Breaking Barriers: Meet the Women Embracing the Challenge at kood/Jõhvi
7.03.2025
The tech journey is different for everyone. Some come from backgrounds in IT, while others take a leap of faith from entirely different fields. At kood/Jõhvi, resilience, curiosity, and determination define the Selection Sprint experience. Two of our recent sprinters, Nino Feštšin and Princess Irish Välk, embody precisely that. Their stories are about grit, learning, and stepping out of their comfort zones to chase new opportunities in tech.
Nino: From marketing to tech adventurer
Meet Nino, a 42-year-old with a background in marketing and communications. Half Georgian, half Ukrainian, she has spent years working in Estonia’s top companies, including Baltika, Liviko, and Enterprise Estonia. After moving back from Austria, she landed in Estonia’s fifth unicorn, Pipedrive, where she discovered a passion for tech. But for Nino, discovery isn’t enough. She needed to experience it firsthand.
“I figured coding could be my next extreme adventure – or better yet, my fifth language since I already speak four,” she shares. The Selection Sprint became her opportunity to sharpen her analytical skills.
Her Sprint experience was a rollercoaster of emotions. From initial confusion to finding her tribe, Nino embraced the highs and lows. She found herself completely outside her comfort zone – and loved it. Even when Java tested her patience, she kept going. Would she do it again? Absolutely.
Her advice to future sprinters? “Don’t pack your bags after the first day. Find your tribe, keep your sense of humour, and ask for help. The support system at kood/Jõhvi is real.”
Princess Irish: A mother’s leap into tech
For Princess Irish, 31, the road to kood/Jõhvi was filled with persistence. With a background in English and customer service, she spent years juggling remote jobs while raising a family. But something was missing – the challenge, the growth, the excitement of learning something new.
She first heard about kood/Jõhvi a few years ago but had to put her dreams on hold. When she finally decided to take the test, she failed. But instead of giving up, she prepared for six months and tried again. This time, she made it.
Her first days at the Sprint were overwhelming. Having zero IT experience, she initially doubted herself. But as she pushed through, the puzzle pieces started coming together.
“Every day, I was learning something new in areas I never imagined,” she recalls. Sprint wasn’t just about coding; it was about resilience, pushing limits, and processing a flood of new knowledge. There were moments of exhaustion, but her determination carried her through.
Her message to future sprinters? “Remember why you started. Hold onto that fire, push through the challenges, and don’t give up. The reward is worth every ounce of effort.”
A Journey worth taking
Both Nino and Princess Irish prove it’s never too late to change paths, embrace new skills, and dive into coding. Whether you come from marketing, education, or any other background, your willingness to learn and grow matters.
Thinking about taking on the challenge? Apply for the next Selection Sprint and take your first step into tech at kood/Jõhvi. The adventure awaits! 🚀