My name is Eric Ward, I am a software engineer and teacher/mentor for the Enterprise Java program at the Software Craftsmanship Guild in Akron, OH. I have worked as a professional software engineer for over 17 years, leading successful software implementations across several industries including test and measurement, retail, insurance, health care, and e-commerce. My technical experience includes the development of device drivers, middleware, mobile apps, and web applications.
Most recently my efforts have been on the education and training of software engineers. My focus is on teaching and curriculum development for programs that produce job-ready entry level developers. Over the years it has become more and more difficult to find good software engineers – people who actually know how to build things with software – so my career focus now is to inspire the next generation of software developers and to give them a solid foundation on which to build their careers.
I started this project as a way to share my experiences with other teachers and mentors and as a way to move this kind of training outside the traditional classroom. There are many paths to becoming a professional software developer – some students will get a computer science degree (this was my path), some will learn on their own (I have known quite a few very good self-taught developers), and some will take advantage of the new apprenticeship opportunities that are coming online (like the Software Craftsmanship Guild) . My goal, through this project and the Software Craftsmanship Guild, is to show people where to start the journey, to coach and inspire them to make great software, and to help them see where they can fit into the industry.