From Learning to Working — Awwal Adio’s Journey into Tech
In January 2024, Awwal began working as a backend software engineer. But very few people know how difficult it was for him to have done so. Awwal became one of the few people in his cohort to transition from the Semicolon Techpreneurship program to working with Semicolon as a software engineer.
While the Techpreneurship program had been difficult for Awwal, the next stage — working as a software engineer — was more challenging than learning. He explains that “the work we do at Semicolon Labs is more advanced.” This meant that he had to prove himself quickly, learn on the job, and measure up to others.
He experienced a strong sense of imposter syndrome, as everyone appeared to be years ahead of him. They had experience working on real projects for clients. This had been a similar feeling for him while he was learning in the Techpreneurship program. Before joining the program, Awwal had been a tailor and had a fashion business. He had zero prior experience in the field and struggled to learn.
According to his facilitators, “Awwal was very consistent and knew what he was doing and where he was going. He is very enthusiastic when it comes to learning.” That was his secret to getting better. All he had to do was apply that same drive and determination that saw him through the Techpreneurship program.
The entire process of working as a backend engineer was new to him. But there he was, in the real world, working on real projects. Beginning with sequence diagrams and their flow, he faced challenges. Understanding the notations and how they worked was a struggle.
This battle began with his very first project — working on an e-commerce platform for auto repairs and parts. Everything felt cloudy to him at first. It was not until his team lead gave a clearer explanation that he finally understood what he had to do.
One thing Awwal has observed in his journey into software engineering is that “you have to always learn new things every day and have a thorough knowledge of what you want to do or build.” People saw him as “very quiet, calm, and soft-spoken,” but he truly is a persistent individual with the belief in finishing whatever he starts.
Awwal would not have believed it if someone had told him a year ago that he would see life from a different perspective simply by deciding to learn a tech skill. Making sacrifices is a step toward growth, and Awwal, being aware of that, decided to halt his fashion business to become a better version of himself. Today, Awwal is an inspiration to anyone who dreams of being in tech.