Tech Elevator

I walked in to  Tech Elevator after almost a decade of bouncing from job to job and contract to contract barely making ends meet. My post undergrad career was spotty at best. I was constantly bouncing around production art jobs, help desk gigs, and occasional dips into bioplamsa industries. None of which felt rewarding or fuffilling and often times led to being laid off or fired due to budget cuts. I was recommending to Tech Elevator from a friend of mie who had similar struggles. The sticker shock got me at first. But, I assure you the program is well worth it. 

Some things to know going in:

• BE prepared to work. This isn't an undergrad program where you can flake off all day and just sorta pass and hope for a job. If that is your mentality, do not go to this bootcamp. If you wanna learn and grow your skills into a new career then this is the place for you.
• The pathway program put on by the staff is by far one of the most valuable tools this bootcamp provides aspiring developers with. Be sure to go to all of them and pay attention even if you feel you don't need the info. Each session has something you can learn.
• NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK. Your instructors, TE Staff, and classmates will be great assests through out the cohort and after you graduate. Additionally, go to meetups in your city and meet people in the industry. You may very well end up having a beer with the person who will hire you for your next career position.
• Take the prework seriously and continue beyond Tech Elevator's requirements. The prework they assign is meant to prepare you for week one of the program and get you familiar with what your are doing in the cohort. I recommend going beyond their required prework and study as much as possible, and complete as much of the freecodecamp.com tutorials as possible prior to day 1. It'll give you an edge with the curriculum as well as your future career. 
• ASK FOR HELP. If you get stuck, reachout. Everyone is here for you and wants you to succeed. 

 

And that sums it up. I recommend the Cincinnati Tech Elevator highly. I graduated with a position at a company in Blue Ash, OH. Starting at $56k a year. I couldn't of done it with out Tech Elevator.  

I was a bit hesitant to leave everything behind and go to the bootcamp at Tech Elevator, but after going through the program my only regret was not doing this sooner. I was able to get a job from the matchmaking process and significantly increase my annual salary.

The instructors were very clear, helpful and patient and the Cohort I went through with were awesome to code with. The projects were useful to build on what we had learned throughout our lessons and the lessons were paced in such a way that you got to keep building on what you already learned previously.

The pathway program included with Tech Elevator was amazing and Jessica helps prepare you for matchmaking and getting you a position in your dream career! Thanks Rita, Jessica, Katie, and David for the amazing experience!

Tech Elevator is an amazing program to help you learn how to interview, create a resume, learn to become a junior developer and so much more. Before this I had the basic understanding of Java and no clue how to interview correctly or write a good resume. Through this Cohort, I was not only able to get a much greater understanding of Java but I was also able to learn other areas of coding in both frontend and backend. I was also able to greatly improve my interiewing skills and learn how to create an amazing resume. By the end of the Cohort I learned so much, from educational topics to career development skills to even learning that age does not matter here, everyone is in the same boat. It is an amazing experience with amazing people, this program is definitly a must when going into the software field.

The number one benefit is job placement (and prep for placement). Unparalleled in the industry from everything I have read, heard and seen.

Also, the homework is one of the real strengths of the program.

Finally, the teachers and staff are great.

This programming evolves and adapts quickly to the needs of employers. What someone learned a year ago in the program may be totally different from what students are learning now. Tech Elevator definitely is in touch with the heart beat of industry.

This program is very selective (less that 10% of applicants are admitted), so the quality of people in the program is amazing. I am sure many of my classmates will be friends for life (and perhaps co-workers for life too).

I am a little old-school, so I would have liked some printed material to take with me into my jobs to use as reference. A few more diagrams would have been nice as well, but these are minor issues compared to everything else.

You will not be disappointed with the results.

I'm just wrapping up my time at the Columbus Tech Elevator and I'm so grateful. This has been an amazing experience. I've learned so much and it's really stepped up my tech abilities. The instructors are fantastic and the curriculum is challenging, thorough, and very relevant. The job assistance (called the Pathway Program) really helped me transition from my previous career to where I'm off to, aiding in job searching and professional identity. It helped connect me with recruiters, tech acquisition managers, and others in the tech field. Tech Elevator ultimately helped to get me to my next job at an amazing company, which I was just offered and accepted.

I started in video and digital media, a career that I loved, but I struggled to make ends meet. So I looked at other career options and found that I had some skill with computers and programming. I took a few programming classes at a community college, and during that time I heard about Tech Elevator through family. Since it seemed like a solid career path which had some synergy with my old path, I decided this was a great way to advance.

