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Tech Elevator offers both full-time and part-time coding bootcamps that prepare students for a career as a software developer, starting with an Aptitude Test. Throughout the bootcamp, students learn Java, HTML, CSS, SQL, API, and JavaScript. The full-time bootcamp runs for 14 weeks, Monday through Friday, 9-4:30 pm, and the part-time bootcamp runs for 30-weeks with a mix of independent study, live lectures and small-group programming. Both programs have a low student-to-instructor ratio to ensure the best supportive environment for participants. Tech Elevator’s instruction is delivered in-person at campuses located in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh. Tech Elevator offers students beyond its core markets, and throughout the U.S., class options through its National Live Remote program.
Tech Elevator’s career-readiness Pathway Program is responsible for high placement outcomes and includes personalized coaching sessions, interview practice, 12 months of placement support post-graduation, and alumni and mentor networking. Tech Elevator also offers its students and alumni direct connections to employers through employer showcases and interviewing events.
I have always been into computers and found that developing Applications was a definate passion of mine, but wanted to learn more efficiently and believed that a bootcamp would provide a better learning experience then I can have just reading books(taught myself Python). So after looking for a bootcamp that I believe I could excel in, I picked Tech Elevator. Mostly, for the reason of the main Java instructor David. He has done a lot in his career and thought that he would be a great instru...
I have always been into computers and found that developing Applications was a definate passion of mine, but wanted to learn more efficiently and believed that a bootcamp would provide a better learning experience then I can have just reading books(taught myself Python). So after looking for a bootcamp that I believe I could excel in, I picked Tech Elevator. Mostly, for the reason of the main Java instructor David. He has done a lot in his career and thought that he would be a great instructor. For the most part the classes were decent. They had too many students in a class at once and that should have tipped me off that they are just about the money then, but I still participated and felt that the course material was taught pretty well. The problem is the money back guarantee is nonexistent. If you don't get hired within the two days of the company's coming in to interview you, then you are out of luck. They will not do anymore to help you in finding a job. They say they do but I have never seen this to be true. I have even called the supposedly people they have contacted and not one of them have said that they have talked or discussed anything to anyone. Then, after graduation they really became nonexistent. I had to chase them down and basically send multiple emails and phone calls before I got anyone to respond and at times it could take up to two weeks or a month before anyone would finally respond.
Lets go back to the money back guarantee, (again nonexistent) I made it very clear that I was on a leave of absence from my current job (in which I was not getting paid) so I can take this bootcamp. The CEO told me that I could go back to work and still be eligible for the money back guarantee. Unfortunately he lied and said that he would never have agreed to that. That right there told me that they don't care about the students and they are at the end of the day looking for that check and nothing else. I am a father raising two boys, cleaning out my life savings to take this class and provide a better future for my boys and instead I got cheated by this school. Plus while we were discussing this, he tried to play it off as I was stupid and not intellectual enough to learn the criteria. What he doesn't realize is, it wasn't the programming I wasn't getting, it was the job help and pathway program they had that wasn't doing their job. The sad part is all I wanted was to find that dream job. If they truly would of done what they were suppose to and help me find that job I would of had one a lot sooner, not a year later and I got a job where I'm not even doing anything they have taught me. Overall be wary of the founder, he is like a used car salesman and will tell you everything you want to hear just to take it away when you need it most. I would not recommend going to this school.
Anthony Hughes of Tech Elevator
CEO
Jun 06, 2017
This bootcamp is the REAL deal. I came into this with a diverse background from the military, operations management, and sales. Totally off the wall careers, but I realized technology was the driving interest in each. I had researched the bootcamp model for a few years and even tried to teach myself but the book was out of date. So via networking while trying to transition into software sales, I was introduced to Tech Elevator. I had no idea I was about to change my life in just 14...
This bootcamp is the REAL deal. I came into this with a diverse background from the military, operations management, and sales. Totally off the wall careers, but I realized technology was the driving interest in each. I had researched the bootcamp model for a few years and even tried to teach myself but the book was out of date. So via networking while trying to transition into software sales, I was introduced to Tech Elevator. I had no idea I was about to change my life in just 14-weeks, but it happened!
