Breaking into the tech industry is hard — not just in terms of learning technical skills, but also in finding where you belong. Whether someone is coming from a coding bootcamp or a traditional university, many entry-level tech enthusiasts feel lost trying to find their niche, build a supportive network, and gain real-world experience.
There's a gap in how new tech professionals connect with others, access relevant guidance, and grow confidently in their careers. Too often, they feel isolated or unsure of their next steps.
Our team wants to build an inclusive platform called Decode that empowers anyone to enter the tech industry — regardless of their background — and find their place. Our app will support users throughout their journey by providing career development tools, a strong community, and opportunities to connect with mentors and peers who can guide them along the way.
This leads us to our user stories, which reflect the diverse types of users we aim to support:
As a university student,
I want to browse upcoming tech-related events and RSVP to the ones that align with my interests,
so that I can grow my network and access career opportunities.
As a subject matter expert or mentor,
I want to create event listings sorted by tech interest and location,
so that mentees can align with my experience and attend events where I offer mentorship.
As a participant,
I want to be automatically matched into events based on my role,
so that I can collaborate and stay motivated with peers on similar paths.
In regards to our solution, our team would love to modify and expand our Decode platform by:
- Creating a "success path" matching that connects newcomers with professionals who followed similar career journeys
- Adding peer support groups organized by specific challenges such as job hunting, technical interviews, impostor syndrome, etc
- Make our platform more accessible by developing it into a mobile app