I decided to take the .Net track, because I am more familiar with Microsoft software and because I have some previous experience with C++, a predecessor to C#. This was extremely helpful in the early stages which focused on C#. In the later stages, which involved more specialized languages like SQL and CSS, I did not have this head start because I was not experienced with these languages. The instructors were extremely patient and helpful; never at any point did I feel that I was asking a stupid question or being inconvenient, and they were always available to help. And we really needed it sometimes. We were also able to ask for help on side projects, or to discuss things like interviews we’ve had.

The thing that really appealed to me with Tech Elevator was the Pathway program, the career prep side of the school. This was very important to me, considering that my previous career struggled because I didn’t know how to develop it. I would go so far as to say that if it weren’t for the Pathway program, I might not have wanted to go to Tech Elevator at all. And I was very impressed with the results. I feel like I learned more about career development in these 14 weeks than I have learned since I started undergrad in 2010. Interview practice was invaluable, since interviews are (for me at least) the hardest and least enjoyable part of the process. Resume and LinkedIn advice was also extremely helpful.

The Cleveland Campus was excellent, with a kitchen and study area, and the garage space for big meetings and presentations was perfect. The campus was very clean and conveniently located, with some good lunch options only a few blocks from campus (good for me because I sometimes forgot to pack lunch). We also continue to be welcome there after completion of the course, so we can continue to get help looking for jobs after completion of the course and even just for events like game night.

I got my first offer about eight weeks after graduation, an excellent role for a junior developer that I don’t think I would have landed without the help of Tech Elevator. The 14 weeks you will spend here are pretty intense, and you won’t have a lot of free time and certainly won’t be able to work a job at the same time. But if you need the kind of career boost that I got, you can’t go wrong here.

I am a recent college grad of '19 that majored in Public Service. Before I joined Tech Elevator, I heard a business owner of one of the largest online Real Estate website/forums say one of his best software engineers completed a coding bootcamp. I've always had an interest in tech but that comment alone was one of the catalyst that convinced me to take the leap and commit to Tech Elevator. It was worth every penny and I am proud to say that I will be beginning my career as a software developer!!

I first heard about the existance of coding bootcamps in December of 2018.  I had a couple part time jobs at the time and was interested in finding a full time job, hopefully doing something I liked.  A bootcamp seemed like a quick way to reach that goal, so I started doing a little research.  Tech Elevator caught my attention because of their statistics with job placement and the high ratings previous graduates were giving it on course report.  I decided to take a chance and give it a shot.  I'm glad I did.

The design of this program is absolutely stunning.  If you are willing to work hard and follow the game plan, you will get a job in tech.  By the end you will know enough to be able to get and successfully navigate interviews for tech positions.  The support you will have in finding a job is top notch.  Even after graduation the school will remain invested in helping you secure employment.  There is a long list of companies that are hiring partners.  This alone is incredibly valuable as they are often able to help you get interviews.  The important thing to remember is that you ARE NOT guaranteed a job.  However, the statistics speak for themselves.  If you are willing to do the work, there is a more than 90% probability you will succeed!

As for the course itself... this was the most difficult thing education wise I have ever done in my life.  I found that on average I needed to work 70 hours a week to keep up.  If you are considering doing this, you have to be sure of two things: 1. That you will have the complete support and understanding of your family (and friends).  You will not be available to perform most of your regular household duties.  This can put stress on your spouse if you're married.  Make sure they understand what they are in for.  Your friends may get irritated with your near complete lack of availability.  Prepare everyone for your absense in advance and get them on board. 2. Be sure you want to do this.  It's called bootcamp for a reason.  If you are not completely invested in getting through it so that you can have a better career and a better life, you won't make it.  This is not something that can be faked or done with half effort the way you handled most of your college classes.

Being on the other side of it now, it's stunning how much I was able to learn in such a short period of time.  Even more stunning is that I finally have a real career, one with a future.  I am so thankful that this program exists.  If you are sure you want to go to a bootcamp, this is the one to choose.

TLDR: Tech Elevator is fast, intense, fun, and teaches you a lot if you let it. John is a great instructor. The pathway program is worth the effort, especially matchmaking. And external capstones are the way to go.

Tech Elevator was exactly the kind of program I needed to push myself in the direction I wanted. It allowed me to transition my life to somewhere I actually wanted to be after having stopped my studies in mechanical engineering due to disinterest and finding myself working seasonal manual labor jobs. With my previous educational experience I knew I wanted to work with technology, especially code, and that I needed something fast paced and intense out of a program. After going to an open house early in the year I felt that this program would be a prefect fit for what I was lookin for.

