Tech Elevator

I have so much good to say about Tech Elevator, and a handful of things I wish had been done differently. I'm going to share my thoughts on, 1) TE staff and support, 2) curriculum, 3) the Pathway program (career prep/counseling), and 4) the overall purpose of a short-term boot camp and how I feel TE stacks up against that.

First, I want to express just how amazing all of the TE staff is. I truly felt that everyone at TE was both competent to teach the material and genuinely wanted me to succeed. On many occasions, staff members met with me personally to go over concepts I was struggling with, or work through interview and job application anxieties. In my experience, the only time you will ever be lacking assistance is when you don't ask for it. My instructors and Pathway program directors (career counselors) were amazing and I will forever be grateful for the time and energy they devoted to us, students. I believe the staff support is the best thing TE has going for it, and is the program's biggest draw.

Second, the catch-22 of transitioning to software development is that it is hard to know what curriculum to follow when you have little or no prior exposure to the tech world. I assumed that any tech stack a legitimate boot camp was promoting would prepare me for the current job marketplace. In retrospect, I wish I had been more thoughtful about that decision. Here's what TE does a good job at:

• You will have the fundamentals of object-oriented programming (OOP) drilled into you, and this will give you a solid foundation from which to build a great coding skillset regardless of tech stack.
• TE does a good job of grounding you in Java, which is great if you want to work in Java. Having more exposure to other languages now as a working developer I have learned that Java is a very verbose language, meaning you have to write a lot of boilerplate code that is handled for you in other languages. This is not a bad thing, just something to consider. Java is still one of the leading languages in terms of available jobs, and in fact, landed me my first job. So I shouldn't complain, right? (I'm personally hoping to move away from Java going forward.)
• You will have a decent understanding of SQL (relational databases, very marketable), API's (accessing data from a server, specifically with the Spring framework, also marketable), and a high-level understanding of how full-stack applications work.
• The sense of community and connection TE achieves in a remote environment is truly awesome. It does not entirely happen on its own though. I know I had a better experience in this regard than some in part because I reached out to my assigned study group on Slack immediately once we were assigned, and began setting up study sessions from week one. Now, I consider all of those people friends.

Here's what I did not think TE did a good job at:

• Front-end development in general.
• As preparation before your TE boot camp begins they will have you do some Free Code Camp courses on JavaScript, which I think they're expecting will set you up to cover JavaScript in the third and final module of the boot camp in just about a week. Not to make too big a deal out of this, but literally, everyone I spoke with in my cohort felt underprepared to jump into the Vue framework after this week. A solid foundation in Vanilla JavaScript (that's the term for plain old JavaScript) is essential to learn any JavaScript framework, and we did not have that. My caveat to this is that the best learning happens when you get your hands into the code and start using it, but it makes for a very stressful final capstone project as you feel like you still don't understand Vue when you have to use it to build a front-end UI from scratch.
• A note on Vue: I understand TE's reasoning for teaching Vue is that it is easier to teach and learn than other JavaScript frameworks (see Angular and React), from which point you can more easily learn other frameworks. However, in my experience, and by all of the job numbers I've seen, Vue is the least marketable JS framework of the three mentioned, with React being the most marketable, followed by Angular, and then by a large margin Vue.
• If you're interested in front-end development (building out the UIs that people will interact with) I would consider looking elsewhere.

Third, the Pathway program. The one-on-one instruction and career counseling I received, along with mock interviews with TE staff and outside professionals were incredible! The curriculum on the online textbook was good, and the two-to-three times a week hour-long zoom classes covering that material were, honestly, a big distraction from what I felt I really needed to focus on, the coding. Often times these sessions felt like a total recap of what I had already read in the textbook. Probably half of the employer showcases felt like they were from companies that wanted to take advantage of young devs, or regionally specific, which as someone with a family unwilling to relocate was a complete waste of time. However, the other half had some truly stellar companies that I would be excited to work for. The problem is none of them offered me a job... :P Overall, I think the pathway program should refocus its attention on one-on-one development sessions, and cut a lot of the fat.

