Back in the Code
Jason Vou began his career writing software. More than a decade later, after building an extensive career in technical program management, Jason found himself wanting to get back to where he started.
“I graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from Neumont University and started my career as a software engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton back in 2009,” Jason says. “I developed in enterprise production systems for three-and-a-half years before making a transition into technical program management where I spent the greater part of my career.”
But software development never stopped being part of his professional interests.
When Jason began our Advanced Program in Software Development, he had a very specific goal: “to revitalize my love for programming and make a transition back into software development in my professional career.”
As everyone in technology is aware, this field grows and changes very rapidly. The curriculum for this program sets a strong foundation and enables students to select a path that best fits their areas of interest while using relevant real-world examples.
Rebuilding His Skills
Returning to software development after years in technical program management meant getting reacquainted with a field that had evolved significantly.
“As everyone in technology is aware, this field grows and changes very rapidly,” Jason reflects. “The curriculum for this program sets a strong foundation and enables students to select a path that best fits their areas of interest while using relevant real-world examples.”
That flexibility was particularly important because Jason was working full time as a senior technical program manager at Zebra Technologies within its Robotics Automation division. In that role, he managed the end-to-end software development process between the company’s Cloud Software and Robot Software teams.
The program’s pace, course options and flexibility allowed him to pursue his technical goals alongside that demanding role. “The courses matched closely to my topics of interest,” he says.
Those courses included:
Data Structures and Algorithms
Jason completed all of his courses online, which eliminated what would have been a difficult commute from San Jose. The experience he had with his classmates and instructors were just as important.
“My cohort had many eager students with varying ranges of experiences,” Jason recalls. “My instructors were attentive and patient, and made each class a wonderful learning experience.”
This program gave me the tools to think more broadly and better understand the overall system.
Thinking Like a Developer Again
For Jason, returning to software engineering wasn’t simply about relearning how to code. It meant strengthening his understanding of the larger systems in which software operates.
Concepts such as system design, architecture, scalability and performance optimization became especially relevant to his work in robotics, “where you need to consider diverse industries—warehouses, homes, hospitals, shops, et cetera,” Jason adds. “You need to consider how we plan to scale and enable a reliable solution to our customers.”
The program also changed the way he approaches complicated technical challenges. “This program gave me the tools to think more broadly and better understand the overall system.”
Most importantly, Jason achieved the professional transition he had set out to make. He continued working as a technical program manager for about a year after completing the program before moving into a software engineering role within the company, where he is leveraging all of the skills he has learned.
Today, Jason works across both software engineering and technical program management while building Cloud-based robotics automation systems for modern warehouses. His hands-on development work includes building microservices in Go, creating TypeScript and React.js interfaces for fleet management, authoring API contracts with Protobuf and working with Kubernetes infrastructure.
That technical work has also strengthened the perspective he brings to leadership. By working directly with engineering challenges, Jason can better understand the architecture decisions, technical tradeoffs and development realities facing the teams around him.
For Jason, successfully returning to software engineering validated the investment he made in his education.
“Professionally, I've always been interested in going back into software engineering,” he says. “Being able to transition into an SWE after completing the certificate was confirmation that it was valuable.”
Think critically before just agreeing to what AI tells you. As a developer, you still need to own the code that AI assisted you in writing.
Staying Curious in a Changing Field
Jason’s advice for other experienced professionals considering advanced software development education is to embrace the opportunity to stretch themselves.
“Be present and actively participate in the classes,” he advises. “Always ask your question even if you think it's ‘dumb’ because you get to hear multiple perspectives in response.”
And don’t be afraid to tackle something unfamiliar.
“Be excited and get out of your comfort zone. The class enables a safe space where you get in over your head, but your instructors and fellow students are around to guide you.”
That willingness to keep learning is particularly important as AI reshapes software development. Jason emphasizes that developers still need to understand—and take responsibility for—the systems they build.
“Think critically before just agreeing to what AI tells you,” he says. “As a developer, you still need to own the code that AI assisted you in writing.”
Looking ahead, Jason intends to keep doing what brought him back to software development in the first place: learning, building and solving complex problems.
“I hope to continue building out my technical skills and seeing how technology can solve many of the complex problems we are facing today.”
