She taught herself to code in her 30s for zero dollars [Podcast #160]

On this week's episode of the podcast, freeCodeCamp founder Quincy Larson interviews Julia Undeutsch who is a self-taught software engineer and accessibility specialist. She works at a large European consultancy helping companies make their software more accessible for people with disabilities. Taught herself to code in her 30s using freeCodeCamp. We talk about: - Julia's coding journey from poker dealer to self-taught software engineer - How she creates tutorials in Japanese - Her passion for making software easier to use for everyone - Working remotely at a big European software consultancy Links we talk about during our conversation: - Julia's website: https://www.juliaundeutsch.com/ - Movie trailer for the 1999 Clive Owen movie "Croupier" that Quincy mentions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDWzeq5QGiA Chapters 0:00:00 Teaser 0:00:19 Introuction 0:01:24 Song: Fever 0:02:20 Introduction to Accessibility and Self-Taught Development 0:05:12 Understanding Accessibility: Importance and Impact 0:08:16 The Role of Accessibility in Software Development 0:11:14 Julia's Journey: From Poker Dealer to Accessibility Specialist 0:14:27 The Transition to Coding: Overcoming Challenges 0:17:16 Cultural Insights: Working Across Borders 0:20:21 The Experience of Working in a Consultancy 0:23:15 Building Confidence in a New Role 0:26:16 Final Thoughts on Accessibility and Career Growth 0:34:36 Navigating the Early Days of Development 0:36:21 The Evolution of Front-End Frameworks 0:37:52 Continuous Learning and Skill Development 0:39:36 Passion for Accessibility 0:41:26 Cultural Perspectives on Accessibility 0:44:03 The Importance of Accessibility in Gaming 0:45:54 The Future of Accessibility in Technology 0:50:35 Practical Tips for Web Accessibility 0:56:40 The Role of Companies in Accessibility 1:03:36 The Value of Language Learning