Welcome to
Why release a new version?
While it's always hard to move on from the familiar, it was time for an update. After 7+ years of making small, incremental changes to version 1, I realized I needed to make a clean break to pursue something I was more passionate about. But that doesn't mean I'm starting from scratch! I'm taking everything I've learned from version 1 and applying that to the development of version 2.
How is this version different from v1?
Victoria 1.0 started as an uncertain social work student and grew into an experienced HR and recruitment professional that worked well across different industries. Whether you were a large, international tech company, a defense company that created mapping software, or an Ottawa-based non-profit, version 1 excelled.
Victoria 2.0 hasn't been tested in these industries yet, but all signs point to success! All experience from the previous version will be applied and integrated into 2.0.
I'm an aspiring full-stack web developer with over 7 years of experience working in HR and recruitment across various industries. I've worked hard to grow my career and most recently found myself as the sole, dedicated member of the HR team in a small defense/tech company.
I joined at a pivotal moment of growth and was an active member of the leadership team, helping to establish standard recruitment and hiring practices, as well as general HR processes. This was an exciting and rewarding time for me, as I was given the opportunity to truly stretch my wings to create something new. I was able to imagine how my role would shift and change as the company grew over the next few years. In imaging the future of my role, I realized that it wasn't a future I wanted to be a part of.
After taking some time to reflect, I realized I've also been interested in software development, but never considered it as a realistic option. With support from friends and family, I took a leap of faith and bet on myself.
I left the HR world and completed the Web Development bootcamp program with Lighthouse Labs. I learned quite a bit about full-stack development and reaffirmed my interest in web development. Unfortunately, my lack of hands-on experience was a difficult-to-overcome challenge in my job search.
I'm currently attending Algonquin College in the Web Development and Internet Applications program. I'm continuing to learn more about web development and looking for a co-op position to gain some hands-on experience in web development!