10th September 2021
Who is Gaby Karam
For me, defining who I am is not just about my current skills and personality, but it's also about what I aspire to become. I believe that skills are teachable, and personality is inherent, but my character is what sets me apart from others. Rather than chasing awards and accolades, I prefer to challenge myself, do things that matter, and share my experiences with others.
As a technical artist, I strive to become a designer in the world of tech. I started my career in 2013 after being inspired by a video from code.org that opened my eyes to the possibilities of programming. I pursued a degree in Computer Science, not because I couldn't learn programming on my own, but because of the situation in my country that requires having a university degree in order to emigrate.
After completing my studies, I obtained a Full Stack Certificate from a free programming bootcamp in Lebanon, which provided me with a solid foundation in Java, Laravel, WordPress, and JavaScript. I then started my career as a Digital Producer and Developer, where I led client communication and development using WordPress. During my free time, I mentored other junior developers who were passing the Full Stack web development course in Codi.
I was drawn to mentoring others, so I switched positions to become an assistant trainer at Codi Tech, where I mentored two cohorts of students on various technical and non-technical skills. My aim was to help them develop their skills in NodeJs, React, Laravel, and WordPress, and also provide them with training on implementing agile and securing freelance projects.
In 2020, I decided to resign from Codi Tech to pursue new opportunities and learn new skills. I wanted to expand my knowledge in the Jamstack, so I began contributing to an open-source project that adds the capability of having Gutenberg blocks available inside the Graphql queries. Currently, I am also testing my WordPress skills by applying to Codeable to become a Codable Expert Developer.
In summary, my identity is not defined by what I currently possess, but by what I aspire to become. I'm a technical artist, a full stack developer, a mentor, and a learner. I strive to work with clients who are making a positive impact in the social mission field, and my value lies in the impact I make in the communities that I join.