Kate Kirwin - Building good developers - Laracon AU 2025

This talk features Kate from She Codes Australia as she explores the concept of the protégé effect, illustrating how mentoring and teaching can significantly enhance one’s own skills. Through research and personal anecdotes, she demonstrates how engaging with the community not only boosts technical abilities, but also improves communication and confidence. The session covers the importance of teaching concepts such as Python and React, while emphasizing that expertise is not a prerequisite for effective mentorship. Kate also discusses the value of learning from students and the role of empathy in fostering a supportive learning environment.