McTaba Labs · Live Masterclass
Your First Year in Tech
How to make the most of your tech degree, build real skills, and start your career journey before graduation.
A 2-hour live masterclass for students starting Computer Science, IT, ICT, BBIT, Software Engineering, Mathematics & Computer Science and other technology-related courses.
Taught by Bonaventure Ogeto, founder of McTaba Labs — a software engineer with 8+ years working with companies in the US, UK, Europe and Africa.
Why this exists
A degree is a starting point, not the destination.
University gives you a degree. What you do alongside it determines where you end up after graduation. Most students arrive excited about tech — but nobody has told them:
- ?What to learn outside their classes
- ?Which programming language to start with
- ?Whether they need to code before university
- ?How to build projects that actually demonstrate skill
- ?How to use AI without becoming dependent on it
- ?How GitHub and LinkedIn fit into a career
- ?How internships and attachments actually work
- ?What employers look for beyond grades
Your First Year in Tech answers these questions before you make the mistakes — not in third year, when it's late.
Who it's for
Made for the class of September 2026
Whatever the exact name on your admission letter, if it's a technology course, this class was built for you.
Computer Science
Go beyond coursework and build practical software engineering skills.
Mathematics & Computer Science
Where maths, algorithms and programming become career opportunities.
Information Technology
Turn an IT degree into practical skills and real-world experience.
ICT
Understand the wider tech ecosystem and the skills that make you employable.
BBIT
Combine business knowledge with the technology companies actually need.
Software Engineering
What software engineers really do — and what to learn outside class.
Information Systems
How technology, business, data and software meet in real organisations.
Data Science & AI
The skills beyond the degree for building real data and AI projects.
Cybersecurity
Start building practical security knowledge while still at university.
Computer Engineering & more
Identify your strengths and build a career around them.
About to join this September, or already in first year and want to reset your approach — both are exactly right. Parents and guardians are welcome to sit in too (more for parents below).
Why this masterclass
Same degree. Different four years.
Two students can study the same course at the same university — and graduate with completely different outcomes.
One graduates with…
- —A degree
- —No portfolio
- —No professional network
- —Little practical experience
- —No clear career direction
The other graduates with…
- ✓The same degree
- ✓Real projects on GitHub
- ✓Internship experience
- ✓Industry connections
- ✓A professional online presence
- ✓A clear specialisation
- ✓Proof they can actually build things
The difference isn't intelligence. It's what they did with the four years. This masterclass exists so you become the second graduate — starting from your very first semester. Reserve your spot →
The 2-hour agenda
What you'll learn
Ten parts. Two hours. Everything I wish someone had told me before my first lecture.
PART 01
What university will actually be like
More freedom, more responsibility. How to study technical subjects, manage your time, handle hard programming and maths units, and never fall behind.
PART 02
What your degree actually means
Computer Science isn’t IT. IT isn’t Software Engineering. BBIT isn’t ICT. What each course focuses on, where they overlap — and how to make yours work for you.
PART 03
Do you need to code before university?
No — and we’ll prove it. What you actually need is to understand how programmers think, and how to approach learning without feeling overwhelmed.
PART 04
What to learn outside the classroom
Programming, web, databases, APIs, Git, cloud, security, data, AI — you don’t need to master everything. You need to know how to choose what to learn next.
PART 05
Your first tech project
The biggest mistake is years of learning without building. How to move from "I’m learning programming" to "I built something" — even as a total beginner.
PART 06
GitHub, LinkedIn & your digital presence
Your career begins when you become visible, not when you graduate. Portfolios, communities, and documenting your learning — evidence of what you can do.
PART 07
How to use AI without letting AI use you
AI as a learning assistant, not a crutch: asking better questions, understanding generated code, and the skills that stay valuable as AI gets better.
PART 08
How internships & attachments actually work
When to start looking, what employers actually want, how projects strengthen applications — and what to do when you have no experience yet.
PART 09
How to find your place in tech
Tech is far bigger than "software developer": engineering, data, AI, cybersecurity, cloud, product, design, DevRel and more. Start exploring early.
