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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMari is 33 <\/strong>and joined the Selection Sprint in kood\/J\u00e4rva. Her background isn\u2019t in coding, but technology has been part of her life for over a decade. She has worked in tech for 12\u201313 years, mostly in Web3, focusing on operations and business development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve always worked closely with developers,<\/strong>\u201d Mari says. \u201cAnd for a long time I knew this was something I needed to understand myself.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The idea of learning to code had been there for years, and when a moment appeared, she decided to stop postponing and try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first days of the Sprint were intense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was a big shock,\u201d she admits. \u201cNot because tech was unfamiliar but because the pace is fast, and people come in with very different levels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest surprises wasn\u2019t technical at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPaide covered in snow is incredibly beautiful,\u201d Mari smiles. \u201cBut even more surprising are the people. Everyone has such a different background. Every person is a little unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to the common belief that coding requires strong math skills, Mari disagrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMath doesn\u2019t equal coding,\u201d she says. \u201cWhat matters more is learning how to learn, understanding tasks, breaking them down, and building logical thinking. That logic comes with time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her biggest advice to new sprinters?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t give up,\u201d Mari says. \u201cWithin one day you can feel like you understand everything and then feel completely lost. All emotions are normal. You just have to push through. It will start to make sense.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And to someone unsure whether coding is for them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGet a basic understanding of what work in tech actually looks like or perhaps try some short courses. If you\u2019re already curious, maybe more than 50%, then it\u2019s worth trying the Sprint.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kaarel is 27 <\/strong>and originally from Saaremaa but now resides in Raplamaa. Before joining the Selection Sprint in kood\/J\u00e4rva, he had already spent years working in IT but mostly in support and integration roles. He also has prior programming education and experience, though he hadn\u2019t worked as a developer for some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI stayed in tech, but not in coding,\u201d Kaarel explains. \u201cAnd at some point I realised I missed creating things.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had thought about returning to programming for years, but distance, routine, and comfort kept delaying the decision. When a new Sprint location opened closer to home, it felt like the right moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI told myself – if I\u2019ve been thinking about this for so long, I should at least try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What surprised him most about the Sprint was its intensity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI expected it to be intense, but not this intense,\u201d Kaarel says. \u201cEven with some background, it\u2019s demanding.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n In such a fast-paced environment, support matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo one knows everything,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople help each other constantly, as do I, so that makes a huge difference.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kaarel doesn\u2019t believe coding requires advanced math.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It’s less about complex formulas and more about logic. Understanding the problem you want to solve and thinking through it step by step.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n His advice to new sprinters is practical:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf possible, prepare a little beforehand. Even a small course helps you get started more confidently.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And to someone hesitating on whether to learn coding:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You need to actually try solving something with code,” he says. “Only then will you know if it might interest you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\nKaarel – From IT support roles to getting back into programming<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kood.tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kaarel.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJoin our next Selection Sprint and start your career in tech!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n