#201: Transforming military discipline into Python skills with PDI

Pybites Podcast

Christina Lang’s journey from nearly two decades in the military to becoming a DevOps architect shows how discipline, persistence, and a growth mindset can drive career transitions. She shares how the Pybites PDI course helped her rapidly level up her Python skills, the importance of being “humble but hungry” when learning, and how mentorship and structured practice make tackling new challenges achievable.

Christina also discusses the unique hurdles veterans face when moving into civilian tech, from cultural adjustments to communication styles, and how their dedication and resilience make them valuable team members once they adapt.

Today, Christina applies Python to networking automation, building modules for specific tasks and exploring cloud deployments with OpenTofu, AWS, and Kubernetes. For anyone hesitating to take the next step in Python, Christina encourages: “If you don’t feel ready… you probably are. Just pull the trigger, just do it.”

Christina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-lang25

Pybites Developer Initialization Program for Veterans: https://pybit.es/veterans/

Pybites Podcast 118 - Veterans in the workplace, challenges and tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swg0hj6BPJE

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Kapitel

1. Humility and Hunger in Programming (00:00:00)

2. Christina's Military to IT Journey (00:07:36)

3. Python Growth and Mindset Shifts (00:12:56)

4. Transitioning Military to Civilian Life (00:19:37)

5. Python in the Department of Defense (00:24:58)

6. Family, Cooking, and The One Thing (00:28:35)