Blog
Featured Developer Student for November 2019
Jacob and Nicholas brokaw
For the first time at Centriq, we have a set of twins that have both been chosen to be our featured student! Though they may be similar in appearance, both Jacob and Nicholas have their own unique sets of skills, and both decided to come to Centriq for their own reasons. Congratulations to you both!
BIO
Jacob: In short, I’m a recent high school graduate, tech enthusiast who loves trying new things, and a business-minded person. I became interested in technology ever since I got a PlayStation 2, but that interest grew when I read a biography of Steve Jobs. In the coming years I made friends who shared similar interests, that led to the founding of a tiny tech company. During my high school years, I dove into the world of software and web development, mainly focusing on fun user experiences.
Nicholas: I am a recent high school graduate who is excited by the opportunity to learn more about technology. My interest in technology as a whole grew exponentially when my high school offered a class for repairing Chromebooks, and in that class, I learned even more about business and project management. These topics are my favorites to learn and apply throughout my everyday life, and in doing so, I started a small software company.
Q&A
Q: Why did you decide to come to Centriq?
JB: Of course, now, I’m at Centriq pursuing Full Stack Web Development. When choosing where to further your education, you have a bunch of options. Centriq stood out to me because it focused on what you need to know. I love development and that’s what I want to do. It made sense to me that if I’m going to be in this career, I should get the most saturated training I can.
NB: Centriq appealed to me most because of its four-month duration and the focus of its courses. Given that technology/software development is my top interest, it made sense to me that I should center my education around just that. Full stack web development is changing all the time, and Centriq is giving me not only the tools and knowledge to work in that field, but also the skills needed to adapt to the ever-changing industry.
Q: What class has been your favorite so far?
JB: The best experience I’ve had so far were the MVC courses. Putting all of the things we’ve been learning into one massive project is such a rewarding experience. There’s still plenty more for me to cover in the track, but I am greatly looking forward to the Front-End Frameworks course, which focuses on React.JS.
NB: I’ve enjoyed MVC a great deal. Bringing everything together adds an exciting new challenge to my learning, and I was delighted to see the ways that C# could enhance my websites. Each time we go a bit deeper into the content, so much more possibilities are opened for me!
Q: What do you hope to do after Centriq?
JB: After Centriq, my hopes are to land a job where I can build new and beautiful things, with a team of passionate developers. One day, I also hope to have a few apps to my name, and possibly under a company with my brother.
NB: Immediately after Centriq, I hope to land a job in the software industry. I’m very open to the idea of developing new software and/or improving existing applications whether it be in web or native form, so the exact type of application is not the largest factor, but more so the process involved (i.e. problem-solving)!
Q: What other hobbies and interests do you have?
JB: One of my biggest enjoyments would be playing video games, but more specifically, Minecraft. In addition to video games, I find VFX interesting and plan to toy with that a little more in the future. Currently, I’m exploring the possibilities of machine learning with “deepfakes”, which are pretty much faceswaps, but more detailed.
NB: Learning about technology is a huge hobby of mine, but I am also very interested in making neat videos and working on computer hardware. A future project of mine will hopefully be to build my own solar panel and perhaps use it to provide warmth via a heat lamp to some chickens in the future… Or, maybe I’ll just use it to help offset the electric bill.