I attended an orientation and heard from the instructors about curriculum, and the CEO about how this place could change my life, but I think what blew me away was how up front they were about the amount of work that would be required of me and the energy that would need to be invested in order to achieve graduation. I took it as a challenge and went home thinking there was no better place to learn than a place where I am challenged. I had in front of me the very opportunity I had always wanted, and all I needed to do was pass a pre-assessment, and an interview. Sounds easy enough, but it wasn't. I didn’t sleep for almost three days until I finally found out I was accepted, and then I thought to myself "and so it begins!".
From day one there was never a shortage on communication of what to expect and the plethora of resources available to me in order to be successful, but after brushing them off thinking I had this in the bag I quickly learned my second week I needed way more help than those who came from technical backgrounds. I think the feeling of knowing I just paid a bunch of money for something, and the fear of failure kicked in and I quickly started reaching out to fellow students to have study sessions. From week 2 through week 8 a group of us would show up to the 24-hour space and just bounce our problems off each other. It wasn't until I started talking to the instructors about it that I felt like a crazy man for coming in at 6am when class didn’t start until 9am. Looking back now aside from the top-notch instructors, I would say going through this with 14 other people who were going through the same issues made this a lot easier for myself. This allowed me to maximize my time and learning through out the 14-weeks.
The instruction I received was hands on applicable knowledge designed to teach you how to learn versus being hand fed the information. David Wintrich was my Java instructor, and learning from someone so highly regarded in the community as well as the vast amounts of practical knowledge he possessed was a blessing. This allowed me to repeatedly bounce ideas or concepts off the man who had built a BILLION dollar processing application. Impressed? Well I am. Having David alongside Josh, and Craig allowed me to get a feel for how to approach problems that I would see in real world situations, and how to plug away at a problem researching and tinkering until I felt that feeling of victory once it worked. I think having access to the folks who have "been there and done that" allowed me to feel confident walking away and making an immediate impact day 1 at my new job.
The bootcamp opened a lot of doors for me because I lacked a college degree, and it also gave me credibility learning from some of the best folks in the area. I do not think I would have the opportunity / career trajectory had I not taken this step versus going back to college. The technical aspect along with the touch up on my resume / LinkedIn presence from the pathway events set me up for success. Hearing industry leaders read my information and offer insight was invaluable. As a result to taking a risky leap of faith and praying for sunshine, I have stepped into a Technical Consultant role with one of the Software Industries top companies. Without Tech Elevator I would probably still be at that same job I once hated, just because I lacked the motivation to give four years away to a college. Forever in debt to the folks at Tech elevator.
Hope this Helps !
Short Version:
If you want to pursue a career in software development/programming, Tech Elevator is a great place to help you reach that goal. It’s not cheap (no bootcamp really is) and it’s not easy (harder than any semester I experienced in university), but if you put in the effort, you will succeed. At the start of the course, I had very little technical experience. By the end of the course I had 3 job offers. For the first time in my life, I was able to choose where I wanted...
Short Version:
If you want to pursue a career in software development/programming, Tech Elevator is a great place to help you reach that goal. It’s not cheap (no bootcamp really is) and it’s not easy (harder than any semester I experienced in university), but if you put in the effort, you will succeed. At the start of the course, I had very little technical experience. By the end of the course I had 3 job offers. For the first time in my life, I was able to choose where I wanted to work. I didn’t just have to take whichever job was offered to me. Now I’m working for a great company and I have a career that has a lot of growth opportunity. I mentioned that the course is expensive, but my annual salary increased by more than the cost of the tuition. Everyone’s situation is different, but chances are that it won’t take you very long to break even.
