Aveen Pattni

What were you doing before BrainStation?

I was always interested in programming. I previously took some courses at university and I’ve been involved in a competitive Robotics program since grade nine, so the passion was always there. Coming out of university, I was working as an Analyst at StrataPrime which is an IT consulting company, and there I worked on a project where I actually had to program. Actually experiencing that in the real world triggered the interest and the desire to make that switch.

Why did you choose to study at BrainStation?

I was at a point where I knew where I wanted to go and I knew I wanted to go there as quickly as possible but, I had to figure out how to get there. I reached out to a friend of mine seeking advice as he was experienced in the world of software development. He told me about BrainStation and about their 12-week Web Development Diploma program.

After hours of research and doing the appropriate due diligence, I decided that it was right for me. BrainStation offers a quality education designed for industry standards; however, what was more important to me was the other services they have, including access to a professional network, workshops to prepare students for recruitment, mock interviews, and self-run hackathons. Education can be found everywhere, but the extras are what made me choose BrainStation.

You get access to a group of people who have a similar passion as you, they’re all working towards the same thing, and you have a strong support system in that. That was truly one of the most memorable things.

What was the highlight of your experience?

The highlight of my experience has to be the full-day hackathon we did, which included producing and presenting a solution to a challenge while working collaboratively with students from the UX and Data programs. I enjoyed [...] the collaborative nature and simulation of working on a real-world project in a pressure environment. I also enjoyed the friendly competition among peers, of course.

[There are] definitely a lot of fond memories. You get access to a group of people who have a similar passion as you, they’re all working towards the same thing, and you have a strong support system in that. That was truly one of the most memorable things.

You get access to people in the industry, new [...] opportunities, and build this network, not only through Demo Day, but through tech tours, lectures, visiting actual workplaces, mock interviews. That truly stuck out to me and is something I'll remember forever now.

How has BrainStation impacted your career?

My experience at BrainStation really impacted my career as it put me in a position to get the job I have today. It was at BrainStation's Demo Day, where students are able to demonstrate their capstone projects to hiring partners, that I made my initial contact with my current employer. The access to BrainStation's professional network put me in the position I am in today, which really solidified my decision to enroll in the Web Development program.