Interview with Data Science alumna, Lina Siegrist
by Daniela Meier
You applied to our bootcamp during the first Corona lockdown. Why?
How did Corona influence your career decision? Have you changed your plans due to Corona?
Wasn’t it a risk for you to quit your job and start a Bootcamp during Corona?
How did you experience the job market during the last couple of months?
What was the role of Constructor Academy in achieving your career plans?
What’s your current situation? Have you found a new job? And if yes, how did Constructor Academy support you?
Thank you very much for the interview, Lina. We wish you all the best for your future!
Before I joined Constructor Academy, I worked as a Postdoc at Biozentrum, University of Basel. Thanks to my expertise in Neurophysiology, I had experience in data analysis using programming skills. Compared to conducting biological experiments, which take longer times to get any results, I enjoyed programming in that I can see results immediately and can iterate quickly. From this programming experience, it has turned into my greatest dream to work in the IT field. The Covid-19 situation gave me the opportunity to spend more time on my personal study to confirm that I truly like heading into that direction. When I came to this realization, I decided to quit my previous job to further educate myself until I reached the point where I could work in the IT field.
How did Corona influence your career decision? Have you changed your plans due to Corona?
Obviously, it enabled me to have more time to focus on studying for an IT career but the decision itself was not affected by Corona. My motivation for a career switch was that instead of contributing to basic research, I wanted to create something that has practical use for humans. I felt that it was the ideal time to act on my aspirations.
Wasn’t it a risk for you to quit your job and start a Bootcamp during Corona?
When I first came up with the idea of joining a Bootcamp, I found that the concept was only available in other countries. I remember thinking for days about quitting my job because of the uncertainty for the future. I made up my mind to join the Bootcamp, however, when I found the Swiss-based Bootcamps at Constructor Academy.
How did you experience the job market during the last couple of months?
I personally feel that the IT field is less affected by the Corona situation. Positions in the field are still promising as the demand for home office has increased.
What was the role of Constructor Academy in achieving your career plans?
I can definitely say that I might not have been able to achieve my career plan without joining Constructor Academy. Most students take one program, Full-Stack Development or Data Science, but in my case, I took both. The courses were a good fit for me because they had a very practical approach, making it a perfect career kick-off.
What’s your current situation? Have you found a new job? And if yes, how did Constructor Academy support you?
I’ve been actively applying so far and recently I’ve received an offer for a temporary Data Engineer position at Nestlé. I really appreciate that the Constructor Academy team supported me throughout the process of job searching.
Thank you very much for the interview, Lina. We wish you all the best for your future!
