How Can Code helped Ariadna find her path.
In 2022, Ariadna Vanegas-Rubio was working hourly jobs in healthcare and feeling physically and emotionally exhausted.
“I was getting burnt out and tired working physically on site,” she said.
Then she found CanCode Communities.
What began as an opportunity to explore coding would help Ariadna build technical skills, grow her confidence and imagine an entirely different future for herself—including one where she could create opportunities for others.
Rediscovering an Early Interest
Ariadna’s interest in technology didn’t come out of nowhere. She had first discovered web design in high school, but she didn’t initially see it as a realistic career path.
Years later, while searching for a way out of healthcare burnout, she decided to revisit that interest. After completing her first boot camp, she discovered CanCode and enrolled in courses covering React and JavaScript fundamentals.
“CanCode just opened up a bunch of different opportunities,” Ariadna said.
Those opportunities went beyond learning how to code. Through CanCode, she was also able to build relationships, grow her professional network and learn directly from people already working in the technology industry.
Making Career Training More Accessible
Finding the right program wasn’t easy.
Many of the career-development programs Ariadna encountered were created primarily for current college students. Others were expensive and didn’t offer the financial assistance she needed.
“A lot of the programs were either paid programs, or they didn’t have any scholarship opportunities to help you financially,” she said.
CanCode was different. Scholarship support made it possible for Ariadna to pursue her interest in technology while continuing to work.
That accessibility mattered. Ariadna didn’t have the luxury of putting the rest of her life on hold while preparing for a new career.
Working by Day and Coding by Night
While taking CanCode classes, Ariadna was also working as a swim instructor.
Her days required careful time management. She would finish teaching lessons and then log on to her CanCode classes in the evening—sometimes while she was still at work.
“I would sit down and log on to CanCode while I was doing my swim-instructing job,” she recalled.
It wasn’t easy, but Ariadna remained committed. She knew that the hours she invested after work could create new possibilities for her future.
Then, during a class project, everything began to click.
The Project That Changed Everything
For her midterm, Ariadna created an application that used avatars.
The project gave her an opportunity to combine technical problem-solving with creativity—and to see what she was capable of building.
“That was when I knew, like, ‘Oh, this is fun. This is for me,’” she said.
It was more than the successful completion of an assignment. It was a turning point.
Ariadna no longer saw coding as simply a way to leave an exhausting job. She had found work that genuinely interested and excited her.
Mentorship That Extended Beyond the Code
Ariadna credits her CanCode instructors, Mattina and Jamal, with helping her continue moving forward.
“They were just the support that they always gave,” she said.
Their mentorship extended beyond teaching React and JavaScript. They offered an honest look at what developers do each day and helped Ariadna better understand how her new skills could translate into a real career.
That guidance made the technology industry feel more accessible—and helped Ariadna picture herself within it.
Building Skills—and a Bigger Vision
Through CanCode, Ariadna developed the technical skills required to pursue a future in technology. She also strengthened her public-speaking, communication and other professional skills.
But perhaps the greatest change was in how she began to see her own potential.
The experience inspired Ariadna to think beyond her next job. She now hopes to create a nonprofit of her own and use what she has learned to give back to her community.
“They’ve impacted me on wanting to create my own nonprofit,” she said.
Ariadna’s journey shows what can happen when determination meets opportunity. With accessible training, financial support and meaningful mentorship, she was able to move away from burnout and toward a career—and a larger purpose—that excites her.
Her story is also a reminder that career transformation doesn’t always begin with having everything figured out. Sometimes, it begins with taking one class, building one project and realizing: This is fun. This is for me.