From Roughneck to Coder: How Twin Brothers Transformed Their Careers through Programming School

The oil and gas industry has long been a major employer, offering lucrative jobs for those willing to put in long hours in rough conditions. But what happens when that industry falters? For twin brothers Colin and Micah Mosley, the answer was to completely transform their careers by breaking into tech.

Colin and Micah‘s story is one of resilience, adaptability, and the power of programs that champion diversity in tech. Their journey took them from grueling 12-hour shifts on oil rigs to building innovative software at Citi, thanks to a coding bootcamp and a fellowship aimed at supporting Black tech talent.

As we celebrate the third anniversary of the John Stanley Ford Fellowship in 2024, these Programming School graduates share valuable insights for others considering a transition into tech. Their experiences showcase why employers are increasingly turning to nontraditional talent pipelines to build skilled, diverse teams in a competitive market.

Navigating Layoffs and Career Uncertainty

Colin and Micah, both University of Texas at Austin graduates, began their careers as field engineers in the oil and gas industry. It was demanding work, with long hitches in remote locations and an exhausting schedule of 14 days on, 7 days off.

"The work-life balance was really tough," Micah recalls. "We were constantly sleep-deprived and physically drained. The culture and isolation also started to take a mental toll."

When the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a historic oil crash in 2020, the brothers were among the tens of thousands of oil and gas workers laid off. The U.S. oilfield services sector shed over 102,000 jobs between March and August 2020, according to BW Research Partnership. Faced with a bleak job market in their industry, Colin and Micah decided it was time for a change.

"We had been feeling stuck and knew we wanted to make a transition, but didn‘t know exactly what we wanted to do," Colin shares. "Getting laid off was scary, but it was also the push we needed to invest in a new direction."

With their background in electrical and computer engineering and some prior coding experience, a career in software engineering started to look like an exciting option. The tech industry boasted more stability, growth, and opportunity for impact than the volatile oil and gas market.

Finding a Fast Track to Tech Skills

Once set on a new career path, Colin and Micah had to decide how to gain the necessary skills to land a job as a software engineer. Options included returning to college for a computer science degree, teaching themselves through online resources, or enrolling in a coding bootcamp.

"We were really drawn to the bootcamp model because it offered a fast track to becoming job-ready," Colin explains. "We didn‘t want to spend years back in school and liked the practical, project-based curriculum."

After thorough research, the brothers decided on Programming School‘s immersive software engineering program. Key factors in their decision included:

• Comprehensive curriculum covering in-demand languages and frameworks like JavaScript, React, and Ruby on Rails
• Emphasis on pair programming, collaboration, and building a strong portfolio
• Proven track record of graduate job placements
• Commitment to diversity through scholarship programs and partnerships

"Programming School stood out for its focus on career coaching and employer connections in addition to technical training," Micah notes. "We felt confident that if we put in the work, they would help us translate our skills into job offers."

Indeed, coding bootcamps have gained recognition as an effective pipeline for tech talent in recent years. Course Report‘s 2023 Coding Bootcamp Market Size Study found that the number of bootcamp graduates has grown 11x since 2013, with 25,000 students graduating in 2023 alone. Notably, 46% of bootcampers found their first job within two months of graduating.

The John Stanley Ford Fellowship: Championing Black Tech Talent

What ultimately sealed the deal for Colin and Micah was learning about Programming School‘s John Stanley Ford Fellowship. Named in honor of the first Black software engineer in America, this program provides additional support for Black tech professionals through:

• Dedicated mentorship from Black leaders in tech
• Exclusive networking events and speaker series
• Apprenticeship opportunities with top employers
• Additional career coaching and job search support

"The John Stanley Ford Fellowship showed Programming School‘s genuine commitment to diversity and giving Black students like us the tools to succeed in tech," Colin shares.

This kind of targeted support is critical given the underrepresentation of Black professionals in the tech industry. Despite making up 13.4% of the U.S. population, only 5% of tech workers identified as Black in 2022, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Companies are waking up to the fact that diversity drives innovation and better business outcomes. McKinsey‘s Diversity Wins report found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on executive teams outperformed those in the bottom quartile by 36% in profitability. By 2024, Gartner predicts that 75% of organizations with frontline decision-making teams reflecting diversity and an inclusive culture will exceed their financial targets.

"There‘s a huge opportunity for employers to tap into nontraditional talent pipelines like bootcamps to find skilled Black tech talent," Micah emphasizes. "The John Stanley Ford Fellowship is a model for how to create access and provide the culturally relevant support that enables Black coders like us to thrive."

From Bootcamp to Citi: Launching New Careers

Colin and Micah embarked on Programming School‘s 15-week immersive software engineering program in late 2020. The full-time remote course was rigorous, demanding at least 60 hours per week of instruction, labs, and projects.

"It was definitely challenging, but we were used to putting in long hours in the oilfield," Colin notes. "We treated the bootcamp like a full-time job and dedicated ourselves fully to learning as much as possible."

In addition to core programming concepts, the brothers honed their problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills through pair programming and group projects. They also built up an impressive portfolio of work to showcase to potential employers.

