Why is #GenerasiGIGIH by GOJEK & YABB different from usual tech bootcamp ?

May 2021 marks that I am officially as Data Analyst Learning Path participant powered by #GenerasiGIGIH by Gojek and YABB (There are Frontend and Backend Engineer Learning Path also)..

This article will share about a glimpse of my journey in the past one month in the #GenerasiGIGIH beginner phase. I hope this article can help everyone who wants to start their career in tech or just curious why #GenerasiGIGIH by GOJEK is different from usual tech bootcamp.

#GenerasiGIGIH by GOJEK & YABB at a glance

#GenerasiGIGIH is a tech bootcamp program powered by GOJEK and Yayasan Anak Bangsa Bisa (YABB) , as we know, YABB is a non-profit organization founded by GOJEK, YABB is committed to help society build back better.

#GenerasiGIGIH aims to give free bootcamp to young talents who have strong interest in Data Analyst, Frontend Engineer, and Backend Engineer to improve their skills, prepare their career journey in tech, and connect people with the same interest. The most important thing, at the end of this program, selected participants will get an opportunity to as intern in Gojek.

#GenerasiGIGIH in collboration with several start up, such as Progate to improve coding skills, Cakap to improve participant english skill especially in Software Engineer english in daily basis, and XLFL Future Leader to prepare their career plan, job interview, CV writing, and other soft skills needed in professional environment.

#GenerasiGIGIH offers new bootcamp scheme than usual bootcamp. Since, other tech bootcamp only focus on improving coding skills, #GenerasiGIGIH complete participant’s competency by improving their english and soft skills also. Surprisingly, #GenerasiGIGIH also give us special webinars from professionals who’s work in Gojek wrapped in Webinar Ignite Series. Below are my highlights from Webinar Ignite Series.

Ignite Series #1 : Learn — Unlearn — Relearn

The first webinar was delivered by Aleisha Fiona (Ale), Leadership development specialist at Gojek Indonesia and Founder and CEO of Relearn Indonesia. This webinar has discussed about how we instill a growth mindset and how to get started with career and professional development.

As we know, that information technology is growing and changing so fast. Any professionals would be lost if they stop practicing, improving and adapting their skills in new technology. In order to adapt, we have to have an ability to unlearn and relearn. Unlearn and relearn is a process to survive with changes, generally as a human being.

— Unlearn

Unlearning is the process of discarding something from your memory. When you unlearn something you forgot it, put it aside, and you lose knowledge of it. When we unlearn something, we prepare a new empty space in our brain to be filled with something new (knowledge), it means that we move forward and grow. Like bruce lee said :

“ Empty your cup so that it may be filled; become devoid to gain totality”

Unlearning is incredibly difficult, but extremely powerful. I will give you an illustration how to practice it.

You can take a few minutes while drinking your favorite coffee in the saturday morning to observe people around you (competitor or colleague). Let your curiosity drain you brain with actual knowledge or your personal assumptions, from general to details. Until you find more opportunities to connect with and learn from people. And then, take a deep breath. Setting goals and make a clear direction to pursue your success.

— Relearn

Relearning the unknown means process of regaining a skill or ability that has been partially or entirely adopted to something new, by being curious. Relearn is about fostering culture, that allows people to acquire skills and knowledge.

We get to use the process of relearning to accepting any possibilities, understand how human works, keeping our minds open to any perceptions, and understand that there is no good or bad, only what matters.

The way to practice relearning process is to actively question and renew our perspectives. Asking the right question to the right person who has capability to answer. And the most important thing but not mandatory is find a mentor or guide. When you have the right mentor (someone who has expertise in your interest field), he will give you a direct feedback so that you keep on track and sometimes will accelerate your relearning process.

Ignite Series #2 : Sel Learning 101 for Tech Talent

The second webinar was delivered by Opan Mustopah (Opan), a system egineer at GoPay Indonesia. This webinar has discussed about how to self learning for tech talent effectively. Opan gave many tips and tricks based on his personal experience. According to Opan, these tips and tricks not only relevant for beginner tech talent, but also for experienced tech talent.

Here are some tips for effective self learning :

1. Set Goals
   There are a lot of choices learning path in technology, such as Data analyst, Data scientist, Frontend Engineer, Backend Engineer, Cloud Engineer , etc. Just pick one learning path that you interest the most. Sometimes, as a beginner we want to explore all the programming language. It is Ok. But, don’t take any longer to decide which learning path will you specialize. Once you decide it, browse and have a look what kind of programming language that you have to learn to become an expert.
2. Start Learning
   After you have a clear direction, just START LEARNING !. In this phase, you need to know what kind of learning strategy that will boost your study. Whether by reading or watching video. Nowadays, there are a lot of free sources that you can use to study about technology. Such as, youtube, medium, or on demand video.
3. Practice and Solve a problem
   Every you get new knowledge, don’t forget to practice it ! Just start your code. Find a real problem, you can re-create others project by your own hand. Solving a real problem is extremely the best way to boost your coding and logic skills.
4. Iterate step 2 & 3
   The most important thing that tech talent must have is ‘Commitment’. By iterate step 2 & 3 regularly, means you have a huge commitment to become stand out tech talent.
5. Get a freelance Job
   By freelancing, we can solve a problem in a professional way. Make your freelance job is like your real job in your dream company.

After you got your basic skills in tech, and you decide to pursue your career in tech. Here are some tips to become stand out tech talent :

1. Be an effective engineer
2. Adopt a growth mindset
3. Seek conducive work environment to learn
4. Opportunity to choose hight impact work
5. Invest in the rate of learning
6. Read ! Read ! Read !
7. Master your english
8. Master your googling skill
9. Contribute to open source
10. Find a mentor !

Become a stand out tech talent is a long journey, those tips and tricks may help you keep on track :) Cheers !

Ignite Series #3 : What to prepare to be a change maker

The last webinar was delivered by someone who I look up to, who brings a huge change in our daily basis, and makes our life simpler and easier. He is Kevin Aluwi (Kevin), Co-Founder and CEO Gojek. In this webinar, he shared about how he and Founder’s team of Gojek build Gojek from zero, challenges that he tackled, and his hope and message that inspire us, #GenerasiGIGIH participant.

At first, Kevin shared the reason why Gojek was initiated. According to Kevin, Ojek is a transportation service that lack of implementation of legal certainty, there is no price and safety regulation both for driver and customer. Whereas, a lot of people using ojek as a daily transportation, whether for school or work. Kevin and other founders realized that this problem have to solved, so that there is no price scam and reduce criminality. In 2010, Gojek officially operated and in 2015 Gojek Apps was launched.

One of the challenge that Kevin and the founders overcome is when there are no investors who want to invest their money to Gojek, They thought that Gojek had no potency in tech business. But, with all founders’ grit. Now, Gojek become a Unicorn Start up which operated in many countries.

Based on the webinar’s topic, Kevin said that to become a change maker just begin with small things, find the problem, solve, and value the solution. He gave us an illustration about t-shirt that he wore at that time. If we can make a comfy and eye catchy t-shirt that everyone can wear to study,work,or just hang out, basically we are a change maker.

Last but not least, Kevin said that a stand out tech talent is a main asset for Indonesia to survive in a fast paced technology industry. So, for everyone who has strong interest in tech, keep moving forward and be the real #GenerasiGIGIH.