How self-learned Mantas (25) got the job as a developer

Already at the age of 13, Mantas had picked up an interest in IT. The idea of using code to hone creativity was appealing. He started on "Automation systems" in high school, but unfortunately, the line had a minimal focus on coding. After high school, he went to Noroff to study "IT and Network security", where he was again disappointed by the lack of coding.

Digital learning services like StackOverflow and W3Schools came to the rescue. With the internet as his classroom, the only one setting limits for what he could learn was himself. He learned technologies such as JavaScript, React and Lua. What he learned, he used for his projects, like add-ons for video game servers.

This expertise he acquired on his own ignited the spark in the developer's soul. And it turned out to be precisely these self-taught skills that would open the door to the job market.

Practical Learning

Arve Andreassen, co-founder of the recruitment platform WA.works, goes through new users on the platform daily to help active job seekers get noticed.

When he came across Mantas's profile, he saw that this was a person with a lot of potential. Many of the skills Mantas had learned on his own were in high demand, and his willingness to learn on his own radiated independence and courage.

"Hobby projects and the ability to self-learn, help to show a genuine interest in a field where you are constantly expected to be up-to-date on new technology." -Arve Andreassen

«Finally!»

Within a brief time, an opportunity opened at WA.works. WasteIQ, which works to provide cities with better waste infrastructure, was looking for a front-end developer, and the expertise of Mantas was right up there. After some testing, it became obvious that this was a good match, and Mantas got the job.

"What has it been like to come to work at WasteIQ? I can describe it in one word: Finally!" - Mantas

At the time of writing, Mantas works with front-end tasks for WasteIQ and finds it incredibly rewarding to be able to have a full-time position in a field that was previously only practiced as a hobby. Even without a relevant degree or work experience, his commitment and willingness to learn have helped him take on the tasks head-on.

"One thing that's nice now is that all the energy I've spent on programming in my spare time turned out to be valuable and not completely wasted" - Mantas

Developers in demand

Mantas is probably not the only one who will notice a great demand for developers in the coming years. As Teknisk Ukeblad writes, it is assumed that as much as 1 in 4 IT jobs will be unstaffed in 2030, which underlines the need to get competent developers into the job market. Fortunately for all those interested in IT, coding is a field that is both dynamic and open to a large degree of self-learning.

We at WA.works work daily to get committed developers into their dream job, and we have created a recruitment platform that is specially adapted to the Norwegian IT job market. Both small startup companies and Norway's largest companies find themselves here every day in search of coding talent.