Self Taught Software Engineers // Beyond Coding Podcast #25 - Patrick Akil with Roy Derks

Self-Learning Motivation

Roy Derks, a self-taught software engineer, shares his journey of becoming an entrepreneur at a young age. Inspired by his father's entrepreneurial spirit, he began coding at 14, creating a DVD marketplace to solve a personal problem. Roy's early experiences highlight the importance of self-motivation and practical application in learning software development.

I started doing this when I was 14 already to actually start my entrepreneurial journey.

--- Roy Derks

He emphasizes the value of hands-on projects and the ability to learn from real-world challenges, which often surpasses traditional education in providing relevant skills 1 2.

   

Overcoming Challenges

Overcoming challenges is a crucial part of the self-taught journey, as Roy explains. He stresses the importance of persistence and feedback, whether from customers or peers, in refining one's skills. Roy notes that while bootcamps teach specific tools, they often lack in fostering a mindset that evaluates multiple solutions.

The real difference is persistence. So you need to like it, you need to have stimulants at the right moments in time.

--- Roy Derks

He advises aspiring developers to explore different programming languages to broaden their understanding and adaptability 3 4.