Gilberto | Brazil

A lifelong passion for technology

Gilberto has been a tech lover for as long as he can remember. “I’ve handled technological devices since I was 11, and I was a very curious kid. I remember when I got my first videogame, in less than a week I have already opened it to see how it worked inside.”

By the age of 14, Gilberto sought out courses in technology, aiming to specialize in the area during high school. But at the time, he couldn’t find many options and instead started a program on construction and civil engineering.

Unemployed and frustrated

He had some difficulties finding a full-time job in civil engineering, so he started working as a freelancer reformatting computers, going back to his childhood passion. “Fixing computers in the region I lived made me open my mind to the field, I didn’t know the market was so big and growing at such a fast pace.”

One day, Gilberto reached a tipping point. He got a negative answer after an interview for a telemarketing company that left him wondering what to do next. He was unemployed and frustrated, and needed to find a real solution, so he shared his story on a tech Facebook group, asking for recommendations of online courses in tech.

Between tips and comforting words, he saw a comment from one of the organizers of Generation Brazil team inviting him to apply to the first class of the Java Junior Developer program. “She mentioned they had just launched the website. She said I was the very first candidate to apply”.

Not just technical skills

One of the key aspects of his experience with Generation was practicing soft skills. People noticed how much he progressed in these skills during the 12-week program. “They educated me about the market, transformed my usual mindset, and opened my mind. Mentoring was essential — when I got this support, I was able to solve my problems and improve my abilities.”

An entrepreneur is born

Coming out of the program, Gilberto was offered a full-time job in his new field.

When asked about his plans for the future, Gilberto is prompt to answer: “I want to create jobs.” He sees technology skills as the key to employability. Gilberto wants to become an entrepreneur and help others struggling with unemployment.