Talking Mental Health: A Refreshing Change in Tech Education

Yesterday, I had a pleasant visit from four eager students from the Associate Degree Software Development program at Saxion University of Applied Sciences in Enschede. They dropped by to get a feel of the office atmosphere. As we chatted, they showed me their curriculum, and I later took a peek at the university`s website. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there’s a focus on addressing Imposter Syndrome and Burnouts – two common issues many developers face.

This is a refreshing change. When I was studying at Saxion, these topics were never mentioned. But now, they`re being talked about openly, which I think is great.

Stefan Bauer (@stefanbauerme) shared on Twitter that a high number of people in tech, 86.2% and 86.3% from two polls, say they face burnout-related issues. This is a big number and shows that this problem is real and widespread.

I’ve had my own share of such problems and at Coddin (my company), we try to pay extra attention to these issues. It’s not just about coding or developing cool tech solutions, but also about creating a supportive environment where everyone can do well.

Saxion taking the step to talk about mental health in their curriculum is a good sign. It shows a positive move towards understanding and dealing with common yet often ignored issues in the tech field. It’s nice to see that at the educational level, steps are being taken to prepare new developers not just with coding skills, but with the awareness to handle the mental challenges that come with this exciting yet demanding profession.

I feel hopeful that by talking about mental health in tech, we are moving towards a better, more understanding, and caring environment. An environment where taking care of one’s well-being is as important as their technical skills.

At the latest Laracon EU Stefan gave a talk about this and seeing it now on Saxion`s curriculum feels like progress. Through open talks and taking action, we are getting closer to a culture that values mental health as much as the code we write. And as I said goodbye to the young students, I am reminded that the future of tech is not just in the code, but in the well-being of the people who write it.

Liked this article? Let’s connect on LinkedIn and let me know your thoughts!