ElixirConf 2023 - Savannah Manning - Functional Juniors: Leveling up your New Elixir Devs

Learn how to level up your new Elixir developers by focusing on experiential learning, community involvement, and individual responsibility, with a highlight on key resources and strategies for effective growth and development.

Key takeaways
  • Abundance of resources available for learning Elixir, even for niche languages
  • Importance of experiential learning, including hands-on approaches and project-based learning
  • Key factors for effective learning: individual responsibility, autonomy, and ownership
  • Community involvement is crucial for learning and growth, including collaboration and feedback
  • Importance of testing and iteration in the learning process
  • Key resources for learning Elixir: “Elixir School”, “Pragmatic Studio’s Elixir and OTP”, and “Programming Elixir”
  • Value of pair programming, code reviews, and problem-based learning
  • Importance of reflecting on learning experiences and adjusting approaches as needed
  • Abundance of online communities and resources available for Elixir development
  • Importance of giving new devs space to fail and take risks
  • Value of having a budget for new devs to work on personal projects
  • Importance of setting goals, choosing resources, and monitoring progress in the learning process
  • Key takeaway: don’t be afraid to give new devs more responsibility and ownership of their work
  • Importance of feedback and communication in the learning process
  • Value of certifications and training programs for Elixir development
  • Importance of staying up to date with releases and new developments in the Elixir community
  • Key takeaway: continuous learning is essential for growth and development as a software engineer