In July 2025, Judah Valerie graduated from Year Up United’s Software Development Career Pathway. He recently began his career as a Software Analyst at The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC). Judah shared his story, reflecting on how Year Up United helped him launch his dream career:
“The last year or so of my life has exposed me to a level of change I could never have predicted.
One day, a little over a year ago, I took a break from a personal Python project I was developing and fell to doom scrolling on Instagram. Eventually, I stopped to check out a Year Up United ad that, quite frankly, seemed too good to be true.
They claimed to give free training in software development and offered a stipend while you learned. They also promised a paid internship at the end of your training period and even boasted conversion rates that seemed downright unbelievable.
This had to be a myth, right?
Yet despite vetting this program through all the scam detection techniques I could think of, they were squeaky clean. So I decided to apply.
A few months later, I was accepted into Year Up United’s Software Development track, but I was still a little hesitant. I attended orientation week, where I finally let go of the breath I was holding and began to soak in the new environment, not knowing that the next six months would prove to be an immense challenge.
Through trial by fire, I developed skills like public speaking, time management, work prioritization, and a slew of both technical and soft skills, leading me to discover just how much I was capable of accomplishing.
After the training period, I was blessed with the opportunity to intern at DTCC, where I had the opportunity to learn from and work with amazing engineers, and to use the invaluable skills I had developed during the previous six months, while also pulling back the curtains on real-world software engineering. During my internship, I developed completely new skillsets that I could use in my future career.
I dare say that this internship quickly became the most fulfilling six months I had ever experienced. My dream career had never felt closer.
And then it happened. I was offered a full-time position.
Of course, as any sane person would when offered an entry-point to their dream career, and at such a wonderful company nonetheless, I instantly accepted.
Today, I’m a Software Analyst at the starting line of my career with an amazing story to tell and a long, long way to go still.
This event marks a new chapter of my life, and the journey up here would have not been possible without the support of Year Up United and, of course, their many staff members and students who have been a major source of inspiration and support during my journey, as well as the many coworkers at DTCC who made me feel welcomed from the moment I met them.”