Meet Ingrid & Mattias – two Lightning McQueens of the Selection Sprint
Our Selection Sprint 18 — the admissions period — is now in its third and final week. As always, we’re sitting down with a few sprinters to hear their stories: where they come from, why they decided to learn coding, and the tips they have for those just starting out. It’s a mix of personal journeys, unexpected discoveries, and advice that might just inspire the next wave of coders.
🎨 Ingrid – “Looking for a new challenge“
“I’m Ingrid, I’m 27. I have a background in digital product design – UX/UI – from Estonian Academy of Arts. But I also studied at the construction school in Tallinn to be a house painter. I have a very strange background,” she laughs.
Currently unemployed but organizing Erasmus+ projects through her own NGO, Ingrid was looking for a new challenge when she joined the coding sprint.
“I thought coding was maybe boring, but I realized it actually gives me more mental stimulation than the things I did before.”
The most exciting part for her? All the new things I’ve learned already — and the people I’ve met.”
And the most unexpected? “The backgrounds people have. That really surprised me.”
Asked about the myth that coders need strong math skills, she says: “I don’t think it’s about maths. Of course it helps, but being able to think outside the box is more important. Maths is strict, coding needs creativity.”
Ingrid’s advice to new sprinters: “Find a good friend you can buy matching outfits with,” she says, half-joking. “It makes it more fun.”
More seriously: “Don’t overthink. Speak to people who are already developers or work in that field. It makes you realize it wasn’t easy for them either. So it’s okay if you don’t learn Java in 2 weeks and find some good friends.”
And to anyone unsure about coding: “Try. Come here and try.
💻 Mattias – “I want to know how programs work”
“My name is Mattias, I’m 25 years old and I come from an IT background. I’m currently working at Elering as an IT Support Specialist.”
Despite his IT experience, coding wasn’t part of Mattias’s toolkit. “I’ve tried HTML and CSS before, but not Java or anything else.”
Why try now?
“I like IT overall. I know how systems work, and now I want to know how programs work.”
Like many others, Mattias was surprised by the pace. “A few days ago, it was quite a lot to handle in a day… but it got easier.”
Still, the best part was clear: “The people around me. I’ve made new friends, even future colleagues, probably.”
Does coding require advanced math?
“No, I don’t think so. Some logic, sure, but mostly it’s about understanding how everything works.”
Mattias’s tips are simple: “Don’t try to do everything together, that’s quite difficult. One thing at a time.” And one more piece of advice, with a grin: “Take some extra pants with you.”
To explain the out-of-the-ordinary tip we also have to ask about the matching outfits as well. Mattias and Ingrid have a matching outfit – a Lightning McQueen shirt and green pants.
“I didn’t bring extra pants, so I had to buy some. Then she (Ingrid) thought, why not join – now we have matching pants, shirts, and a blouse,” he says. The unintentional fashion statement got attention. “People asked us about it. I think it’s just funny – it puts a smile on people.”
His message to future coders?
“Nothing’s impossible. You don’t know if you like it if you haven’t tried it.”
Want to be the next Sprinter?