About me

Overview

Below I have listed three traits I believe make me an effective software engineer:

1. Problem Solver - I am an expert problem solver.
2. Adaptable - I am extremely adaptable and able to quickly pick up new technologies and processes.
3. Generalist - I like to understand how all parts of a system operate (i.e. data storage, APIs, and client). I believe having at least a little understanding of how all these components function allow you produce higher quality code.

My Story

My name is Austin Scott. I am a self-taught programmer and professional career switcher. I graduated from Kansas State University in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering. I accepted a job offer out of college as a mechanical designer utilizing SolidWorks for 3D design. In the end, this job wasn’t a great fit. Aspects of this job were great, I enjoyed the problem solving, but felt limited in the ways I could solve those problems. During college I had a couple programming classes that dealt with C++ and robotics. I enjoyed these classes the most because I felt there was more freedom in the way problems could be solved. I was interested in programming as a hobby, so I began to teach myself. I started by taking the CS50 Introduction to Computer Science offered by Harvard online. This gave me a great knowledge foundation on which to start building. During CS50, I was especially interested in the web development portion. By the end of the course, I was hooked. I started to delve deeper into the web development path. I decided I wanted to switch careers.

First becoming proficient in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I then moved on to Angular, RxJS, and Node.js with Express. I continued to improve my skills with these technologies daily and searched for an opportunity to apply my skills professionally until I finally landed my first development job at National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC). During my time at NCTC I have worked closely with product owners in an Agile environment to develop, deploy, and maintain multiple small scale full stack applications. As well as being a contributor to larger applications as part of a team.

Outside of work and programming, I enjoy archery, working on my motorcycle, video games, and sports, particularly football. I love watching Kansas State and the Chiefs!