Jaylen's Story: From Curiosity to a Career
How Jaylen's passion for tech found its pathway through Deadly Coders and Joblink Plus
From an early age, Jaylen had a spark for technology. What began as a childhood love of gaming with cousins turned into a growing fascination with how things worked—how code could shape a world, how wires powered imagination, and how the inner workings of computers offered a universe of possibility.
But like many young people in regional areas, Jaylen wasn’t sure how to turn that passion into a profession—until the day he got a call from the Transition to Work team at Joblink Plus.
A life-changing workshop: Jaylen's story
That workshop—a two-day immersive Mechatronics program initiated by Joblink Plus and delivered by Deadly Coders—would turn out to be a life-changing experience. Jaylen and other students built their own handheld games, like Pong, and dove into the fundamentals of wiring, microcontrollers, and coding. “It wasn’t just learning how to code,” Jaylen explained. “It was understanding how computers are made—what’s inside, how everything connects. That really strengthened my interest.”
Jaylen's Story: a second workshop in Robotics and Electronics
Inspired, Jaylen invited a friend along to a second Deadly Coders workshop. This time, they built digital safes with pin-code locks—more coding, more electronics, and more opportunities to learn. “Deadly Coders is a really good opportunity,” Jaylen said. “It’s not just coding—it gives you a deeper understanding of how things work and opens your eyes to new paths.”
That spark quickly became a flame.
Jaylen's Story: Turning Opportunity into Action
Recognising his talent and potential, Joblink Plus offered Jaylen a traineeship in IT as an Information Security and Systems Support Officer. Since then, he’s been thriving—combining his growing knowledge of cybersecurity, coding, and technical systems with a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment. Now, in a beautiful full-circle moment, Jaylen is helping prepare laptops for the next cohort of Deadly Coders students. “It’s cool,” he said. “I was a student, and now I get to see what happens behind the scenes. I’d encourage anyone interested in technology to give it a go.”
Making an Impact through an ongoing partnership
Jaylen’s story is one of many powerful outcomes that have emerged from the Deadly Coders–Joblink Plus partnership. It’s a shining example of how targeted, hands-on learning combined with strong wraparound support can shift a young person’s future.
And behind that success is a support network of mentors, facilitators, and organisations committed to investing in First Nations talent.
“Jaylen’s story really shows what’s possible when you connect a young person’s passion with the right opportunity,” said Deadly Coders CEO, Grant Maher. “He’s a role model now—not just because of where he’s working, but because he’s come full circle, helping the next generation of students.”
At Joblink Plus, the sense of pride is just as strong. Jaylen’s manager Craig shared, “He’s gone from quiet and reserved to confident and capable—he’s contributing to the team in a big way. His enthusiasm for software development and cybersecurity is inspiring.”
Looking Ahead
Jaylen’s story is testament to the life-changing power of culturally grounded, skills-based learning Deadly Coders delivers across Australia. Through coding, mentorship, and the support of his community, he’s not just building a career—he’s building a future.
If you’re an organisation looking to support First Nations talent in STEM and technology, reach out to Deadly Coders. Together, we can help create more stories like Jaylen’s—stories of transformation, opportunity, and Indigenous excellence in the digital age.
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Discuss your Reconciliation Action Plan program with our team today