gap years and different journeys as a software engineer - with Manuel Navid

In this episode, we sit down with Manuel Navid to trace his journey into computer science and how curiosity, not a rigid plan, led him there. He shares why he chose to take a gap semester, how side projects shaped his confidence and mindset, and why that pause helped him return to university more motivated. Manuel reflects on international experiences through UNITECH, living in Sweden, and working in Germany while writing his bachelor’s thesis. We talk about life after uni, landing a software engineering role in Barcelona, and growing without burning out.