With a fair background in engineering prior to the start of this program I was worried that I would find myself bored throughout it since I had a good mindset and some cursory coding experience, and that could have easily been true but they made sure to let us know in the beginning that what you put in is what you get out. So I found myself jumping down every rabbit hole that John opened up, his teaching style kept me engaged and allowed me to feel like no only was I learning but that I was really understanding the material. This gave me the opportunity to help the other people in my cohort when I could helping me to learn more too. Additionally the pair and group work really helped me to learn not only coding but how to work with a variety of different people, from different backgrounds, with different levels of understanding, and different goals.

Now on to everyones least favorite part during the program and favorite after, the pathway portion. This part of the program was immensely helpful so long as you let it be. This was where they would help us get exposure to various types of tech companies, they would teach us about interviewing in the industry they would help us craft our resumes and LinkedIns, and more. The part that everyone always raves about is the matchmaking days, in which they set students up with quick in person interviews with companies who are looking to bring in new people from Tech Elevator. This is truly a part of the program which sets it apart, as it allows their students to be in a premium position to talk with people who are looking to hire someone like them. I know this part of the program was great for me as I type this after two weeks working for a company I met through matchmaking and honestly might have made the mistake of overlooking otherwise.

Last but not least, the final capstone projects. I chose to work on a capstone which involved an outside company, and that was an amazing choice. Doing so allowed me to work with others in the cohort who were passionate about a similar topic to deliver a product that people might actually use! Getting to work with an actual company who has real use cases and legitimate desires from a product was a priceless experience for someone to get before even making it into the industry and I would wholeheartedly recommend doing an external capstone if one sounds remotely interesting.

All told I thoroughly enjoyed the program, got stacks of knowledge, heaps of friends, and ultimately a job which I really enjoy.

With Tech Elevator's extensive academic and professional support I was able to achieve the exact goal that I had hoped to achieve when entering the program. Tech Elevator provides a challenging and valuable technical curriculum, experienced and generous instructors, and a robust career planning service. If you are willing to commit yourself to Tech Elevator's curriculum you will take relevant skills into your first job in the IT field. 

The school's course work did an admirable job at providing me with the fundamental skills I need to develop web based applications. I was exposed to front-end and back-end principles in units that varied in coverage time. Each unit was supported with individual and pairs exercises. Many of the topics that I worked on at Tech Elevator are important to the work that I do as a professional software developer. That being said, I do believe the coursework would be much less effective without proper instruction. 

The techincal instructors at Tech Elevator are excellent. Each techincal instructor is whip smart, but something that I feel is equally important is how willing the instructors are to help. It is a great feeling to approach an instructor with a (seemingly) cryptic problem and see that they are genuienly excited to help you solve it. I have not met a group of people who are so highly expreienced but are still able to make a novice coder feel like a colleague. This enthusiasm and experience level carries over to the Pathway Program professionals.

I have graduated from two collegiate institutions, and I have never experienced the level of energy or aid that Tech Elevator's Pathway Program professionals exude. I was almost constantly exposed to corporations in the area that were actively hiring for various IT roles. I had a large number of interviews that took place on Tech Elevator's campus that were arranged by the Pathway Program. Each professional was avaliable nearly all the time to help with anything from document review to in-person interview preperation. I believe that the Pathway Program is unmatched. With all of that said, your success in the program will depend largely on the effort that you put in. 

If you have seriously thought about starting a career in the IT field, and you are ready to commit yourself to learning Tech Elevator is a peerless option. The program provides you with vast resources, but it is almost entirely on you to exploit those resources. I recommend attempting to enroll if you are ready to work hard because this is a place where hard work seems to pay off. 

 

Before attending Tech Elevator I was working as a Chef for the past 10 years. I had some experience with coding but really wanted to further my knowledge and dive into a new field of work. After hearing stories of the school I decided to go to a open house, learn more about the school, and the curriculum they taught. I was hooked after that moment and after I finished my first day I knew I made the right choice. I was taught by Tom Anderson (.NET professor) who had decades of experience working in the field. The lessons he taught were easy to follow along with but also were laid out to cover all the bases needed to work in this industry. This is not an easy pass to get a new job though, I had to spend hours doing extra work and practicing on my own with personal projects to get better. In the end I felt like I learned more than enough to do the job I am working today. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is willing to put in the time to change.