Jon Arbell

A Developer on a Learning Journey
From writing simple C++ console programs to landing my first professional work while still a student, my journey has been one of learning, growth, and building practical skills that continue to evolve.
May – June 2023

First Steps in Programming (C++)

Started learning programming with C++. Focused on console basics, learning problem-solving and logic building.

Oct – Dec 2023

TESDA Java NC III Course

Enrolled in TESDA’s Java Programming NC III course. Learned Java fundamentals, basic console applications, and a little bit of JavaFX.

Jan – July 2024

Data Encoder Job

Worked as a Data Encoder while continuing to study programming on the side. This period built my discipline and time management.

April – July 2024

Fullstack Web Dev Self-Study

Enrolled in “Master Spring Boot 3 & Spring Framework 6 with Java” by in28Minutes Official to strengthen backend skills, then started Angela Yu’s Fullstack Web Development 2024 course on Udemy to learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript basics. Couldn’t fully commit due to job workload.

Aug – Dec 2024

Grinding & Deep Learning

Dedicated time to seriously grind programming. Focused on Spring Boot for backend and picked up Angular (from November). Built small projects and practiced building CRUD apps.

Jan – Mar 2025

Thesis Project: PhishAlert

Developed PhishAlert, a Gmail extension, completing it in March. Built the backend with Spring Boot, integrating OpenAI API and Google Safe Browsing API, while the frontend was crafted with vanilla JavaScript and Tailwind CSS. Gained hands-on experience connecting APIs and building a full-stack project from scratch.

April – July 2025

Frontend Developer

Got hired as a Frontend Developer (Vue / Nuxt). Built dashboards, charts, user management, and barangay system features. Learned Vue / Nuxt 3 fast in a production environment.

Aug 2025 – Nov 2025

Backend Developer (Laravel)

Transitioned to Backend Development driven by my interest. Quickly picked up Laravel despite no prior PHP experience, leveraging my foundation in Java Spring Boot to grasp backend concepts and scalable system design.

Always Learning, Always Building

This journey isn’t a finish line — it’s a launchpad. Every challenge I’ve faced sharpened my skills, and every project is a step toward creating something bigger. The best part? I’m just getting started.

What’s Next in My Journey?

My journey has only just started. As I continue building real-world projects, I’m setting my eyes on more ambitious goals. The plan? Stay curious, keep pushing limits, and contribute to meaningful systems that impact communities.

Build Real Solutions

Focus on creating more projects that solve real-life, common problems to level up my dev instincts and creativity.

Explore Cloud Technologies

Deep-dive into cloud services, especially AWS, to understand modern architectures, deployments, and scalable systems.

Stay Flexible & Evolving

Learn new languages and frameworks to stay adaptable, future-ready, and confident in any tech stack.