Three years 42 Heilbronn - three stories

Premiere in June 2021: the first generation of students started at 42 Heilbronn in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. For Germany, it was the starting signal for a completely new learning concept and for the students it was a leap into the unknown. Can studying without professors really work? What is it like to work with other students? And what are the chances on the job market later on? Three students from the early days look back.

Steffen Kienzle started at 42 Heilbronn in August 2021 and worked part-time at Audi as a plant mechatronics technician during his studies. He is still at Audi, but now in the IT department. His task: to work together as a team to enable Group-wide data exchange. That was the 42 Heilbronn for him:

“Shortly after seven in the morning - I had just come from the night shift and wanted to watch a few YouTube videos - I saw the advertisement for 42. Autumn 2020 that was. I was more or less half asleep, but I did catch that much: The learning concept could work. Six months later, I started at 42 Heilbronn and learned a lot. Not just in terms of coding. The school enriched my mentality enormously, both professionally and privately. Talking ideas through in a problem-oriented way no longer occurs to me. That's why 42 Heilbronn continues to enrich my life. And the fact that I can now work quite independently in the IT department at Audi instead of having to work shifts... that wouldn't have been possible without 42.”

Sonja Reinholz started at 42 Heilbronn in July 2021 and had previously worked in online marketing and as a tax consultant. She has been developing software for tax consultants at ROSESOFT for a year now. She has 42 Heilbronn to thank for the fact that she ended up there:

“That I would end up working as a software developer? Unthinkable just a few years ago. When I started in the piscine at 42, I didn't have a clue about coding. I was correspondingly overwhelmed. But the atmosphere at the school, working together on projects and the constant exploration got me hooked. And now I develop software for tax consultants. For me, two exciting areas come together: When coding, you solve problems and create something tangible. Finance and taxes, on the other hand, are highly relevant from a socio-political perspective, which is something I've always been interested in professionally. And how has 42 enriched me outside of work? I've become even more fearless. Simply through the experience of being able to achieve things with the right amount of initiative.”

Doush Hamdiev started at 42 Heilbronn in March 2022 and received a scholarship for housing and living expenses during his studies. Today, he is a programmer at dmTECH and helps develop the drugstore market leader's own app, among other things. What made his time at 42 Heilbronn so special? The fact that he finally met coders as passionate as himself:

“Even when I was 12 years old, I wanted to code around the clock and taught myself everything back then. When I came to 42 Heilbronn six years later, I experienced what real community means for the first time! So many people who are just as crazy about coding as I am. It was a really great experience. At the beginning, I was only at home to sleep and spent the rest of the time on campus - 22/7, so to speak. I also have my scholarship to thank for the fact that I was able to do this. This meant I didn't have to take on a part-time job and was able to fully immerse myself in the 42 Experience. Was I still worried that I wouldn't find a job later? Of course! But that was completely unfounded. I got to know my current employer, dmTECH, at a Partner Day at 42. When I applied for a job, a team member remembered me and said: “Hey, that's a cool guy!”