Mahmoud Hijazi

Egypt

Mahmoud began his career with no destination in mind. He specialized in commerce and business administration without delving into his capabilities or stimulating his passion and aspirations. Coding never even crossed his mind. It was far from his field of specialization and in a stand-alone world that had nothing to do with him.

Many times after his graduation, Mahmoud waited to hear his phone ring or receive an email from one of the dozens of companies he applied to, but his hopes were not fulfilled. He found himself unemployed with no future prospects and began to search for an outlet in any field – anything to break the rhythm he was in.

One day, he searched for the 25 most in-demand jobs in the world, most of which fell under the umbrella of coding. He found an article and read testimonials from youth who took the path of coding and how it changed their lives.

Some of them were unemployed while others were students in a discipline that they had never liked. He felt as if they were talking about him. He researched more about the characteristics of coders, registered in forums and followed many pages on social media. More and more, it felt like he belonged in this world, which searches for solutions instead of making more problems. The opportunities were endless: safe online payments, aircraft flying, blockchain and other inventions that have changed humanity.

However, one question remained on Mahmoud’s list unanswered: “How”?

Looking for an answer, one of his friends said a few words to him that set him on the right path: “The internet and self-learning is what distinguishes coders. It is a free world!” Mahmoud heard the advice loud and clear, but in the first few months he didn’t find the right platform or channel to get started toward a degree. He was resolved to thinking that he must enroll in a private institute to be able to earn a degree that would open doors for him. He put aside all the money he collected to save for the future.

After a lengthy search, Mahmoud finally found out about the One Million Arab Coders initiative and said with a smiling voice: “He who asks shall be answered”. With the One Million Arab Coders initiative, Mahmoud needed only his will and determination, as no money had to be spent nor college had to be attended. 

From his house, he pursued lessons on website development and his persistence led him to win a nano-degree scholarship. 

Today, Mohamed works in computer program development for an Egyptian company. While he is busy among his daily tasks and freelance work, he knows his destination well and is on a career path that he drew himself. He keenly shares with everyone he meets the advice he wished he got as a teen: “learn to code”.