A Nigerian designer, Isaac Sixtus Chizaram, has reflected on how a ₦9,600 computer appreciation course paid for by his mother in 2014 changed the direction of his career from an aspiring surgeon to a professional designer working across the global technology ecosystem.

Chizaram, who grew up in Aba, Abia State, said becoming a designer was not part of his original career plan, as he had initially hoped to pursue medicine and become a surgeon.

However, his career path began to change after his mother enrolled him in a computer appreciation course.

What started as an introduction to basic computer skills soon developed into a passion for design as Chizaram began teaching himself software such as CorelDRAW, Photoshop, Microsoft Paint and Publisher.

He gradually began using his skills to create documents, brochures, calendars and other graphic materials for people around him.

While studying Fisheries at the University of Port Harcourt, Chizaram continued to develop his design skills by taking on small projects for classmates.

He later worked part-time at a cyber café, where he combined graphic design with printing and gained practical experience that helped strengthen his understanding of the creative industry.

A major turning point came after his friend, Peace Ojemeh, introduced him to a Dribbble designers’ meetup in Port Harcourt.

According to Chizaram, the experience exposed him to a wider community of designers and helped him realise that design could become a viable global career rather than simply a skill he used for people around him.

“That experience opened my eyes to the fact that design was not just something I could do for people around me. It could actually become a global career,” he said.

His growing interest in design and technology subsequently led him into open-source communities, where he contributed to several international organisations, including the Indian Open Source Foundation, Sustain OSS, Open Source Community Africa, Python Software Foundation and the Linux Foundation.

He also served as a Project Committee Member for DrupalCon North America, where he led the design track.

Over the course of his professional career, Chizaram has worked with or contributed to technology and creative organisations including Hovercast, Solana, Flipside Crypto, Randstad Digital, WeaveDB and MadConnect.

He also contributed to the iOS documentation for VLC Media Player through VideoLAN.

Chizaram now works as a Senior Brand Designer, with eight years of experience spanning brand design, art direction and interactive media.

Reflecting on the career path he eventually built, he said curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning were central to his development.

“I did not set out to become a designer. I simply found something I enjoyed and kept getting better at it,” he said.

Beyond his professional engagements, Chizaram is also working on educational materials, a book and a course aimed at sharing his knowledge and experience with other creatives interested in building careers in design.

He said his experience demonstrates how an opportunity that may initially appear insignificant can ultimately have a major impact on a person’s future.

“Sometimes you don’t know where one opportunity will take you. What matters is being willing to learn, take the next step and keep going,” he said.

For Chizaram, what began with a ₦9,600 computer course in Aba has evolved into a career that has taken him into international design and technology communities, providing a different path from the surgical career he once envisioned.