Scuba Diving to Coding: The Journey of Hard vs. Soft Skills

Dive into the Journey of Hard and Soft Skills Development from Diving to Python. Discover the Transformative Power of Learning to Code.

I have been teaching for the last seven years. My journey commenced on a Thai beach when I was 20, all by myself. The purpose of my presence was to undergo the Instructor Development Course for Scuba Diving, with the aspiration of becoming a Scuba Instructor and living the dream.

Oh, how I did just that! I ended up spending the next two years on a remote island in the Gulf of Thailand, known to us as "The Rock" or Koh Tao. Looking back, I never would have thought I’d be where I am now.

After diving every day for nearly two years while working at one of the largest dive schools in the world to instruct individuals ranging from Open Water divers to Divemasters in this remote paradise, I transitioned to the next phase of my teaching journey.

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Following the packing of my bags to embark on some well deserved Southeast Asian travel, a region I had called home for almost three years by this point, I ended in Vietnam. After a six month hiatus to backpack, this marked the next phase of my teaching venture.

Over the next two years, I taught High School English and IELTS. My classes varied from private one-on-one sessions to lectures accommodating over 60 students. It was during this period that I refined the soft skills I had acquired in Thailand, and previously Indonesia, devising my own methodology.

Fast forward to Covid-19. Vietnam enforced stricter lockdown measures compared to most countries worldwide. Venturing outside for essentials required a permit, and everything transitioned to an online format. This endured for quite some time, intermittently. This was also an extremely difficult period of time for me.

It was during this period that I found programming. I dedicated every waking hour to learning how to code. Months flew by, and I yearned for more. Consequently, I enrolled in a four-month, all-intensive coding bootcamp.

Here, I acquired skills across various levels, and as restrictions gradually eased, I began seeking opportunities outside the teaching world in the Southern region.

Lo and behold, I secured a job! Teaching… Yes, but this time, I was offered a position to teach Python full-time at a big school. From imparting basic to advanced programming concepts and frameworks, this role allows me not only to advance in teaching but also to master fundamental programming concepts and logic.

Ultimately that role has led me into where I am now, the creation of my business, this newsletter. Not only this but so much more! I’ve begun launching my own Courses as well as expanding to YouTube to reach more students.

In this article, I aim to discuss not only the hard skills but, more importantly, the soft skills essential for success in learning how to code and in programming overall. These are skills I not only impart but have witnessed my students acquire, enhancing both their technical abilities and everyday lives.