Long Version:
First off, I’ll tell you a little about myself (Skip to the next paragraph if you don’t care about me…it’s fine…I get it.) in hopes that you’ll see that you don’t need to be a computer whiz with a technical background to be successful in the bootcamp or to break into this career field. I took 2 years of Computer Aided Drafting courses in high school, so I was comfortable with technology but I didn’t know anything about programming. I went on to college where I earned a bachelor’s degree in business. After graduation, I spent a few years as a Transportation Manager. After doing the same thing for a while, I reached a point where I got the urge to learn something new, so I enrolled in a Web Development course at a community college. I really enjoyed it, so I started looking at ways to make a career out of it but all of the educational routes looked like they would take 2-4 years since I was a business major and didn’t have many of the pre-requisites. I didn’t have the time to start college all over. That’s when I learned about coding/programming/dev bootcamps. I’m from Cleveland, so I was really surprised when I found that there were multiple bootcamps in the area. I visited Tech Elevator and another bootcamp in the area and came to the conclusion that Tech Elevator was the best fit for me. The deciding factors for me were the instructor and the focus on developing the soft skills needed to land a job (no matter how much I hated the soft skills…I knew that it was a weak point for me that I wanted/needed to work on).
Now let’s talk about the bootcamp. First of all, I think it’s really important to visit a bootcamp in-person so you can actually meet the people that will be teaching you and guiding you through this change in your career and to see the space where you’re going to be learning. You’re going to spend a lot of time in this facility with these people. With that being said, I felt very fortunate to be taught by an instructor that was so knowledgeable and experienced (lookin’ at you David Wintrich). There was also great support from Josh, Craig, Terry, Andria, Anthony, and Carol. The facilities and equipment provided at the Cleveland campus were great and I’m sure that quality will be continued in Columbus.
The course itself was great. We would start the day with a quick quiz so that the instructor could get an idea of our grasp on the previous day’s material. After reviewing the quiz, we would review anything else anybody had questions about, whether it was from the day before or 3 weeks ago. After reviewing, we would typically have lecture until lunch time. After lunch we would have hands-on work for the rest of the day. Sometimes we would work on our own, but we usually had a partner and did a lot of pair-programming (“Pair programming” is a practice where two programmers sit next to each other and work on code. The “driver” does the typing and the “navigator” watches over the code as it’s typed. The two programmers bounce ideas off of each other and they frequently switch roles.) Along with the hands-on work, you’ll often be assigned reading. Sometimes you’ll finish your work by 4:30 or 5:00pm, but you should really expect to put in more hours at night and on the weekends. The course was broken up into “modules” that were a few weeks long. After each module, we would complete a “mini-capstone” project where we would have a chance to build a small application that would encompass the material from that module and any previous modules. This was a good build up to the final capstone project which we got to work on for the final 2 weeks of the course before presenting them to our peers and families at the graduation ceremony.
I went to what I consider to be an academically strong university before I attended Tech Elevator. I’m not saying that to toot my own horn, but rather I want to give a baseline to others who have already attended a university. This program required more time and effort than any semester I ever experienced during my undergrad studies. They say that this program is like “drinking from a fire hose”. Sometimes it’s going to make you feel like you got hit by the fire truck after you’ve had your little drink. If you’re like me, you’re going to be uncomfortable, but it really is a good test of mental toughness. It shows you how much you can really do when you push yourself to the limit.
A great benefit of the program was all of the career assistance that was provided. Each week we had an employer come in to speak to us about their company and we frequently had guest speakers talking to us about topics ranging from LinkedIn profiles to emotional intelligence. The biggest benefit to me was the technical interview practice and the Employer Matchmaking event. The technical interview practice starts with a mock technical interview with one of the instructors and then moves on to a mock technical interview with a volunteer from a local tech company. The reason this was so great for me is that I felt like I flopped on this mock interview, but it was ok cause you’re being given a safe place to fail and the person interviewing you will give you a lot of feedback. After that practice interview, I pretty much knew what I needed to focus on and I felt so much more comfortable. I know that it helped me because I had nothing but positive feedback from all of my real technical interviews. The Employer Matchmaking event was a day where 20+ employers came in and held 30-minute interviews all day. I had 9 one-on-one interviews in a day and while it was kind of scary at first, I had a lot of fun and ultimately met my future employer (we’re doing great, thanks for asking).
