What are your impressions after the Academy? 

The Academy reminded me of a few things: 

• Novice programmers need mentors who will guide them and help them overcome even the simplest problems. I myself once encountered someone who guided me and allowed me to make mistakes, resulting in valuable lessons. 
• Knowledge and skills that seem fundamental to those with experience are valuable to beginners. Not everyone follows the same educational path, but a shared understanding of the basics provides a solid foundation for more complex topics in the future. 
• Sharing knowledge is quite enjoyable. Moreover, it reinforces previously acquired knowledge and necessitates its updating. 

What was the biggest challenge? 

The biggest challenge, besides imparting practical knowledge and the realities of managing projects in the Scrum methodology, was gaining trust and maintaining participants’ engagement in the context of remote work. 

What was the biggest advantage of the Academy? 

A holistic approach to designing mobile applications presented in the lectures, along with translating theoretical knowledge into a real project executed in the Scrum methodology. 

How do you assess the participants’ progress over a few months? 

 
The participants covered a lot of topics, and some of them significantly exceeded the scope at the junior level.  It seems to me that those who completed the Academy mastered the material to a degree that allows further deepening of programming knowledge, as well as Android platform expertise. 

What did participation in the Academy give you as a mentor? 

Certainly, my self-confidence grew, and I had the opportunity to address topics I hadn’t touched upon during commercial projects. I could experience the remote interaction of younger colleagues. For me, this was a valuable experience, especially as the entire IT industry transitioned to remote work. I believe it will enhance my communication within teams in the future. 

How do you assess yourself as a mentor? 

I previously participated in a similar undertaking, where the meetings were in-person. The Academy demanded much more of my time than I had anticipated; undoubtedly, the remote approach had a significant impact. I made plenty of mistakes, but I treat them as additional lessons that will improve future editions of SafetyHeads Academies. 

Would you recommend participation in the Academy to others? Why? 

Yes, I would recommend it to anyone who: 

• Wants to understand how a programmer’s work looks when creating a mobile application in a distributed team, meaning working remotely. 
• Wishes to learn how to design an Android application using currently accepted standards. 

Both these areas are crucial in the ever-changing, dynamic world of IT. The knowledge and skills gained during the Academy will certainly help stand out when seeking the first job or creating one’s own application.