San Francisco Engineering Manager Credits College For Career Success
Canadian born Kris Degaust credits going back to college for elevating him to his current position as senior engineering manager for San Francisco-based Change.org. Spending a few moments away from his demanding job for the world's leading petition platform, he offered valuable advice to people interested in entering or advancing in a career in the tech industry.
What's your background and level of education?
"Tech is a second career for me. I spent six years in the military right out of high school, and once my second tour was up I quickly realized that I didn't have many transferable skills for a civilian career. Since this all took place around the first dot-com boom, I thought a career in tech would be a good choice so I enrolled in a tech college to get a diploma as a programmer/analyst. The dot-com bust happened shortly after I finished the program, but I managed to make it out alright and have always been employed since."
How has your education helped you in your current position?
"I wouldn't have been able to change careers without going back to school. I took a condensed course from a tech college because I couldn't afford to be in school full-time for three years, but I learned the basics of programming. Then, once I got started, it was easy to pick up skills along the way from all the smart people in the industry. I've been in tech for 16 years now - first as a software developer then moving up to team lead before switching to engineering management."
What career advice can you share with people interested in a tech career?
"If you like technology and love solving problems then a tech career may be right for you. There are many great condensed courses that can get you working in about one year. For friends considering career changes, I've recommended starting with some free online resources, and then enrolling in one of the many good coding boot camps available - we've actually hired a lot of people from these courses and they are great additions to our team."
Randy Yagi is a freelance writer covering all things San Francisco. In 2012, he was awarded a Media Fellowship from Stanford University. His work can be found on Examiner.com Examiner.com.