Fourth and finally, I believe the ultimate purpose of a boot camp should be to make their students the most prepared, and marketable they can be in the time frame they have. As mentioned, my two biggest qualms with the TE program were the unnecessary Pathway program events that got in the way of my studying and learning the technical skills (making me prepared), and the poorly implemented front-end development module (making me marketable). If TE could figure out how to cram more JavaScript into the 14-week schedule, and then teach either the Angular, or preferably React framework on top of that I would consider it a five-star program. As is, they're not doing a bad job. In fact, I landed my first dev internship a week to the day after graduating. Others in my cohort landed jobs upon graduation, and still, others landed jobs a month, two, three, or six after graduating. 

There seems to be some randomness as to who lands a job when, regardless of preparedness and marketability. Ultimately, you just have to take that first step of learning to code. For me, it was Tech Elevator, and it worked out in the timeframe I needed it to. For that I am grateful. This program is expensive, though, and I recognize that I could have taken other steps that may or may not have made me more prepared or marketable for less money. It's impossible to know for sure. I believe you would do well to choose TE, but there are other great programs out there. Do your research and take that step. It's so worth it!

When I started at Tech Elevator, I did not know what to expect. However I knew I would be challenged. 
 
Not only was I challenged with coding, but I was challenged mentally to see how I could push myself through a rigorous program for 14 weeks. I was able to to do this not only from the support of the students who were also in the program with me, but from the support from the staff. Whether it be the Pathway team, the instructors, I never ever felt alone when struggling. 

Tech Elevator was certainly life changing. I met amazing people whom I still stay in touch with. I was able to break into tech which I wasn’t able to do before I joined Tech Elevator. But most importantly, I was successful in completely a bootcamp in which had me learn a couple years of coding into 14 weeks. 

I highly recommend Tech Elevator. I even miss the bootcamp sometimes!  

Tech Elevator was a big step to helping me transition into a career in tech. Previously I dabbled in some basic web development but I knew I wanted to get more serious about it. I researched coding bootcamps and Tech Elevator was recommended almost everywhere I went. Between their reputation on different forums and from the statistics of previous graduates in the CIRR, Council on Integrity in Results Reporting, I went through the process to enroll and take the bootcamp. It gave me a great foundation and prepared me for interviewing. This in turn helped me land my first dev job where I am loving what I do. 

I have always loved making things and figuring out the best way to approach a task. This eventually led me to start coding in my free time and I was hooked. When I decided I wanted to try and make a career change, I knew I needed to find a bootcamp both to make sure that I was learning best practices and for the network of employers. I did my research and found that Tech Elevator had the best graduation rates and the best placement rates. 

I left a solid and uninteresting career that I'd been in for nearly 10 years and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The instructors were wonderful and would help you regardless of if they were your primary instructor or not. They are all genuinely interested in teaching and helping students. The Pathway program was a game changer and is definitely TE's edge in the bootcamp game. I thought I knew about interviewing and resume writing, but what I knew didn't always translate to this new field. They made me feel prepared and helped me make connections. I am now a developer with a local company and I had my first interview with them during TE's matchmaking days.

If you're thinking about a bootcamp and are near a TE campus (or looking for virtual options), I urge you to attend an info session and see if it's right for you. They've got the knowledge, the skills, and most importantly the people, to help you make this change.

You can do it too. We can be in our 40s and start over, and it can be WONDERFUL. I don't have a college degree. I left my job and studied Java full time at Tech Elevator in Detroit. I graduated after 14 weeks in April of 2020, and accepted a job offer in June 2020 during the pandemic. Based on my experience, here are some bulletpoints: 

