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Redefining Teamwork, a Veteran’s Perspective

By February 2, 2021No Comments

I am a proud veteran of the United States Air Force, and as a sergeant, I had the opportunity to support a number of global-force operations. Serving in any part of the U.S. Armed Forces carries the responsibility and duty to produce results under increasing pressure and the solution comes through a structured chain of command and teamwork. To be a part of a team, every individual service member is expected to perform their duty to the letter, which leaves no room for creativity or for any one person to stand out as a “rockstar.”

I served in my role for 9 years, thriving in a highly organized and regimented environment. Naturally, I began to view the world from this perspective. Once I retired from the Air Force, I decided to follow my passion for technology into the field of inspiring the next generation through teaching. After exploring several opportunities, I was drawn to iCode because of their focus on cultivating a team mentality, underlining the value of being a team player over a “rockstar” performance. I felt this was a culture that suited me quite well.

I quickly came to realize that my perception of teamwork was very different than the culture found within iCode. During my service, teamwork meant that everyone works together, following the same path to reach their goal. Teaching at iCode, I was given the freedom to chart my own path, sharing and learning from the experiences of my colleagues along the way. Still, teamwork, but in a whole new way for me. Now, instead of being told “this is what needs to be done,” my team at iCode responds with, “Hmm, interesting problem. How do you think we can address that?”

This focus on collaborative teamwork also guides the way I teach at iCode. The curriculum utilizes an Agile Methodology that values feedback and experiences to develop better coding skills and well-rounded technicians. This approach initiates our young developers with a new perspective to solution architecture, pacing the way for a more modular mindset. More importantly, the methodology incentivizes turning insights into action and cultivates creativity.

As iCode flourishes, our philosophy of people first and process second continues to guide both staff and students alike to exceed industry standards and foster a whole-person growth. My position as a Technical Lead has pushed the bounds of my professional development and has directly impacted my own personal growth. It’s been an honor and a privilege to mentor these future titans of industry.

Andre Braxton, Technical Lead @ iCode Goodyear, AZ

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