Before Sparta, Marcella worked in the retail industry after studying fashion at the London Metropolitan University. Whilst working as a Sales Advisor in a luxury department store, Marcella discovered Sparta Global and has since graduated as a Java Test Automation Engineer!
What and where did you study at university? Or did you not study at university at all?
I graduated in Fashion from the London Metropolitan University in 2021.
When did you join Sparta? What course did you study?
I joined Sparta Global in February and graduated from the Java Test Automation pathway at the end of April 2023.
What did you do before you joined Sparta Global?
When I moved to the UK, I began working in the fashion and retail industry. I had two jobs prior to considering a career in technology with Sparta Global. The first being an Events Assistant for the London Metropolitan University, and then I went on to work as a Sales Advisor at a luxury department store in London.
How did you decide Sparta Global was the right career move for you?
Since moving to London, I have been on an exciting journey of discovery and growth. While I enjoyed my time working in the fashion industry, I knew deep down it wasn’t my true calling.
My journey into technology began last year when one of my closest climbing buddies introduced me to coding, and I must say, he opened the door to an entirely new world for me. I remember him saying, “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, just give it a try,” and he was right!
Since then, I dived into free online courses, enjoying the challenge of learning Java day by day.
Climbing is one of my true hobbies, and I enjoy solving the puzzle to uncover the safest route to the top. This problem-solving aspect is reflected in coding, and I discovered the same excitement that I feel when climbing, in learning Java.
However, while I was studying in my spare time, a sense of monotony crept in. This compelled me to seek out a company where I could learn alongside fellow tech enthusiasts under the guidance of experienced trainers. Then, I stumbled across Sparta Global, and the amazing opportunities they offer people who are looking to kickstart their career in technology.
Can you tell us about the connections you have built through Sparta? How have you found the community to be?
I’m incredibly grateful for the amazing people I have met during my training. Sparta provides a friendly community of individuals who are always ready to lend a hand. Even though the training has ended, and my cohort are all heading to different companies, we still make an effort to catch up over drinks or meet in work from the Sparta office on the same day.
Now you have graduated from the Academy - what are you up to now?
I am currently in pre-assignment, meaning I can take advantage of all the resources the Sparta has to offer. I am working on a small project and doing a lot of upskilling utilising the e-Learning platform, Udemy, which is provided by the company.
Do you feel you now have the passion and skill to carve a long-serving career in technology?
Definitely, my passion for learning and completing projects is the reason why I joined Sparta. After the training, I have the confidence and skills to believe I can add value to an existing team and apply the skills that I have gained during my training.
What are you looking forward to doing in your new role?
I enjoy the engineering side of my role the most, whilst working in an Agile team. I hope to continuous this is my future role. I am aiming to build a skillset and gain more knowledge on the wider testing industry, which will allow me to be someone that can provide support in any project because of my diverse and varied skills, that’s the goal!
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Natasha Fasanotti has always had an interest in technology, pursuing a degree in Computer Science to turn her passion into a career. But when it came to leaving university and picking a path - the options were overwhelming, unclear, and Natasha wanted to find an opportunity that could help her specialise in something that utilised her skills through and through. Joining Sparta Global in February this year, Natasha upskilled in test automation and is now an integral part of a mult-Spartan project team operating in the public sector.
When Ekaterina (Kat) McNeill began her Psychology studies at University, she wouldn’t have predicted a future working in Data and a successful career kickstart working in the public sector – but that’s exactly what Kat has achieved. In fact, her line manager told us how Kat got to grips with complex code with little to no documentation, worked out how to access data that was previously thought inaccessible, and modelled it through a workflow. Her skills have already made an impact on site and we can’t wait to see what Kat does next…
After initially forging a career in Mechanical Engineering, Bradley Woods found himself searching for an opportunity to change careers and pursue an interest in technology. With a firm determination to find training opportunities in DevOps, Bradley joined the Sparta Academy in early 2023 and quickly secured his first role working in the public sector. Nominated for Spartan of the Month for his “dedication and hard work” that have been “instrumental in the smooth execution of high-profile project”, we spoke to Bradley about his time in tech.