Here’s the part you are probably most concerned about… I ended up with 3 job offers (2 before the bootcamp even ended). I actually had to end the interview process with another company and I had pretty much stopped applying for jobs after I received my first offer (I’m not suggesting you do the same, I’m just saying I wasn’t struggling to find people that wanted to give me a shot). One of my offers came from a company outside of Tech Elevator’s hiring network and the company wasn’t even aware of the bootcamp, so I think that’s a pretty good indicator that I was equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to land a job. Another interesting point is that although I was in the Java cohort, I ended up taking a C#/.NET job. So you’re going to learn the language for the course you enroll in, but that won’t necessarily pigeon hole you into that language because you’re going to learn the principles of Object Oriented Programming and you’re going to “learn how to learn” programming languages. You’re not just buying a fast-pass to a job though…you’re going to have to put a lot of blood, sweat, and coffee into this.
I realize this is a lot of information and that some of it might sound intimidating, but if you put in the work and you really WANT to do this, everything will be just fine.
My Advice:
Do everything. Read every page you’re assigned to read. Complete every project. Keep up with the work… you don’t want to fall behind. When you get stuck on something, set a limit for how long you will spin your wheels before asking for help. You’ll learn a lot by trying to figure out problems on your own, but there’s no point in spending 4 hours on one little problem. Take advantage of being surrounded by really smart people. Stick around or meet up after class with classmates to do work together. Do your own work, then compare with your classmate and talk to them about how/why they solved the problem the way they did. Give yourself some time to relax. The class material is important, but kicking ass on the ping pong table is also important. Enjoy the experience, because you probably won’t ever do anything like this again!
I’ll start by saying that this was the best professional decision I’ve ever made in my life. I was hired as a .Net Developer two weeks prior to graduation and started working the Monday after. While I won’t reveal my exact salary, I nearly doubled what I was earning prior (and no, I was not working at minimum wage). I’ve had plenty of highs and lows at companies prior so I just want to start by providing some background information on my journey.
Background:
...I’ll start by saying that this was the best professional decision I’ve ever made in my life. I was hired as a .Net Developer two weeks prior to graduation and started working the Monday after. While I won’t reveal my exact salary, I nearly doubled what I was earning prior (and no, I was not working at minimum wage). I’ve had plenty of highs and lows at companies prior so I just want to start by providing some background information on my journey.
Background:
I graduated from high school in 2005 and went to college for one year before dropping out. I took five years off, working odd jobs before returning to finish with B.A. in Political Science. Afterward, I moved to Ohio and worked on several statewide political campaigns, in the state legislature as an aide, and on a U.S. Senate race. The schedule was exhausting, the pay was low, and my morale after so many losses was even lower. I was at a crossroads in my life.
I always had a knack for working with computers but no real programming experience outside of my love of spreadsheets (if you would even consider that programming). During the last campaign, I was assessing an issue with one our routers when a coworker offhandedly asked me why I wasn’t doing this (IT) for a living. I was taken aback by the comment because I just had never seriously considered it. A lot of it had to do with how I decided to pursue political science, not computer science, while in college. The thought stayed with me for days. I browsed Indeed & Monster for IT jobs but was bummed that I just didn’t think I would have any way of figuring out all of the required technologies on my own. There’s a lot to know even for an entry-level job!
So after the 2016 election, my job ended and I was looking for the next thing. I was talking with a friend who works in the tech industry and he recommended I check out coding boot camps and specifically mentioned Tech Elevator. He said that his company had hired from there and that they look for boot camp graduates specifically.
Admittedly, I was nervous. I was tens of thousands of dollars in debt from student loans, car loans, credit cards, random life events, etc. The price tag seemed too high. If it didn’t work out, I don’t know if I would have been able to recover. But I knew that if I stayed in politics, I would be in the same position that I was the year before: overworked, underpaid, and worse – unsatisfied. I was going to have to take out a private loan for the course. Luckily, because my previous job had ended, I was able to stay collect unemployment compensation while taking this course (it’s considered workforce re-entry training). Was it a scam? A money grab? I deliberated for a couple weeks then I did it:
I took a leap of faith.
My time at Tech Elevator:
If you apply for this program with the expectation that it’s going to be easy, don’t even bother. For the entirety of the 14-week program, I was completely consumed in code. Any semblance of free time on nights and weekends was gone, but I was okay with it! I wanted to learn more and grow my skills as much as I could. My instructor John is a bright, passionate, hilarious person. He seemed to be available pretty much any hour of the day when I had a question for him (sorry John’s family). He was patient with students and put in the time to work individually when anyone needed it. I cannot speak higher of John’s knowledge of .Net and his desire to teach others.
