In this episode, Abbey chats with Kate Illsley, a tech recruiter and developer in Melbourne, Australia. Kate talks about how learning to code helps her be better at her job, and describes how she's now able to connect with candidates much more effectively. They also discuss her journey into tech, how she got so involved in volunteering for various organizations in Melbourne, and what she loves about working with young women just starting out.
Kate's path from university to her current job was fairly straightforward, but once she discovered coding, she realized there was so much more she could be doing to help job seekers find their perfect fit.
She started volunteering with Startup Weekend in Melbourne, helped organize the inaugural Grad Girl, and got involved with Vic ICT for Women. Through her work with these non-profits, she discovered a passion for helping young people, especially young women, find careers in STEAM.
Kate attends and speaks at a variety of events, and loves discussing how to do well in interviews, how to get into tech, and how women can nurture their love of coding. When she's not running around the city and organizing events, she makes sure to spend plenty of time in her veggie patch with her rescue dog, Cookie, getting some quality time away from her computer.
This episode is a 1 hour listen in your favorite podcast player app - just search "freecodecamp" and you should find it.
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You can find Kate on Twitter @kate_illsley.