From Pizzas to Programming: An Immigrant‘s Inspiring Journey to Software Engineering

For Burak Kocak, the American Dream once felt impossibly out of reach. A Turkish immigrant who moved to the United States with his young family, Burak spent years working odd jobs to make ends meet. He delivered pizzas, waited tables, dropped off newspapers – whatever it took to provide for his wife and children.

But through a combination of hard work, determination, and seizing the right opportunity, Burak was able to rewrite his family‘s future. In 2019, he graduated from Programming School‘s online software engineering program, quickly landing a full-time job as an applications engineer. His story is a powerful reminder of the role education and technology can play in creating pathways to prosperity.

Challenges of Immigration

Burak‘s journey, like that of many immigrants, began with both hope and hardship. While excited to build a new life in America, he knew the transition would be difficult. "Coming from a country with a different language, environment, food, religion – those were some of the obstacles we faced," Burak recalls.

These challenges are not uncommon. According to the Pew Research Center, 44% of immigrants in the U.S. report that learning English has been a challenge, while 40% cite difficulties finding work and 23% struggled to access government services. Many skilled immigrants end up underemployed, working low-wage jobs due to language barriers and lack of U.S. professional experience.

After completing ESL classes, Burak faced this same struggle. Despite having a college degree from Turkey, his credentials didn‘t easily transfer, and he took any job he could to support his growing family. He delivered pizzas, dropped off newspapers at 3 AM, waited tables and worked as a courier. At times he worked upwards of 60 hours per week.

"I tried going back to school a couple times," Burak explains. "But with two young kids at home and the need to work, I ended up having to drop out. It was really discouraging."

A New Path Forward

The turning point came when Burak‘s wife suggested he look into coding as a potential career path. The tech industry appealed to Burak‘s logical, problem-solving nature, and the creative aspects of building software captured his imagination. Most of all, he was encouraged by the significant job opportunities available.

Employment in computer and IT occupations is projected to grow 13% from 2020 to 2030, adding over 600,000 new jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Software developer roles in particular are expected to see a 22% increase. In 2020, the median pay for software developers was $110,140 per year, over twice the median annual wage for all occupations.

Burak knew he would need training to break into the field, so he began researching coding bootcamps and educational programs. With his busy family life, he needed something flexible that would allow him to learn on his own schedule. He found the perfect fit in Programming School‘s online software engineering program.

The Power of Flexible Education

Flatiron‘s online courses are designed to make career transitions more accessible for students like Burak. Lectures are available to stream any time, and projects can be completed on your own schedule. At the same time, students have access to dedicated instructors, educational coaches, and a collaborative community for support.

"We understand that many of our students are juggling jobs or family obligations while working toward a career change," says Flatiron instructor Lisa Smith. "Our online programs are built to be flexible while still providing a robust education. Students get hands-on experience, build professional portfolios, and gain the skills they need to land a job upon graduation."

For Burak, this model was a perfect fit. He was able to study whenever his schedule allowed – early mornings, lunch breaks, nights after the kids went to bed. On average he was putting in 6-8 hours per day on coursework. It was an intense period, but one made possible by the support of his wife.

"She really encouraged me and picked up the slack at home," Burak says. "Having her support made all the difference."

Building Job-Ready Skills

From the beginning, Flatiron‘s program emphasized project-based learning and developing job-ready skills. Students dive into pair programming, get comfortable with the latest tech stacks, and learn Agile software development practices.

Some of the key topics covered in the curriculum include:

• Object-oriented programming in Ruby
• Web frameworks like Rails and Sinatra
• JavaScript, React, and front-end web development
• SQL, ORMs, and ActiveRecord
• Algorithms, data structures, and CS fundamentals
• HTML & CSS
• Git, GitHub, and collaborative development

Burak relished the opportunity to apply his learning through hands-on labs and projects. For his final capstone project, he built "PetFinder" – a web app that allows users to search for adoptable pets in their area, view details and photos, save favorites, and contact shelters.

"That project brought together everything I had learned about back-end engineering, working with APIs, and creating user-friendly front-end interfaces," Burak explains. "It was challenging, but so rewarding to build something functional from the ground up. It was the moment I really started to feel like a software engineer."

The Job Search

As graduation approached, Burak knew he would need to leverage every resource to launch his new career. He worked closely with Flatiron‘s career coaches to polish his resume, sharpen his interviewing skills, and build his professional network.

"I reached out to everyone I knew who worked in tech or at a tech-adjacent company," Burak says. "I let them know I was looking, asked if they had any leads or advice. I also closely monitored my LinkedIn feed for any relevant job postings or networking events."

One of those contacts would ultimately connect Burak with his future employer. After some back and forth on LinkedIn, Burak‘s acquaintance passed along his info to a recruiter at the company where he worked. They reached out for an intro call within a day, and Burak began the interview process.

"I was really nervous, but I felt well-prepared from all the practice and coaching at Flatiron," Burak notes. "I was able to talk in-depth about the projects I had built, explain my code, and demonstrate my problem-solving process. I truly believe that‘s what made me stand out, even against candidates with more traditional backgrounds."

After three rounds of interviews, Burak got the thrilling news that he had landed the job. He would be starting as an associate software engineer at a local fintech company.

"I couldn‘t stop smiling after I got the call," Burak recalls. "I ran to tell my wife and we both just started jumping up and down. All the late nights and hard work had paid off."

An Exciting Future

Burak has been thriving in his software engineering role, continuing to grow his skills and take on new challenges. He‘s gone from building small features to owning entire services, and was promoted to a mid-level engineer within his first 18 months.

"Every day I‘m learning something new and contributing to projects that improve people‘s financial lives," Burak says. "I‘m so grateful for the opportunity to do meaningful work, earn a good salary, and provide stability for my family. Pursuing this career truly changed my life."

Burak is also passionate about giving back and supporting other aspiring engineers from non-traditional backgrounds. He mentors Flatiron students, volunteers with local STEM education initiatives, and hopes that his story can inspire others to chase their dreams.

"The tech industry needs more voices and perspectives like Burak‘s," says Flatiron‘s head of career services Gretchen Smith. "His resilience, work ethic, and refreshing viewpoint are such assets to his teams and the industry as a whole. We‘re incredibly proud of all he‘s accomplished and know he has an exciting future ahead."

For Burak, his coding journey has reinforced some core lessons and values:

1. Perseverance is everything. There will be obstacles and moments of doubt, but keep putting one foot in front of the other.

2. Bet on yourself. Investing in your education and skills is always worth it.

3. Never be afraid to ask for help. Leverage your resources, build a support system, and lean on your network.

4. Your past does not define you. No matter your age or background, it‘s never too late to start a new chapter.

5. Believe in the power of your dreams. Even when the path is unclear, hold onto your vision for the future.

Looking ahead, Burak is excited to continue advancing in his career as an engineer and one day hopes to move into a technology leadership role where he can help drive innovation. But no matter what the future holds, he‘s proud of how far he‘s come and grateful for the opportunity to provide a better life for his family.

"If you have a goal or a dream, don‘t listen to anyone who tells you it‘s not possible," Burak says. "I‘m living proof that a delivery driver and immigrant with no tech experience can become a successful software engineer. If I can do it, you can too."