The psychologist who became an IT professional. The story of Bogdan Pașca, graduate of the JAVA course

Not long ago, I didn't think a psychologist could get a job in IT, or that an actor who learned JAVA could become a JAVA developer.

Without the traditional university degree! I competed for the job against people with hands-on experience on various IT projects, and I made it. What I was taught here, at the Informal School of IT, the mock job interviews, and the advice I received, prepared me. The story of the actor graduate inspired me, the mentor challenged me.

Thank you. For believing in me and for helping me push past my own limits

The story of Bogdan Pasca, JAVA Development graduate

He's wearing a simple t-shirt and hiking pants, as if he's getting ready to climb. In fact, that's exactly what he's doing. He's taken on a huge mountain, this young 32-year-old psychologist who worked in his field for 10 years, in various practices and several schools, providing therapy and counseling for children and sometimes adults.

Today, Bogdan Pașca is a Software Engineer at one of the big IT companies.

~ Interview written by Simona Gouraud and Paula Mitran ~

— Wasn't it hard for you to give up psychology?

— No, not at all. I gave up the psychologist profession, but psychology stayed a hobby.

Bogdan went to a math-informatics high school and then chose psychology, specifically clinical psychology, but he always kept a soft spot for computer science. His parents would have wanted him to go to the Police Academy or a computer science program. He laughs as he recalls that he actually took the admission exam for the Romanian Intelligence Service, but failed the… psych test.

Then he followed the path he'd set for himself, studying psychology while, in parallel, taking many online courses and reading books on web design and programming. Both psychology and computer science are Bogdan's passions, but at some point, his interest in IT overtook psychology. That's when the idea of a career change came up.

He insists he was a skeptic when it came to non-traditional IT schools. He looked at the offerings of several schools and enrolled at the Informal School of IT, drawn in, albeit with some reservations, by the good reviews he'd read.

— How was your job interview in IT?

— I actually had several interviews. For the first ones I went in determined, thinking I had to get that job no matter what conditions were offered. But nothing came of it. For the next interviews, I went in with a relaxed, even neutral attitude, remembering my mentor's advice never to undervalue ourselves. I kept preparing and regained my confidence in my own abilities.

And here's the result.

—  Let's rewind: you started your training with Intro in IT.

— Yes, I wanted to go through all the material, from the basics of programming through to a full training course, even if at the start I was repeating things I already knew.

It's just as he says. A tenacious, ambitious young man, who set himself the goal of getting a job in IT within a year of finishing the courses.

He enrolled at the Informal School of IT in 2017, took the Intro in IT program and the hands-on Java Development programming course, graduated in May, and got an IT job in September — even sooner than he'd planned.

—  Why did you choose the Informal School of IT? Why didn't you just learn JAVA online? 

Bogdan says he saved a lot of time by choosing to come to the Informal School of IT and learn from an experienced mentor. The information came very well structured, and he studied a lot at home, in the evenings, until late at night and on his days off, prepared every assignment, and constantly asked the mentor for feedback. 

Filip Fiat, a programmer with extensive experience in IT companies, „explains things very well, makes sure everyone has understood the material, has a sense of humor, and challenges you to keep going”.

Also read: The mentor's role in an online Java programming course. Talking with Filip Fiat

— What would you have liked to learn in traditional school, but never had the chance to?

— Public speaking. I wish there were an education system where developing emotional intelligence came before intellectual development. School prepares you for everything else, but doesn't prepare you for what actually matters — for LIFE.

He then explains what he means: that we aren't taught how to learn, how to adapt to change, we're not aware of our strengths because we were never taught how to be, and our emotional intelligence isn't developed enough to successfully cope with the society we live in.

— What do you think was the most important thing you learned at the Informal School of IT?

We learned how to think in algorithms, Bogdan answers, without needing much time to reflect. We developed a working style — knowing where to look for information, how to break a problem down into smaller steps to reach a solution. No panic.

We learned how to approach any problem, no matter how impenetrable it seems at first glance.

On the biggest fears and how to overcome them

— What was your biggest fear?

— That when I got a job in IT, I'd be labeled an "outsider". You think it'll take a while before you manage to indirectly prove to others that you're at least as good as they are. But you know what I noticed? If an IT professional trained in college gives 100%, you end up giving 150%, maybe even 200%.

Someone who, after many years of practice, has completely changed their professional field and chosen IT, might well be more motivated than a fresh graduate.

—   What's this start of a career in IT like for you?

— It tastes like a Kinder Surprise, especially from the emotional angle of being curious to discover something new. It's like walking into a new house and, out of curiosity, going into room after room, discovering each one. It's a very pleasant feeling.

— Where do you see yourself in 2025?

—Definitely still in IT. A senior programmer with a lot of experience, and maybe a mentor for people who'll be in the position I'm in now.

„When you own the fact (as close to 100% as possible) that the power to change what's outside lies within you, then you also get the help you need. The gates you need opened, open. Have the courage to be who you want to be!” concludes Bogdan Pașca, Informal School of IT graduate, psychologist turned Software Engineer, with a message for readers.

Also read: The story of Marius, who managed to switch from agriculture to IT

What opportunities does the online Java Complete course offer

Java Complete is the most complete programming course on the market, designed specifically for beginners. The hands-on Java course covers everything from A to Z, from the basics of the programming language to complex frameworks.

The course is also recommended for anyone who wants to obtain the Oracle Java SE 8 Programmer I and/or Java SE 8 Programmer II certifications and needs the necessary preparation.

Graduates of the course can apply for jobs such as: Junior Java Developer; Junior Software Developer (Java); Mid Software Developer; Java Software Developer; Mid Backend Developer (Java); Mid-Level Java Developer.

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