Taking the step into a new career path requires courage, structure and, above all, perseverance. Anyone looking for retraining as an IT specialist and corresponding experience often faces the same questions: How do you master the sheer volume of material, how do you successfully transfer theory into your own software projects, and how do you hold your own as a career changer? In this article, I share my personal insights into my retraining as an IT specialist for application development (IHK) at GFN in Stuttgart, my learning process and the strategies that truly prove their worth in practice.
The Beginning: From Entrepreneurship to Software Development
Before I decided to pursue a career in professional IT development, I worked in international sales for many years and ran my own fashion business. At the same time, competitive wrestling at a national level accompanied me for over 20 years. Both chapters have shaped me: entrepreneurial thinking, customer orientation and the athletic discipline to stay focused and keep going even through setbacks are qualities that benefit me every day when programming.
Software development initially started out as a hobby for me. However, the fascination of solving real-world problems through structured code grew steadily. The retraining at GFN Stuttgart ultimately provided the right framework to put this foundation on a solid, IHK-certified basis.
Learning process and practice: Theory is not enough
The theoretical training covers a broad spectrum – from algorithms and data structures to Java, relational databases, and project management methods. However, a central realization from my previous experience with retraining as an IT specialist is this: Pure course content alone does not make a software developer.
Real learning progress happens away from predefined exercise tasks by building your own systems. To deepen what I have learned, I have intensively explored the .NET ecosystem:
- Understanding Architecture: Implementation of a clean layered architecture (Entities, DataAccess, Business-Layer, Web) in ASP.NET Core MVC with Entity Framework Core.
- Database design: Relational data models in SQLite and SQL Server, including n:m relationships and migrations.
- Security & Authentication: Implementation of ASP.NET Core Identity with role-based authorization and code-based login.
- DevOps basics: Containerisation of applications using Docker and subsequent deployment to cloud platforms.
- Algorithms and Data Structures
- Java basics
- Relational Databases
- Project management methods
- ASP.NET Core Layered Architecture
- EF Core with SQLite and SQL Server
- Identity & Role-based Auth
- Docker Containers & Cloud Deployment
The deliberate use of modern tools
When building more complex features – such as an AI-supported writing assistant or real-time communication via SignalR in my portfolio CMS – I deliberately use modern AI coding agents as sparring partners. It is important for me to emphasize: The code is not adopted blindly. The architecture, the definition of interfaces, the subsequent code review, and thorough error analysis are entirely my responsibility. Modern tools accelerate implementation, but they never replace your own code comprehension.
The biggest challenges and how to master them
Switching careers into software development is demanding. The sheer number of new concepts – from object-relational mapping (ORM) and dependency injection to asynchronous programming (async/await) – can feel overwhelming at first.
Three core principles have proven successful during my retraining so far:
- Consistency over haste: Daily, focused coding achieves more than sporadic weekend sprints. The routine from competitive sports helps me break down complex tasks into small, manageable iterations.
- Errors as insights: Debugging is not a waste of time, but rather the moment when system understanding grows. Those who read logs and analyse stack traces understand the core of frameworks.
- Creating visible results: A GitHub repository with cleanly documented commits and working live demos demonstrates tangible competence better than any theoretical certificate.
The next step: Practical phase from June 2027
The most important milestone of a company-based retraining program is practical application in a professional development environment. Starting in June 2027, my nine-month company internship is coming up. My goal is to seamlessly integrate into an agile development team, further deepen my knowledge in C# / .NET, and contribute productive code for customer applications.
In doing so, I bring not only technical interest and solid fundamentals, but also the maturity, strong communication skills, and resilience gained from my previous professional years.
Conclusion
Retraining as an IT specialist for application development is demanding, but offers enormous opportunities, especially for career changers with professional experience. The key to success lies in immediately applying theoretical knowledge in practical projects, critically reflecting on tools, and demonstrating perseverance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How difficult is the retraining to become an IT specialist for career changers?
The volume of material is high, especially when there is little prior programming experience. However, with a structured working method, logical thinking skills, and continuous personal initiative, the material is entirely manageable.
What prior knowledge is recommended before starting?
A fundamental understanding of relational databases (SQL) and initial contact with an object-oriented language (such as C#, Java, or Python) make the entry significantly easier.
What do companies look for particularly in career changers undertaking retraining?
Alongside a solid technical foundation, employers particularly value soft skills: reliability, problem-solving competence, teamwork and the motivation to independently learn new technologies.
How this article was created
The initial draft of this article was pre-structured with the support of an AI assistant. The experiential content, the selection of focal points, and the final editorial preparation were done by Amir Reza Afshar Bekeshloo.
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