• I borrowed the money for tuition - I have paid it back. Worth it.
• The bootcamp hours are about 9-5. Plan for 9-9. If you don't have any previous experience with coding, there's more to learn than you can imagine. Quit your job to do this. 
• Make sure your family is ready to LOSE you for a quarter. Don't worry. They'll get you back x2 for the rest of your lives because you can gain salary, flexibility, and sanity.
• People say that you can learn to code online on your own, but Tech Elevator's "soft skills" program and interview prep and process was the MOST VALUABLE thing. They set us up with interviews with a number of great companies so that we could get a foot in the door for consideration, which is nearly impossible on your own.
• Since graduating, I feel years younger because my brain is still in overdrive, learning more and more new things! Neuroplasticity!
• Some of the people I graduated with have become life long friends. They are my second Home.
• I studied Java. I got a C# .NET job. I learned enough to be able to catch on quickly!
• Bootcamp was one of the most difficult things I ever did. It tested my grit, patience, resiliency, and endurance. I didn't complete this without tears, but the instructors stuck with me. The camp director pushed me to keep interviewing when I didn't want to anymore. The Pathway director helped me mock interview until I was confident that I could answer the "easy" questions ("tell me a time when...", "tell us about yourself.." etc).
• This is one of the best things I ever did for myself, and I'm thankful every day for the life it led me toward. Absolutely zero regrets for choosing to do this, and for choosing this school.

I went into Tech Elevator with no previous computer programming experience and their 14-week course helped usher me into a new career in the tech field. TE's Pathway Program gave me a leg up on other bootcamp graduates because they teach you, not only the skills you need to do the job, but the ones you need to get it, through mock interviews and practice questions.  The faculty put their students in the room with hiring managers of several local companies to get face-to-face exposure in real situations. I highly recommend the course for anyone looking for a new profession. 

I entered Tech Elevator having been a high school music teacher for 5 years. I had no coding experience except for a free Java basics course I took online a few months prior to enrolling to see if I enjoyed coding. Within two months of graduating, I've been hired as a software developer.

The curriculum is comprehensive and fast-paced as a result. It is likely that not everything will stick right away the first time, but as long as you are paying attention, actively participating, and working to understand the concepts, you will have a great foundation of skills when you graduate. Their online "book" of coding concepts is an incredibly handy resource and is written in a way to make even complex concepts approachable and understandable.

From a technical side, all of the instructors I interacted with were both very knowledgeable and very supportive. They are very understanding that this information will be brand new to most of the students.

The career-focused part of the program is also full of knowledgeable and supportive professionals that will work with you and support you throughout your job search.

Tech Elevator takes what they do seriously. Since I graduated, I have been receiving their support. It's not a silver bullet--how quickly you find a job after graduating from the program is influenced by many factors beyond anyone's control--but the knowledge, skills, resources, and network that Tech Elevator gives you will certainly make your search much, much easier.

I'm still shocked that I was able to make this career change as quickly as I did. I spent 4 years studying Music Education. It felt like changing careers would be incredibly time consuming, but Tech Elevator made it possible.

I had a friend who went through Tech Elevator back in early 2019, so I was able to watch his career trajectory for a few years after his graduation. I realized at the end of 2021 that his career in tech was exploding upward. He walked me through some exercises and gave me background how development worked, and I was instantly hooked. I quit my job a few months later, started the summer cohort, and could not imagine my life in this position even a year ago. I had Steve Carmichael as my instructor, and I could not have asked for a better teacher. He pushed me to learn as much as I could and grow with best practices in mind. At the end of 14 weeks, I had learned so much it is almost comical to list it all off. Not even a month after graduation I had accepted a job offer to a company that I can't be more excited to join. I made many friends and learned so much along the way. I wouldn't have been able to start a career in tech with such a strong footing if it weren't for Tech Elevator.

Tech Elevator is an absolutely amazing program. I went from not knowing any code to landing a job as a Software Engineer. The thing that really impressed me about Tech Elevator was how much the people there care. My instructors (shout out to Matt and John!!) were absolutely phenomenal. They had immense amounts of patience and knowledge and belief in every single one of their students. They were always willing to help with homework, side projects, and were always willing to lend a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. The people in charge of the Pathways Program (love you Laura, Kate, and Vinny!!!!) were also so incredible. They had so much experience in job searching, resume crafting, and interview prepping. Even after graduating, they were always checking in and offering advice and help. When I got competing job offers, they were so excited for me and also so helpful in helping me pick between them, and helped me properly and professionally craft a rejection for the one I declined. 

