Joshua Tanton

My 20+ years journey with computers and technology

 

Towards the end of high school, I started graphic design with applications such as CorelDraw, PageMaker, AutoCAD, 3D Studio Max, and Photoshop 4. In the internet’s infancy, I also took up web development and worked on several projects using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Flash. 

 

It was only when I reached my third year in college studying Civil Engineering wherein we were required to take the first of a series of programming courses with Turbo Pascal. I can still remember the excitement and wonder I felt when I wrote my first program that computes an area of a square based on user input. I instantly fell in love with programming and knew that I had found my true passion. 

 

Unfortunately, since I was only a few years away from my engineering degree, I decided to finish my course and worked in the construction industry for several years as a structural steel engineer and contractor. But the interest and passion for coding never left my mind and always took a space at the back of my mind. 

 

Then came the economic crash of 2008. In hindsight, this may have been the biggest blessing in my life as it pushed me to make a career change. With my deep desire for coding still burning within me, I enrolled myself in Applied Software Development and iOS Mobile Development at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. 

 

I briefly worked at a UBC startup on the development of facial recognition software. Eventually, I moved to a BC-based company developing Access Control Systems (ACS) that manage high-risk assets for medium to large-scale companies, casinos, prisons, and the RCMP. One of the highlights of my career was being able to work briefly at NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

 

My Wish to Give Back to my Community

Although I have had quite a long and fulfilling career, I feel a genuine need to be able to give back to my community and the greatest country I have called home. After my daughter's birth, I was surprised to realize that I have an authentic love of children. My hope is to be able to impart my knowledge and experience and become a true inspiration for my students to pursue their own paths through a fun and invaluable experience with STEM education.