Switching careers is challenging, especially when it means starting from scratch in a field unrelated to one's education. For those who cannot afford to quit their jobs, balancing work, learning, and financial responsibilities makes the transition even harder. Ajay Tanaji Patil faced these challenges while moving from mechanical engineering to software engineering, eventually securing a 670 per cent salary increase.
Patil completed his mechanical engineering degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University in August 2023. Despite having no formal coding background, he aspired to pursue a career in software engineering.
In 2023, he enrolled with Scaler, an AI-native skilling technology company, while continuing to work full-time. He also took an education loan to finance his studies, making it essential for him to continue earning while acquiring new skills.
Lost Father At Five, Mother Raised Him As A Single Parent
Patil lost his father when he was five years old. His mother, Mangalbai Tanaji Patil, raised him as a single parent, working as a schoolteacher for more than 15 years and taking up tailoring to support the family and ensure his education continued.
Amid financial constraints, Patil pursued a diploma before studying mechanical engineering in Pune. He began working as a Design Engineer at Tata Consulting Engineers at the age of 18 while pursuing his degree. After graduation, he moved to another company but remained determined to switch to software engineering.
Worked Full-Time While Learning Software Engineering
Leaving his job to study full-time was not financially viable. Instead, he had to fit his learning around work shifts, attend classes when possible and complete assignments alongside his professional responsibilities.
"I wanted to make the switch to software engineering, but with my shifts, finding time to learn was not always easy. Scaler gave me the flexibility to learn alongside my job. I attended live classes whenever I could and relied on recorded sessions when I couldn't," Patil said.
Alongside his job and coursework, he continued paying EMIs on his education loan. The transition took longer than anticipated, as a slowdown in the technology job market delayed placement opportunities. However, he continued developing his technical skills and eventually secured his first software engineering role at EPAM Systems.
From EPAM Systems To Salesforce
The role marked an important step in his career transition, giving him the opportunity to gain experience in the field he had been working towards. He continued learning and, after another year, joined Salesforce as a Technical Support Engineer.
Secures 670% Salary Hike In 1.3 Years
According to Patil, the move to Salesforce brought a 670 per cent salary increase compared with his first salary in software engineering. He said the increase came over a period of 1.3 years.
Reflecting on his decision to change careers, Patil said he had to continue working while learning new skills because he could not afford to give up his income.
"I started my career as a Design Engineer at Tata Consulting Engineers while pursuing my graduation in Mechanical Engineering. However, I wanted to transition into software engineering. Since I could not afford to leave my job to study, I enrolled with Scaler in 2023 while continuing to work full-time to break into the field of software engineering. The flexibility to attend live classes around my shifts and access recorded sessions when needed helped me stay consistent with my learning," he said.
"I also took an education loan to support my studies, which made balancing work, learning, and financial responsibilities particularly challenging. With time, I was able to build my technical skills and secure my first software role at EPAM Systems. I continued learning and, after another year, moved to Salesforce as a Technical Support Engineer, marking a 670 per cent salary increase compared with my first salary in software engineering. This hike was in a span of 1.3 years," he added.
'Consistent Effort And Patience Can Open New Career Opportunities'
Patil said the experience reinforced his belief that patience and consistent effort can open up new career opportunities, even for those who do not have a formal educational background in their chosen field.
"Looking back, having the right learning support while continuing to work played an important role in helping me make this transition. My journey has taught me that consistent effort and patience can help create new career opportunities, even when you are starting without a relevant background," he said.