As for other staff at Tech Elevator, Katie was every student’s career guidance counselor / guardian angel. She would go out of her way to get students focused on the bigger picture (i.e. finding a job) and would go to bat for us if we felt like we were in a tough spot with an employer.
Around the time employer match-making ended, a recruiting company reached out to me via LinkedIn about a potential opportunity. In my previous career, anyone reaching out like made me suspicious but in technology, that’s par for the course. The field is so in-demand right now! I had to complete 4 separate interviews (3 with the recruiting company and 1 with the company I’m placed at right now) but I got the job! The technologies I had learned lined up almost exactly with what they were looking for.
Conclusion:
I have a new career as a .Net Developer at a major energy company in Columbus. Given that I have a non-IT college degree, I needed to follow a non-traditional path to break into the field. Taking that leap of faith was the most worthwhile thing I’ve ever done. If you’ve always had a knack for technology and want to make a career change – seriously – take the leap. You won’t regret it.
Final Thoughts:
- Say goodbye to your social life, say hello to code
- You will not be able to have a full-time job during this course. Part time? Maybe, but I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate enough if I had done that (some did)
- Go to networking events! Don’t do what I did and not attend a single one. Even though I am gainfully employed and loving it, who knows who I would have met or where I’d be if I had gone. Just do it!
- It’s okay to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of what you’re undertaking. You will not leave an expert in any of the technologies and no employer worth their salt would ever expect you to be able to perform the duties of a senior or mid-level developer
- Practice talking about the technologies you’re learning. My biggest hurdle was confidently communicating what I learned to industry professionals. I eventually wised up and did a TON of practicing, but do not underestimate how important it is to do this
- Don’t expect to be the best programmer there. You’ll have to pass aptitude tests to even get in, so they don’t just let anyone become a student. Their standards are high. Every student had strengths in different areas so listen and learn
- It’s worth it
When I read the reviews about techElevator they seemed completely fake. How come no one is unhappy? No complaints? Did their relatives review them??
Now I'm going to give another glowing review and you can wonder about this one as well...
TechElevator promises hard work, fast pace, and huge time commitment- and delivers big time. I hardly had time to breath. Said goodbye to my friends and family. Instead, I went to all sorts of tech-related meetups. And learned to be...
When I read the reviews about techElevator they seemed completely fake. How come no one is unhappy? No complaints? Did their relatives review them??
Now I'm going to give another glowing review and you can wonder about this one as well...
TechElevator promises hard work, fast pace, and huge time commitment- and delivers big time. I hardly had time to breath. Said goodbye to my friends and family. Instead, I went to all sorts of tech-related meetups. And learned to be a full stack java developer. And had a blast. AND found a job!
The program was interesting challenging and engaging, but we were guided through it all. The mock interviews I had prepared me for the "real thing" and I learned how to brand my skills and my experience. The pathways program manager is an amazing individual who truly cares about you as a person and how you can get the best possible outcome for yourself.
Now I'm a believer...
I quit my high school teaching job of nine years at the end of last school year to pursue a career in technology. I was enrolled at Ohio State part-time but was not looking forward to a 2+ year process. My mother heard the Tech Elevator ad on the radio and encouraged me to apply. They had run several cohorts in Cleveland but this was the first one in Columbus. I checked them out online and everything seemed legit - lots of positive reviews and students who landed real jobs. I complete...
I quit my high school teaching job of nine years at the end of last school year to pursue a career in technology. I was enrolled at Ohio State part-time but was not looking forward to a 2+ year process. My mother heard the Tech Elevator ad on the radio and encouraged me to apply. They had run several cohorts in Cleveland but this was the first one in Columbus. I checked them out online and everything seemed legit - lots of positive reviews and students who landed real jobs. I completed the online assessment and was invited in for an interview and second assessment. I liked the staff members I met during the interview (on a Thursday), and was excited to find out I was accepted the following Tuesday.
