Maria Patokina

Maria Patokina is currently a full-time Developer at Neuberger Berman, having graduated from Per Scholas New York's Software Engineering program in 2021.

Prior to Per Scholas, Maria had a career in market research. In her position, she had experience working with the programming department and found it very interesting, but she didn't know how to get her foot in the door to switch to the tech industry. She was also concerned that the training required to start a career in tech would be too expensive and time-consuming.

Once the pandemic hit and Maria lost her job, she started researching tech training opportunities and was referred to Per Scholas. She thought the program seemed like a good fit, and soon enrolled in Per Scholas New York's Software Engineering course.

Maria was eager to begin her training, something she hadn't previously thought possible because she couldn't invest the time and money. With Per Scholas' tuition-free training, she took a step towards a career in programming and software engineering.

The training was challenging, but thanks to office hours and guidance from her instructors, Maria succeeded. "I believe Per Scholas gives a lot of opportunities. People want to graduate, and are able to with the resources the program offers," she mentioned.

Per Scholas also provided career development training by instructing learners on a variety of skills, including interviewing tips, ways to search for and apply for jobs, how to create compelling resumes and tailor them to individual job offerings, and virtual mock interviews, an aspect Maria claimed helped her in acquiring her first position after graduation.

"I learned a lot in a short time at Per Scholas, gaining practical, hands-on experience. Per Scholas gave me a lot of confidence, and I think that this new career in Software Engineering is going to be much more rewarding than what I was doing before," she adds.

After successfully graduating from the course, Maria felt it was important to continue learning and earning certifications, so she enrolled in Per Scholas's Google IT Automation with Python Alumni Training course. After completing the course, Maria realized that the new certification made her a standout candidate in her job search.

She quickly landed her first tech job as a paid Software Engineering intern at Neuberger Berman and was soon promoted to a Developer. She is happy in her role and credits Per Scholas for giving her the opportunity to develop the skills to launch a career in the field she loves.