Maria Patokina

Maria Patokina is currently a full-time Developer at Neuberger Berman after graduating from Per Scholas New York’s Software Engineering program in 2021.  

Prior to Per Scholas, Maria had a career in market research. Through her position, she had experience dealing with the programming department and thought it was very interesting, but she didn’t know how to get her foot in the door in order to switch over to the tech industry. She was also concerned that the training required to start a career in tech would be too expensive and time-consuming. Once the pandemic hit and Maria lost her job, she started researching tech training opportunities and was referred to Per Scholas. She thought the program seemed like a good fit, and soon enrolled in Per Scholas New York’s Software Engineering course.

Maria was eager to begin her training, something she hadn’t previously thought possible because she couldn’t invest the time and money. With Per Scholas’ tuition-free training, she took a step towards a programming and software engineering career.

The training was challenging, but thanks to office hours and guidance from her instructors, Maria was able to succeed.  “I believe Per Scholas gives a lot of opportunities. People want to graduate, and are able to with the resources the program offers,” she mentioned. 

Per Scholas also provided career development training by instructing students on a variety of skills including interviewing tips, ways to search for and apply for jobs, how to create compelling resumes and cater them to individual jobs offerings, and virtual mock interviews, an aspect Maria claimed helped her in acquiring her first position after graduation. “I learned a lot in a short period of time with Per Scholas that prepared me with a lot of practical, hands-on experience. Per Scholas gave me a lot of confidence, and I think this new career in Software Engineering is going to be much more rewarding than what I was doing before! There are a lot of jobs and opportunities in the tech industry,” Maria reflected. 

After successfully graduating from the course, Maria felt it was important for her to continue learning and gaining certifications, and she enrolled in Per Scholas’s Google IT Automation with Python Alumni Training course. After completing the course, Maria realized that the new certification made her a standout candidate in her job search. She quickly landed her first tech job as a paid Software Engineering intern at Neuberger Berman, and was soon promoted to a Developer. She is happy in her role, and credits Per Scholas for giving her the opportunity to develop the skills to launch a career in the field she loves.