The program is intense. I have multiple graduate-level degrees and this was as challenging if not more than all of those programs (including law school). The good news is that it's over quickly. The bad news is that it's over quickly. I loved everyone I met there - both staffers and fellow students, and once we got into the groove and got to know each other the 14 weeks flew by. The Java instructor, Casey Borders, is amazing. Patient and knowledgeable. A true coding wizard! You will be there from 9-4:30 most days. If you're like me and aren't always the best about getting things done at home, you should probably stay until you get all of your homework finished. Try not to fall behind as things can pile on quickly. The reading may not seem as exciting as the coding but it will help you be a better programmer and pick up the language and vocabulary to be an effective communicator.
Around week 10 is the Matchmaking Event and this is where the job-hunting really picked up for me. Before the event, we worked on our resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and interviewing skills through the Pathways component of the program. Each student has 8-10 interviews back-to-back. I was so nervous, but it was so helpful to be forced to get over the nervousness. After the event, I received 5ish follow-ups from employers who attended and tons of promising feedback. One of my second interviews was about 10-days after the event and I received a job offer about 3-4 days after that (a full 2 weeks before graduation). It is at a large national bank and the pay was at the top end of my anticipated salary range. Today was my first day of work and I'm excited for everything in store for the future. And so thankful to Tech Elevator for their expertise and assistance getting my foot in the door.
I have to admit that I was pretty skeptical of Tech Elevator’s bold promise to help me get a job with just 14 weeks of training. After talking to a Tech Elevator alum, I decided to take the plunge, and I’m so glad I did. By the end of the program I was offered a job paying about 45% more than I was making before.
Tech Elevator’s greatest asset is its instructors. Josh, the .NET instructor, is phenomenal. His understanding of the material is thorough, and he has the ability to del...
I have to admit that I was pretty skeptical of Tech Elevator’s bold promise to help me get a job with just 14 weeks of training. After talking to a Tech Elevator alum, I decided to take the plunge, and I’m so glad I did. By the end of the program I was offered a job paying about 45% more than I was making before.
Tech Elevator’s greatest asset is its instructors. Josh, the .NET instructor, is phenomenal. His understanding of the material is thorough, and he has the ability to deliver the material in a way that is easy to understand. Beyond that, though, he sincerely cares about his students and their success. He was always available to give students extra help with difficult concepts, provide review sessions, or give advice about projects we were working on. Even in the evenings or on weekends, he would be on Ryver answering questions. Even now, two weeks after graduation, Josh is still sending us messages, and giving us advice on how to keep our skills sharp. His commitment to his students’ success far exceeded my expectations.
Another component of the Tech Elevator program is its Pathway Program, which provides Tech Elevator students with guidance relating to our job search. There were regular seminars focusing on different aspects of the job search (writing resumes, using LinkedIn, etc.), as well as mock interviews. The Pathway director met with students individually and helped us to tailor our job search according to our individual aspirations. The highpoint of the Pathway program was the Matchmaking event, a two-day event involving about 20 companies. I interviewed with 10 companies during the Matchmaking event, and ultimately received a job offer as a result.
On the first day of Tech Elevator, we were told that we would get out of the program what we put into it. This turned out to be true. If you decide to enroll in Tech Elevator, make sure you’re ready to completely devote yourself to the program and to acquiring the skills that will make you marketable. If you’re willing to put in the work, the Tech Elevator staff will be there to support you.
TL/DR: The best decision of my life. The instructors are phenomenal and you’re surrounded by talented, smart individuals that promote a fantastic learning environment. I initially wasn’t sold on it all myself, but after speaking with past graduates about their success after graduation I knew this was a solid career decision. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort and adhere to their learning curriculum you’ll be a successful student at Tech Elevator.
...
TL/DR: The best decision of my life. The instructors are phenomenal and you’re surrounded by talented, smart individuals that promote a fantastic learning environment. I initially wasn’t sold on it all myself, but after speaking with past graduates about their success after graduation I knew this was a solid career decision. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort and adhere to their learning curriculum you’ll be a successful student at Tech Elevator.
