Tell us a few words about you:
I am a backend developer mostly experienced in Python. I started working in IT after I graduated from the university and I still do and enjoy it working for Microsoft Estonia :) Apart from work, I adore traveling and discovering the world (which pairs good with working remotely), and I love sharing with people – be it knowledge, experiences or inspiration.

How did you learn about Hyperskill?
I don’t remember well, but I think it was someone from the team who reached out to me inviting me to create a project in Django. I was beyond glad to join!

Why did you start working with us?
As I mentioned above, I love sharing knowledge and ideas, which apparently led me to work in multiple study projects in my life: I worked as a Python teacher and course creator in Coddy (programming school for children), I tried myself as a mentor in Yandex.Praktikum team, and finally landed here in Hyperskill, where I can apply both of my knowledge and passion to strengthen it by sharing with others.

What are your responsibilities at Hyperskill? And what is the most interesting part of the job?
My main current role is to manage the Flask Track in Hyperskill. I am responsible for the content, for what the study plan looks like, I do fact-checking for topics, long-term planning for topics and projects and I keep an eye on everything to be in order in the meaning of content. I also still do create projects from time to time.
The most interesting part of the job for me is structuring the plan and building the final ‘castle’ brick by brick.

Does this working experience influence your life in any way?
Of course, I mean I guess this is what they call “social responsibility” in some way. It is important for me to know I bring value to the world and make something important that helps others make their lives a bit better. Sharing knowledge is one of the ways.

What do you think other programmers can gain from working with Hyperskill?
First of all, the things I mentioned in the previous part :) I think every one of us needs to feel that they’re ‘making the difference’. But it’s not only that! Of course there are straight personal pros you’re gaining while working with Hyperskill: shaping knowledge for sharing helps improve it, usually you’re not only strengthening it, but finding out something new for yourself too. And finally, I cannot ignore mentioning the team: here you get to work with people connected by one idea, which is super comfortable and fun.

How did you learn about Hyperskill?
When I was an undergrad student, I knew a few people who wrote topics for Hyperskill. I, however, didn't know much about programming, so I never considered working there as well.

Why did you start working with us?
A few years later, I was looking for a freelance job and heard that Hyperskill needed proofreaders. I thought, "Why not?": I might not be an expert in Computer Science, but I am confident in my linguistic skills. That's how I joined the team. At first, I worked a couple of hours a week, editing topics. When I had more time, I wanted to participate more, so I took on some additional tasks. Eventually, I became a coordinator of the team, and then a producer of Golang.

What was the most interesting part of the job?
I like that this job consists of various different tasks, so it's never monotonous. I also enjoy communicating with people as part of my job, and I can learn new skills and develop sometimes unexpected competencies. I believe that others can learn from my experience that you shouldn't be afraid to try new responsibilities and that online education is a sphere where you can find application for your skills, even if your initial area of expertise is quite

How did you learn about Hyperskill?
I have been a fan of JetBrains IDEs since 2013 when I first started using PHPStorm for a web development subject in college. One day in October 2021 I was lurking through JetBrains website and saw a link to JetBrains Academy.
I registered and started the Python Core track. After one week of studying, I completed my first project "Password Hacker"! Since I liked the project-based study plan, I continued studying Python and kept solving more projects.

Why did you start working with us?
After almost four months of being an active student at JetBrains Academy (studying for 2-3 hours daily), I decided that I could contribute by writing a few topics myself! So I sent an e-mail to hello@hyperskill.org asking if I could become an author for the Python track or the Go track.
After a few days passed, I got an e-mail from Zoya Kostyreva, the manager of the Go team. She was eager to let me try my skills as a technical author and told me to start writing my first topic about Working with files in Go.
After I wrote the first draft of the topic, I got some feedback a few days later and made some fixes. Then, I proceeded to join the Trello board of the Go team, where Anton Illarianov (the graph owner of the Go team and an awesome Go developer) helped me add the "finishing touches" to the topic, and finally publish it.
After creating my first topic, I was eager to write more and more about Go! To the current date, I have written almost 30 topics about the Go programming language and have created more than 150 practical tasks.

What was the most interesting part of the job?
There have been many different tasks that I have worked on with the Go team! However, I will mention two of the most significant parts of my work in the Go team so far:
After publishing more than ten topics and working for a few months with the Go team, Anton and Zoya allowed me to start reviewing topics written by other authors on the board.
Reviewing the work of other Authors was challenging but a great experience. I felt like I was able to help new Authors create richer topics, as well as reinforce my knowledge in the Go language as well, by correcting any mistakes they had in their written theory.
The second most interesting task I've done with the Go team was discussing with Anton the scope of the different tracks we plan for the Go language. It was challenging because we had to decide what topics and projects we should keep for the Go for beginners track, and at the same think of more advanced topics and projects that would form part of the more advanced Go for developers track.

Does this experience help you at your current workplace?
Even though I graduated from college as a Systems in Telematics Engineer in 2016, I had never worked in the IT world before, until I started working as a Technical Author for JetBrains Academy.
The first job I got after I graduated was in the construction industry as a Quality Supervisor for formwork and scaffolding engineering.
However, I have to say that the skills I have learned as a technical author for JetBrains Academy have helped me write better technical documents, and calculation notes for the formwork and scaffolding systems I design in my current job.
As of the current date, I am leaving my job in the construction industry to become a full-time student for a Masters in Data Science at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.
I decided to start a Masters in Data Science because after so much time away from the IT world, studying and working for JetBrains Academy have reminded me that my passion is programming, and that I want to further my career in the IT world.
If it wasn't for my experience as a technical author for JetBrains Academy, I wouldn't have any real experience in IT apart from my college studies. Being a technical author for JetBrains Academy helped me boost my profile and become a better candidate for the Master's degree.

What do you think others can learn from your journey?
I think that anyone wanting to become a software developer, a technical writer, or a data scientist is that you must truly feel a passion for programming, and be willing to spend a lot of hours trying to learn and practice as much as you can.
Even though it may seem overwhelming to study so many different topics related to programming, it truly is a rewarding experience to spend your time doing something you're passionate about.
As Mark Twain once said: Success is a journey, not a destination. It requires constant effort, vigilance, and reevaluation.