From Warehouse to Code: My Unconventional Journey into Tech (Part 1)

If you're reading this and thinking about making a career change into tech, but you're worried you don't have the "traditional" background, this story is for you. My path to becoming a software developer didn't start in a computer science classroom or with coding bootcamps right out of high school. It started in a warehouse at a mining operation, surrounded by steel and dust, not keyboards and monitors.

The Early Spark: My First Computer at 12

Like many tech enthusiasts, my fascination with computers began early. When I got my first PC around 12 or 13 years old, I was immediately captivated. While other kids were playing games, I found myself curious about how websites worked. I started teaching myself HTML, spending hours figuring out how to make text bold, create tables, and change colors.

But life, as it often does, had different plans.

The Detour: Five Years in the Mines

After high school, instead of heading straight to university like most of my classmates, I found myself taking a different route. I needed to work, and an opportunity presented itself at a local mine. For the next five years, I became a warehouse operative – a job that was about as far from programming as you could imagine.

The Daily Grind

Every day, I was responsible for:

Receiving materials: Checking deliveries, verifying quantities, ensuring quality standards
Stock management: Organizing inventory, maintaining accurate records
Issuing stock to artisans: Supporting the technical teams with the materials they needed
Physical labor: Moving heavy equipment, loading trucks, maintaining warehouse organization

It was demanding, physical work in a challenging environment. The mine never slept, and neither did we. Dust, noise, and the constant pressure to keep operations running smoothly were part of daily life.

The Silver Lining: Learning SAP

Here's where my story takes an interesting turn. While the physical aspects of the job were tough, there was one part I genuinely enjoyed – working with SAP.

Every transaction I processed, every piece of inventory I managed, every stock movement I recorded had to be captured in SAP. What started as a necessary part of the job became my favorite part. I found myself fascinated by:

How the system connected different departments
The logic behind inventory management processes
The way data flowed through the organization
How small input errors could have massive downstream effects

I wasn't just moving boxes; I was learning systems thinking. I was understanding how complex software could manage real-world operations. Without realizing it, I was developing skills that would later prove invaluable in software development:

Attention to detail: One wrong entry could delay production
Process understanding: Learning how businesses actually operate
Problem-solving: Troubleshooting when systems didn't behave as expected
User experience thinking: Seeing firsthand how software design affects daily workflows

The Dream Never Died

Throughout those five years in the warehouse, even as I became good at my job and earned respect from colleagues, I never forgot about that 12-year-old kid who was fascinated by HTML. During breaks, I'd sometimes think about websites I wanted to build. On weekends, I'd occasionally try to remember what I'd learned about coding years earlier.

The tech world was evolving rapidly during those years. Social media was exploding, smartphones were becoming ubiquitous, and software was eating the world. I could see it happening, and deep down, I knew I wanted to be part of it.

The Internal Struggle

But doubt crept in. Common thoughts that haunted me:

"I'm getting older – maybe it's too late to change careers"
"I don't have a computer science degree"
"Everyone else started younger than me"
"I've been out of the learning environment for too long"
"Maybe I should just stay where I'm comfortable"

Sound familiar? If you're considering a career change into tech, you've probably had similar thoughts. Let me tell you something I wish someone had told me earlier: these doubts are normal, but they don't define your potential.

The Turning Point: Making the Leap

After five years, I had accumulated some savings and reached a crossroads. I could continue on the safe path – I was good at my job, had steady income, and could probably work my way up in the mining industry.

Or I could take a leap of faith.

I chose the leap.

Quitting my job to go back to school wasn't an easy decision. It meant:

Financial uncertainty: Going from a steady paycheck to student expenses
Starting over: Being older than 85% of my classmates
Uncertainty: No guarantee that I'd succeed in tech
Family concerns: Explaining to worried relatives why I was leaving a "good job"

But I also knew something important: regret is worse than failure. I didn't want to look back in 10 years wondering "what if."

The Unexpected Advantages of My Background

Here's something interesting I discovered: my warehouse experience wasn't a disadvantage – it was actually a superpower. While my classmates were learning abstract concepts, I had real-world experience in:

Business Understanding

I understood how companies actually operate. I knew the pain points of inventory management, the importance of data accuracy, and how different departments depend on each other.

Work Ethic

Five years of physical labor had taught me discipline, persistence, and the ability to tackle difficult problems systematically.

Real User Perspective

I had been on the receiving end of both good and terrible software design. I knew what it felt like when systems worked well and when they frustrated users.

Problem-Solving Under Pressure

The mine environment taught me to think quickly and solve problems with real consequences. This translated perfectly to debugging code and meeting project deadlines.

Appreciation for Good Tools

Having worked with enterprise software like SAP, I understood the difference between well-designed and poorly-designed systems.

Age is Just a Number

Yes, I was older than most of my classmates. Yes, it felt weird at first being surrounded by 18-year-olds when I was in my mid-twenties. But you know what? Age brought advantages:

Focus: I knew exactly why I was there and what I wanted to achieve
Life experience: I could relate programming concepts to real-world scenarios
Determination: I had already proven to myself that I could master complex systems (like SAP)
Maturity: I approached challenges methodically rather than getting frustrated
Perspective: I understood the value of the opportunity I was creating for myself

A Message for Career Changers

If you're reading this and considering a similar transition, here's what I want you to know:

Your background is an asset, not a liability. Whether you're coming from retail, healthcare, manufacturing, education, or any other field, you have unique perspectives and skills that traditional computer science graduates don't have.

It's never too late to start. I started my formal tech education in my mid-twenties. I know people who made the switch in their thirties, forties, and beyond.

Your "wasted" years weren't wasted. Every job teaches you something valuable about how the world works. That knowledge will make you a better developer.

What's Coming Next

This is just the first part of my story. In Part 2, I'll share:

What it was like being the "old guy" in programming classes
The specific challenges I faced and how I overcame them
How my mining background actually helped me excel in certain areas
The moment I knew I had made the right decision
Practical advice for anyone considering a similar transition

The journey from warehouse operative to software developer wasn't easy, but it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. If you're on the fence about making a career change into tech, I hope my story encourages you to take that first step.

Remember: every expert was once a beginner, and every successful career change started with someone believing in themselves enough to try.

Coming up in Part 2: "The Classroom Chronicles: Thriving as a Non-Traditional Student in Tech"

Are you considering a career change into tech? I'd love to hear your story. What's holding you back, and what's driving you forward? Share your thoughts – your journey might inspire someone else to take the leap.