Elizabeth Moon

So, let's start with a wee explanation as to how this website came together. Every year, I try to further my Product or Tech education - to make sure I stay relevant in both worlds, and to constantly challenge myself. In 2023, I decided to tackle something I have always felt insecure about when working with talented developers, something I thought I would never fully understand - how to code.

Now, don't get me wrong - it hasn't been easy. I have been working full time with the Scottish Government as a Product Lead as I take this course with SheCodes. It takes about three evenings a week, after a full day of work, to stay on track with the course deadlines. The workshops are well structured but rely on self-motivation to keep going, which can be tough when all you want to do is curl up on the couch after a long working day! But after completing my Certified Scrum Product Owner qualification in 2021, and then my Prince 2 Foundation and Practicioner qualifications in 2022, I knew the time had come and I was determined to take as much as I could from the course.

So, without further ado, please explore this multi-page, glorious example of how much I have learnt so far in terms of writing code. It is 100% manually coded without any help from an AI source; in fact I wrote a grand total of 975 lines of code to create it. You'll find out about life before my career switch, the projects I have created along the way, and what is yet to come. I hope you enjoy! 🎉

Beth the University Student

Unsure of what I wanted to do with my career, I decided to do the oddest degree known to man in the National University of Galway, Ireland - I graduated in 2014 with an international First Class Honours degree in History, Italian, and Children Studies. The minute my exams were over, I ran away to India to spend the summer there working and travelling. I returned to Ireland, received my Grade A CELTA teaching qualification and moved to Sicily.

Beth the Language Teacher

I spent the next six years teaching around the world. In 2017, I moved to Edinburgh which has been my home ever since. I worked in multiple private language schools and spent my summers working as an English Fellow for the University of Edinburgh. By 2019, I felt like I had taken my teaching career as far as I possibly could. It was time for a change, so I left the Education sector in December 2019. Great timing for a career change!

Beth the Product Owner

After a stressful, unemployed introduction to a global pandemic, I finally secured a role on a new career path. I was hired as a Junior Product Owner for a startup branch of Virgin Trains Tech. I was initially ill-equipped to work from home (see photo of my smart ironing board desk!) and was trying to come to terms with the worlds of Tech, Product and Rail all at once. BUT... I adored it. All of it, I had definitely caught the Product bug. And I haven't looked back since!

What happened next?