups in early 2023, I had no prior coding experience. However, I am proud to say that I would say I have made significant progress in a relatively short period of time.

To enhance my learning, I have actively engaged with platforms such as freeCodeCamp and W3Schools. Additionally, I have utilized the power of online research, often relying on Google searches to find answers and solutions. I have also found valuable guidance by following different coding tutorials on YouTube. More recently I have also begun leveraging ChatGPT as a coaching tool, further enriching my learning experience.

While all aspects of coding have presented their own challenges, I have found JavaScript to be particularly demanding. However, I have persevered and embraced the difficulties as opportunities for growth. Overcoming these challenges has not only expanded my knowledge but also reinforced my determination to pursue a career in coding.

I initally wanted to apply for the cohort deadline of March 2023. But as I had only started to learn to code in January I delayed my application to the July deadline. I really took the oppurnity to learn more about coding in this time. I did the first 4 weeks of CS50 which I enjoyed imensly. I learned a lot about computer science concets and the C language. When I came back to learning javascript it was very nice how many features are built into javascript compared to C.

Memory Game Project

Initially I didn't know what game to make for my application, so I decided to learn about how to code games in general. I followed many tutorials to make games including breakout, rock paper scissors and tetris. When I saw a memory game, I knew this was what I wanted to make. My 5-year-old nephew has been obsessed with memory games and I wanted to build a game that he could play and to put his picture in the game as a surprise was something I knew I had to do!

Please see the link to the game's responisitoy on github here and you can preview the game below.

Get in touch

Please feel free to contact me on: kavanaghfearghal@gmail.com