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Q&A with Zipporah Myers: ‘I wanted more freedom and creativity in my career’

Zipporah Myers never envisioned a career in tech. Rather, the 22-year-old South Side native planned to go to nursing school. But when she heard about DPI’s software development program, something clicked, even though she’d never taken a computer science course before. “I wanted more freedom and creativity in my career,” said Myers, who also enjoys painting. Myers successfully completed the program in December, while working full-time in retail, and is now one of 18 DPI apprentices working for SAP.

What attracted you to DPI’s software development program?

I’d never done anything tech based, and I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself. But a friend saw a post about it on LinkedIn and encouraged me to apply. It seemed like a one-time opportunity, the chance to be a pioneer in a new program. I honestly didn’t think I’d make it this far.

How was the software development course?

Honestly, it was hard. My first day, I was so nervous. But a lot of other people in the course seemed lost too. Our instructor did a lot to help us feel more comfortable asking questions, and as we got to know each other, we started helping each other. We even organized study groups.

How did the program help you prepare for your apprenticeship with SAP?

The course was very rigorous, and it taught us to be hardworking and consistent. You had to be there 9 to 4:30 each day, which really changed my mindset. The typical college course is only like, two hours, whereas at DPI we were working all day.

What are you doing in your apprenticeship?

I work in technology quality management. I work with customers to match SAP software to their needs. If the customer has an issue, I set up meetings between them and the developers to work through it. I am basically a liaison between the customer and the developers.

What do you want to do after your apprenticeship?

I’m hoping to get a full-time position at SAP and would eventually like to combine my tech skills with my creative talents.