From Civil Engineer to Tech Founder: Caroline's Career Pivot

Caroline’s path into tech started with a simple realization: the career she chose wasn’t right for her. After graduating in 2020 with a degree in civil engineering, she went into construction—but quickly knew it wasn’t a fit. At the same time, she was training clients and teaching yoga, something she genuinely enjoyed.

“I really enjoyed that… it became more of a passion than construction. I did not like construction at all.”

She wanted to leave engineering, but she needed a plan. Instead of starting over, she chose to pivot to a new path — learning software engineering so she could combine her interest in fitness with a career in tech.

She enrolled in a software engineering bootcamp at Fullstack Academy (through its Grace Hopper program at the time) to learn how to code and move toward that goal. During the program, she didn’t just learn technical skills—she learned how to solve problems under pressure.

“One of the best things I learned was problem solving… you have to figure your way through.”

That mindset carried into what she built next. As a trainer, she realized how messy the business side of fitness was — payments, messages, and scheduling all in different places.

“I was using Venmo, PayPal… texting… whatever worked.”

She set out to build a better solution. Today, she’s building a platform to help trainers manage their business and help clients find certified professionals they can trust.

She also credits career support for opening doors. Through Fullstack Academy, she connected with industry professionals—including a CTO who offered her a role.

“Allow them to introduce you to people… even if you think you’re not ready.”

Her advice to aspiring founders is simple: If you have passion behind it… it’s so much easier.

Watch the full video to hear more about Caroline’s journey.

Looking for more testimonials from real students? Explore the Fullstack Academy Reviews page.