Career Case: From Warehouse Manager to QA Engineer. How to Change Profession for the Future
Student: Serhiy
Direction: QA (Quality Assurance)
Program: Course "Software Testing and Quality Assurance"
Coaches: Marina and Maksym
Format: 14 lessons (7 weeks) with homework, access to videos, and extensive feedback
Context and motivation for change
Serhiy had a specialized education (computer systems and networks), but his career developed outside the IT sphere: for a long time he worked as a warehouse manager for three companies at once. The key trigger for radical changes was his family. Serhiy realized that he wanted to be a role model for his children when they grew up, and his current position did not correspond to his inner ambitions.
Attempts to learn programming on his own did not give the desired result, so Serhiy approached the task strategically. He chose the field of quality assurance (QA) as a more logical and accessible entry point into IT. Trust in the SkillsUp ecosystem was formed by a real case: a friend of Serhiy successfully completed our course back in 2021 and was able to find a job.
Learning Process: No Dry Theory
We build our training on the principle of a “meaningful crash course,” where theory is instantly reinforced by practice. Serhiy noted that the training required full commitment: it was a real quest to balance family, work, and homework.
The focus of the work was:
- Real tools: Participants didn't just listen to lectures, but worked with tools that QA engineers use every day: Jira, Trello, Notion, and Postman.
- Own projects: To consolidate the theory, students developed the architecture of their own projects from scratch. For example, Serhiy created and designed a “home server” project, which was an excellent training in analytical thinking.
- Practice on live products: The skill of manual testing of web, mobile, and desktop applications was not practiced on synthetic examples. Students searched for bugs on two real, operational websites of the company SkillsUp, which allowed them to understand the specifics of improving the user experience and ensuring product quality.
Thinking transformation and insights
Studying on the course completely changed Serhiy's approach to routine tasks. Everyday processes began to be perceived through the prism of QA methodologies: even an ordinary home refrigerator with reminder stickers turned into a Kanban board.
Serhiy best described his journey through metaphor of two ladders:
"Working outside of IT is a wide, comfortable staircase. It's very comfortable to walk on, but it only leads to the second floor. IT is a narrow, uncomfortable ladder. At first, it's incredibly difficult to climb, but it leads to the very top."
Result and next steps
After 7 weeks of intensive training, Serhiy received a broad knowledge base necessary for the start, and most importantly, confidence in his abilities. He noted the exceptional dedication of the teachers and their "spark in their eyes," which helped him not to give up in difficult moments.
Currently, Serhiy has a clear plan for further professional development:
- In-depth study of SQL and Postman.
- Transition from Manual QA to Automation QA.
- Mastering the Python programming language.
- Intensive improvement of English, which is the main blocker for quick employment.
Sergey's advice for beginners: "Don't delay your start. Don't be afraid to learn, find time and remember: water does not flow under a lying stone. Climb this narrow ladder."
You can watch the full version of the conversation with Serhiy and hear more of his insights firsthand on our YouTube channel at this link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwU8pz4Op40&t=2s