Introduction 👋

Hello Everyone, I’m Sowmiya, a Mainframe developer who is passionate about UI/UX design, Blogging, Public speaking, and communities. I’m writing this to reflect on the journey I’ve taken over this year and to look ahead to what the next year holds.

My journey as a Mainframe developer 🖥

I started the year with a new job as a mainframe developer at a leading IT firm. It has been an amazing journey so far and I have learned a lot in a year. In the early days when I started out, I had no prior hands-on live project experience in working with Mainframe computers. But, with patience, hard work, and dedication, I have managed to become a skilled Mainframe developer and made my work contributions to get recognition for my work via awards from both my employer and client!

I was able to work on a number of projects and make significant contributions to the success of those projects. I had to deal with a lot of challenges and learn to adapt quickly in order to keep up with the ever-changing technology.

I have also learned a great deal about the importance of teamwork and collaboration. Working in a team and collaborating with my colleagues to solve a problem or to complete a project has been one of the most important lessons I have learned in the very first year of my career.

UI/UX Design Hackathon - Win 🎉

After becoming a professional mainframe developer, I felt like I was forgetting my roots, particularly my user experience and design skills that I had learned during my undergrad studies. That’s why I decided to push myself and participated in the 12-hrs long UI/UX Design Hackathon organized by IEEE Delhi Section.

I was thrilled when I finally heard that I was announced as the winner out of 133 project submissions 🏅. It was a big accomplishment for me, as it showed me that I was still capable of pushing myself and achieving success.

Consistent in Blogging ✍

I started out by setting myself a goal of writing a blog post related to UI/UX Design once a week, but I soon learned that this was too ambitious for me. I found that I was struggling to keep up with the pace and wasn’t able to commit to the regular schedule. After a few months of trial and error, I finally arrived at a schedule that worked for me; I was able to write two blog posts a month and still maintain a good level of quality.

My hard work eventually paid off and I started to gain traction. My blog posts started getting more views, and I was featured as a top writer in design on Medium🏆. I also started receiving invitations to speak at student communities / Universities.

Tech Talks 🎙

When my blogs were able to reach out to a larger audience, it gave me the confidence to take my blogging to the next level and I decided to start speaking at tech talks. My talks focused on helping students with new topics which are not under their degree curriculum :

1. UI/UX Design

   I started helping students to understand the importance and basics of UI/UX design in today’s world and how it can help businesses succeed.

2. Leveraging LinkedIn

   This is another topic, I saw many students were lagging in, so I started taking this topic to students and professionals who weren't aware of leveraging Linkedin

3. Google Crowdsource

   This is another new topic I took being Google Crowdsource Influencer, Google crowdsource is an app / web-based platform where any user who knows their language & community well can contribute to it to help Google Products work better for their community. 💓

   

4. #IamRemarkable Workshop

   I decided to take my passion for public speaking to the next level by being a #IamRemarkable facilitator. The #IamRemarkable initiative focuses on helping working women and underrepresented groups learn how to self-promote themselves in the workspace.

   

   After hosting a number of workshops on weekends, I got certified as a Gold-tier #IamRemarkable Facilitator 🎖️!

Contributed to Open-source 👩🏻‍💻

After becoming a mainframe developer by profession, I had been out of touch with Logo designs and UI Design for a long time. I missed the hands-on practice and I was looking for an opportunity to get back into it. Then, decided to contribute to open-source, via Hactoberfest, This gave me the chance to get back into the creative side of coding and I was able to hone my design skills again. I'm glad that I decided to take part in Hacktoberfest and was able to merge all pull requests.

Completed specialization - certification on Coursera 📜

I recently completed the IBM z/OS Mainframe Practitioner specialization - certification on Coursera which I enrolled in 2021. It was a great learning experience as the course provided in-depth knowledge of the IBM z/OS Mainframe system and the various components that make it up.

It covered a series of Courses :

1. Introduction to Enterprise Computing

2. Getting Started on Mainframe with z/OS

3. Commands and Panels Basic System Programming on IBM Z

This certification specialization has enabled me to gain a greater understanding of the IBM z/OS Mainframe system and its capabilities, and I'm looking forward to continuing to learn more about this powerful system.

Looking back 👀

I have achieved more than I had initially set out to do. My journey has been filled with moments of joy, and growth. The challenges I faced along the way have made me stronger and more resilient. I have also been able to help and mentor others, which has been a very rewarding experience.

This journey has not been easy, but it has been worth it. I have gained valuable insights, experience, and knowledge that I can use for the rest of my life. I am also proud of the network of people I have built throughout this journey. I am looking forward to what the future holds.

I am grateful for the people who have supported me throughout this journey. They have been a great source of motivation and have made this journey much more enjoyable. I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given and for the experiences I have gained🌟.

As I look ahead, I am excited to see what new challenges await me. I am also looking forward to continuing to grow my skills and pushing myself to achieve greater heights.

Wrap Up!

Overall, the year 2022 has been a great year for me, both professionally and personally. I have been able to make significant progress in my career, and have been able to make a positive impact on the industry. I am looking forward to the future, and I am excited to see what new opportunities and challenges await me. 💓✨

If you have read this far, I really appreciate it. Do share your valuable comments, I appreciate your honest feedback!

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