It was definitely a lot of hard work. Tech Elevator is not for the faint of heart. It's only 14 weeks long, which is not very long to learn code, but it is 14 weeks of non-stop learning and working as hard as you can! It is worth it but this is not a casual learning experience!
I enrolled in Tech Elevator because I wanted to change my life. Not only has Tech Elevator equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to step into a new career field, but Tech Elevator also provided me with amazing people all there to support and mentor me. I could not recommend Tech Elevator more to anyone looking to make a positive change in their life.

5 whole months exactly!

That's how long it took me to go from a barber to an employed software engineer. 

I gave up my business on May 3 and I'm starting my new role as a software engineer at JPMorgan Chase & Co. on October 3! 

I am so excited to join the team there, and start the next chapter of my story! I can't wait to keep learning and applying all the knowledge that I acquired at tech elevator. Most of all I'm so pumped to meet and start working with my team.

When I say this is life-changing for my family and me, I mean it! 

I know that this timeline is different for everyone and I'm not saying this to flaunt the timing. If you have followed my journey at all you know it was a struggle. 

I doubted myself the whole way. I had to make a conscious decision to believe others when they said they believed in me or "you can do this". I had long nights, came incredibly close to giving up on more than one occasion, and if you ask my partner, she would say at times I was the most depressed she had ever seen me. 

But with all that I made it! I'm a software engineer!

I really couldn't do this alone, My partner took on so much while I went to school. I had so many people cheering me on and teaching me everything from coding to what to wear in interviews. 

So some shout-outs are in order!

Everyone at Tech Elevator!
Billy Gura, I wouldn't have even been able to start this process without you. Thanks for seeing my potential and helping me get accepted to TE.

John Fulton and Matt Eland, you two are the best teachers I've ever had. Thanks for pushing me, comforting me, and believing in me. I will never forget the morning coffees and the evening walks we shared throughout my journey at TE. 

Vinny Sanfillipo, You told me over and over again to believe in myself. You taught me some killer morning affirmations, that I still say in the mirror every morning. Thank you so much for constantly encouraging me and helping me have confidence in myself.

Kate Watkins and Laura Coffee, you two work so hard to get us jobs during and after this program! I would have been lost without you both. Thanks for always holding space for me and answering every question one could have about landing that first job. 

David Lyle, You spoke to me so early in my journey and stayed in contact the whole way. Thank you for encouraging me to apply and checking in at every step of the process. 

I have about 50 other people I could thank for helping me in my career change but this post is already looking like a book.

I think I just want people to know, that you can't do it on your own. 
If you are in the process or thinking about a career change, you can do it, you just can't do it alone. Build your support system.

Believe me, if I did it you can too. Keep Moving!

If you see this and you are thinking of changing careers or are in the process and in need of someone to believe in you do hesitate to reach out to me!

If you're thinking of doing a coding bootcamp, do yourself a favor and choose Tech Elevator. I did lots of research before I decided, and I definitely made the best decision. It is an intense 14 weeks of constant new information every single day, but you leave with a skillset to change your life. They tell you to be prepared to spend around 60-70hrs a week, and that is definitely true throughout most of the bootcamp. It's a big time commitment, but well worth it. There will be plenty of times where imposter syndrome starts to creep in, but believe in yourself. If you were a strong enough candidate to get through the application process, you will be just fine! The instructors for both the lectures, and for the pathway sessions (professional development) were amazing, and they truly care about you as a student. They'll do whatever they can to work with you to make sure you succeed!
Pros:Great instructors for both the curriculum and for the professional development pathway sessions. Instructors made themselves available for you, lectures were intense but very practical with a lot of hands-on implementation. But the pathway sessions were just as important as the lecture material. A lot of time spent revising resumes, having group brainstorming sessions, panel discussions with industry professionals, and matchmaking events to give you your first opportunities to interview with potential employers. 
Cons:I don't have many cons. Any suggestions or concerns that were brought up were always addressed and taken into consideration or amended. The time commitment is very real though. I'm sure it's the same with most bootcamps, but it is a lot of material presented and needed to learn to implement in a very short period of time. So be prepared to lock in. It will definitely be the best decision of your life.