"One of our favorite projects was building a recipe-sharing app using React and a Rails API backend," Micah shares. "It was rewarding to apply everything we had learned to create something functional and user-friendly from scratch."

Alongside the technical curriculum, Colin and Micah took full advantage of the career services and mentorship offered through the John Stanley Ford Fellowship. They attended virtual networking events with Black tech leaders, got feedback on their resumes and online profiles, and practiced mock interviews.

"The interview prep was game-changing," Colin reflects. "We learned how to talk about our transferable skills from the oil and gas industry, like working in high-pressure environments, collaborating with global teams, and analytical thinking."

Employers are increasingly recognizing the value of these transferable skills that bootcamp graduates and career changers bring. LinkedIn‘s 2023 Global Talent Trends report found that 82% of hiring managers believe bootcamp grads are just as prepared and likely to be high performers as candidates with computer science degrees.

The Mosley brothers‘ hard work and preparation paid off when they both landed apprenticeship offers from Citi, a multinational investment bank and financial services company, before graduating from Programming School.

"Programming School has a strong employer partnership with Citi, so we were able to get on their radar early," Micah explains. "The apprenticeship was a fantastic opportunity to get our foot in the door and prove ourselves."

After completing their 6-month apprenticeships, Colin and Micah both converted to full-time software engineering roles at Citi in 2021. They work on an agile team building web applications for the global bank‘s institutional clients platform.

"Citi has a great culture for learning and growth," Colin shares. "We have supportive mentors, opportunities to rotate onto different projects, and access to cutting-edge technologies. It‘s rewarding to apply our coding skills to solve real business challenges at scale."

Advice for Aspiring Career Changers

Now three years into their tech careers, Colin and Micah have sage advice for others considering a similar transition, especially those from non-traditional backgrounds:

1. Invest in yourself and your education. Recognize that gaining new skills takes time, effort, and resources. Be realistic about your timeline and budget. Coding bootcamps can be a great option if you thrive in a structured, fast-paced environment and are willing to put in the work.

2. Build a solid foundation in programming fundamentals. Don‘t just memorize syntax, but really understand the underlying concepts. "We spent a lot of time practicing algorithms and data structures outside of class, which gave us a strong foundation to build on," Micah shares.

3. Seek out communities and mentors that understand your unique experience. Having a support system of people who can relate to your background and challenges is invaluable. Look for programs like the John Stanley Ford Fellowship that provide culturally relevant mentorship and networking opportunities.

4. Leverage your transferable skills and unique perspective. Your non-traditional background is an asset, not a liability. "Our experience working in tough conditions in the oilfield made us resilient problem-solvers," Colin notes. Identify the skills and lessons from your past roles that will make you stand out as a software engineer.

5. Adopt a growth mindset and embrace continuous learning. The tech industry evolves rapidly, so it‘s essential to stay curious and keep expanding your skillset. "We‘re always learning new languages and frameworks to keep up with the needs of the business," Micah shares. Take advantage of online resources, attend conferences and meetups, and never stop building.

The Future is Bright for Diverse Tech Talent

Colin and Micah‘s incredible journey from oil rig to Citi is a testament to the transformative power of accessible tech education and employer diversity initiatives. Their story offers a roadmap for career changers and inspiration for employers looking to build more diverse, skilled tech teams.

As the demand for software engineers continues to outpace supply, we can expect to see even more creative partnerships between bootcamps, companies, and DEI organizations to develop diverse talent pipelines. The 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey found that 33% of professional developers have less than a bachelor‘s degree in computer science or a related field, indicating the rise of alternative pathways into tech.

"Our experience shows that with the right training, support system, and opportunity, individuals from any background can launch successful careers in tech," Colin reflects. "It‘s on all of us – educators, employers, policymakers – to make that path accessible to underrepresented groups and create a more diverse, vibrant industry."

For readers inspired by the Mosley brothers‘ story and considering a career change into tech, Colin and Micah recommend taking these concrete next steps:

1. Try out free coding resources like Codecademy, freeCodeCamp, or Programming School‘s Bootcamp Prep to get a taste for programming and see if it clicks for you.

2. Research the different education pathways and formats to find one that fits your learning style, timeline, and budget. Course Report and SwitchUp offer bootcamp rankings and alumni reviews.

3. Join a local meetup group or online community to start building your network and learning from others in the field. Groups like Techqueria, Black Tech Pipeline, and Code2040 offer specific resources and events for underrepresented folks in tech.

4. Define your career vision and craft a compelling story that showcases your transferable skills. Start building a portfolio of projects to demonstrate your technical capabilities.

5. Apply to scholarships, apprenticeships, and diversity programs aligned with your background and goals, like the John Stanley Ford Fellowship. Don‘t self-select out of opportunities – you have unique value to add!

The tech industry needs more diverse voices like Colin and Micah to drive innovation, better serve customers, and create a more equitable future. Their transformation from oilfield engineers to software engineers at Citi is proof that anyone can break into tech with the right combination of grit, growth mindset, and support.

By sharing their story, they hope to inspire other underrepresented career changers to take the leap, bet on themselves, and transform their lives through code. The future is bright for this next generation of diverse tech talent, and we can‘t wait to see the incredible products and companies they will build.