Studying two micro-credentials at Future Skills has helped Maria Anneli Saldua achieve her dream of using Software Development to help businesses.
Maria previously completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and worked in Front End IT Support in Singapore for five years.
“It was my greatest dream since then that someday I would be a Software Developer and could build web applications that can help companies in their manual tasks,” she says.
When she saw the ad for Future Skills’ Software Development micro-credentials, she didn’t hesitate to sign up.
“And the rest is history.”
Maria says one of the best things about the courses was being able to build projects from scratch in a matter of months.
“It's a great learning experience and opens big opportunities to explore the IT field. Most importantly, it gave me the confidence to apply for a job in tech.”
After completing two Future Skills micro-credentials Maria landed a job as a Test Engineer at a telecommunications company in New Zealand.
“This job involves automation, particularly using JavaScript and knowing the structure of HTML.”
Her micro-credential prepared her for the role by giving her a better understanding of the structure of HTML and allowing her to build a project using JavaScript.
“This was a great opportunity for me to be more confident, gaining more experience in this field that would help me in my career growth,” says Maria.
For her first Software Development micro-credential she built an online business directory for small businesses in New Zealand. It will go live soon, and she hopes it will help customers locate local businesses.
For her second micro-credential, she built a booking application system called Tapui, which means to reserve in Māori. The system will help customers book online appointments for registered businesses in New Zealand.
“This application helps businesses to be accessible to customers 24/7, reduces admin workload and improves customer communication,” says Maria.
Maria juggled a number of responsibilities while completing her micro-credentials, including three children and a full-time job.
She’d prepare and cook dinner for her family before online classes and work on her projects after her kids had gone to sleep. Her youngest even ended up accompanying her for her final project presentation.