PART 10
The four-year game plan
A year-by-year strategy from first semester to first job — so graduation is a launch, not a question mark. Full breakdown below.
Plus live Q&A: ask anything about campus, coding and careers. Nothing is off the table.
The four-year game plan
4 YEARS
Don't just spend them getting a degree. Use them to build a career.
YEAR 1
Explore
Build foundations. Try different areas. Ship your first small projects. Find your communities.
YEAR 2
Build
Go deeper. Build serious projects. Grow a portfolio. Find mentors.
YEAR 3
Experience
Intern. Work on real projects. Collaborate with other developers. Build professional relationships.
YEAR 4
Launch
Interviews. Applications. Your network at work. Contribute to the industry.
GRADUATION
"Here's what I've built."
"Here's what I know. Here's what I want to do next."
Your degree takes four years. Your career can start in your first semester.
Outcomes
What you'll walk away with
- ✓A clear picture of what your degree actually means
- ✓What to focus on in your first year
- ✓The skills to develop outside university
- ✓How to start learning programming
- ✓How to start — and finish — your first project
- ✓How GitHub works and why it matters
- ✓How to build a professional online presence
- ✓How to use AI as an advantage, not a crutch
- ✓How to prepare for internships and attachments
- ✓A four-year strategy you can start on day one
Why listen to me
Nine Septembers ago, I was exactly where you are.
In September 2017, I reported to campus to study a tech course with no laptop, no coding experience, and no computer studies background from high school. I was starting from zero — maybe further back than you are today.
What changed my life wasn't talent. It was people. I found a small group of friends who were serious about tech. They showed me how to set up my first laptop, which skills were worth learning first, and which mistakes to avoid. We learned to code together, built projects together, and landed our first tech jobs together.
That beginning took me further than I ever imagined: over eight years as a professional software engineer, working with companies in America, the UK, Europe and here in Africa. Today I'm the founder of McTaba Labs, a coding school in Nairobi.
Here's the truth: the students who win in tech aren't the ones who arrive knowing the most. They're the ones who start right — right people, right mindset, right path. Most students only figure this out in third year. I want you to have it before your first lecture.
For two hours on Saturday 29th August, I'll be for you what those friends were for me.
Bonaventure Ogeto
Founder & Lead Engineer, McTaba Labs
SEPT 2017
Reports to campus
No laptop. No code. No computer studies.
FIRST YEAR
Finds his people
A small community of friends serious about tech.
CAMPUS
Learns & builds
Laptop set up. Skills mapped. Projects shipped together.
TOGETHER
First tech jobs
The same friends land their first roles side by side.
8+ YEARS
Global engineer
Companies in the US, UK, Europe and Africa.
TODAY
Founder, McTaba Labs
Training the next generation in Nairobi.
SEPT 2026
Your turn
Start right, from day one.
Behind the masterclass: McTaba Labs is a technology education company helping students and aspiring professionals build practical, career-ready skills through real projects, mentorship and community.
LEARN · BUILD · SHIP
For parents & guardians
Your child is starting a technology degree. What happens next?
What exactly will they learn? What jobs can they get? Is Computer Science better than IT? What skills should they have? How can you support them?
These are the questions this masterclass answers. Technology careers are changing quickly — a university degree is still important, but today's students also need practical skills, real projects, exposure to industry, and the ability to keep learning. The earlier your child understands this, the better prepared they'll be, and the more that degree will be worth.
Reserve your spot
One Saturday morning. KES 1,000.
Less than the cost of getting it wrong for a whole semester.
What's included
- →The full 2-hour live masterclass — all ten parts, with open Q&A
- →Replay access for 7 days if you miss anything
- →The First-Year Starter Pack — laptop checklist, tools to install, communities to join
- →An invite to the McTaba Labs student community
KES 1,000
One payment. M-Pesa, secured by Paystack.
Questions, answered
FAQ
🕐 9d
Your university journey is about to begin. Start it with a plan.
Don't just graduate with a degree. Graduate with skills, experience, projects and a network.
Learn · Build · Experiment · Meet people · Find mentors · Ship projects · Fail · Try again
Reserve your spot — KES 1,000KES 1,000
Sat 29 Aug · 10AM EAT