How I transitioned from civil engineering to software development — Ibrahim Shittu

Ibrahim Shittu says his journey from civil engineering to software development has been one of resilience, curiosity, and passion. “My journey from civil engineering to software development taught me valuable lessons about adaptability, continuous learning, and following your passion,” Shittu reflected. Shittu’s fascination with technology began long before university. He vividly recalls being captivated by […]

Ibrahim Shittu says his journey from civil engineering to software development has been one of resilience, curiosity, and passion.

“My journey from civil engineering to software development taught me valuable lessons about adaptability, continuous learning, and following your passion,” Shittu reflected.

Shittu’s fascination with technology began long before university.

He vividly recalls being captivated by his cousin’s “hunched-back Windows computers” more than a decade ago.

“I was mesmerized by how these machines could respond to commands and create things on screen,” he said.

“I was equally fascinated by the internet, this ‘magical’ network that could connect me to information and people anywhere in the world.”

By the age of 16, when he owned his first mobile phone, Shittu described the experience as “holding the future in my hands.” The phone became his gateway into online gaming and, eventually, a deeper understanding of interactive technology.
Though he dreamed of studying Computer Engineering at the University of Ilorin, fate had other plans.

“When the admission results came out, I was accepted to study civil engineering instead. It wasn’t what I had dreamed of, but I decided to embrace this unexpected opportunity.”

While in university, Shittu worked to stand out. He immersed himself in industry-standard design tools like AutoCAD and Revit before moving on to programming with Python. “Python was the real turning point,” he said. “Suddenly, I wasn’t just using software; I was creating solutions.”

Determined not to lose his passion for programming, Shittu developed a routine of balancing engineering studies by day and coding by night.

“Some nights I would find myself programming until 2 or 3 AM, completely lost in the flow,” he recalled. “It wasn’t always easy, but the excitement of learning something new every day kept me going.”

With YouTube serving as his “virtual university,” he mastered coding in phases — from basics to building independent projects. One of those projects, which he shared on LinkedIn, proved life-changing. “Within days, a startup founder reached out, impressed by the work, and offered me my first opportunity,” Shittu explained.

“It was surreal, going from coding alone in my ‘box’ to being hired by a real company.”
Working with early-stage startups further sharpened his skills. “In the startup world, shipping is better than perfection, building in days rather than weeks. The resourcefulness, adaptability, and end-to-end thinking I developed in startups became skills that transferred everywhere in my career.”
Looking back, Shittu believes his engineering background gave him an edge. “Engineering disciplines share fundamental problem-solving approaches that translate well to software development,” he said. “Systematic thinking helps break down complex problems into manageable parts, while attention to detail ensures small errors don’t lead to big consequences.”

He now advises others considering a career switch to start small and stay patient. “Imposter syndrome is normal, learning curves are expected, celebrate small wins, and focus on where you’ll be in 2–3 years rather than immediate perfection,” he said.

For Shittu, the leap of faith has paid off. “The transition from civil engineering to software development was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It taught me that passion matters; working on something you’re genuinely interested in makes all the difference. The tech community welcomes and embraces people from all backgrounds, and software development offers endless opportunities for continuous growth and learning.”