__________
In-Depth Review
Short Personal Background : Again, as much as I hate clichés, Tech Elevator truly did change my life. I’ll provide you with a bit of context on my background and situation before Tech Elevator. I graduated college in 2015 with a degree in engineering and out of college the job outlook for my industry plummeted due to economic reasons that I won’t go in details about. The point is I was out of a job and I had college payments approaching quickly. For the next two years I worked odd jobs all over Ohio and Pennsylvania trying to find a position that would stick. From working in retail, to working in a steel mill, and countless application rejections, I eventually realized I had absolutely no idea what I wanted or where I was going with my career. It was a difficult truth to accept, but one I had to face. I spent the next several months reevaluating my passions and, after having a talk with my brother (a programmer), I was convinced that I should have been in the field of technology all along. He mentioned that his company had hired from Tech Elevator and I decided to attend an open house to get a feel for it all. After listening to Anthony and David passionately speak about their company I decided to take the next steps and enroll as a student.
The Course: It was by far the most intense 4 months of my academic career. From day one you’re diving straight into code and learning fundamentals. From that point on you are continually building off that foundation with daily exercises and quizzes. Lectures last about 4 hours depending on the amount of material you’ll be covering that day. After that the afternoon is yours to do as you please… but I recommend working on your exercises while the ideas are fresh in your mind. At the end of each module you have a large project, or capstone, that is a culmination of everything you’ve learned up to that point. You’ll be paired up with random classmates and have a couple days to complete the project and present your work in front of the instructor(s). This was an incredibly beneficial step in the learning process since they break down your code and offer a ton of useful feedback to write cleaner, more efficient code. I absolutely loved every day of class – Oh, I think I used another cliché. Finally, for the final two weeks of the cohort you’ll create an entire application from start to finish.
Job Assistance | Pathway Program : The Pathway program is great. At college, I didn’t have a program in place to prepare me for interviews and networking the way Tech Elevator did… and that’s huge. Tech Elevator is constantly inviting and hosting a variety of employees of reputable tech companies in the area. You’ll also have mock interviews, both behavioral and technical, all preparing you for the Match-making event. By the time the real interviews roll around you’ll be prepared… and, if you’re not prepared, the staff at Tech Elevator will always take time out of their schedule to help you practice.
Advice : I wouldn’t stress too much about picking either Java or .NET if you’re stuck on that decision. I attended the Java cohort at Tech Elevator, and upon graduation I am now working for a company in Hudson writing C#. Tech Elevator provided me with a strong understanding of core fundamentals allowing for an easy transition into a language I didn’t study directly. Once you’ve learned your first language it’s MUCH easier picking up another.
Final Thoughts : Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of myself for completing the course at Tech Elevator. On day one I didn’t even know what a Boolean was and 14 short weeks later I was creating entire web applications. That’s a powerful testament to not only myself, but to the other students who’ve attended and the ability of the instructors. The peace of mind I now have since I’ve obtained a full-time job doing work I enjoy is… I honestly can’t thank them enough. I’m excited for what my future holds, both professionally and personally – and I owe it all to Tech Elevator.
I’m proud to be part of the growing, loving family that is Tech Elevator and I look forward towards welcoming you to our family as well.
The whole point of this program is simple, they teach you the skills needed to succeed as an application developer in the real world. Casey is an amazing instructor who never hesitates to take advantage of a teaching moment. You'll learn how to build a web app from front end to back end and everything in between. The course is very demanding but you will be rewarded with the skill set to succeed.
The main selling point for Tech Elevator will be the job placement. Katie and the t...
The whole point of this program is simple, they teach you the skills needed to succeed as an application developer in the real world. Casey is an amazing instructor who never hesitates to take advantage of a teaching moment. You'll learn how to build a web app from front end to back end and everything in between. The course is very demanding but you will be rewarded with the skill set to succeed.
The main selling point for Tech Elevator will be the job placement. Katie and the team will do wonders that will surprise you. They bring companies in to buy lunch for you just in hopes you will apply with their company. There's also a meeting every week about how to improve your career and manage it after the course and for years to come. They teach you how to be a professional in the workplace and what to expect when you get into your first job.
Imagine realizing your dreams are finally coming to fruition, yet looking back and finding it challenging to believe there could be better days and better people ahead. Tech Elevator will leave you exactly there, if you let it.
In my particular case, I’m 31, I have an associates degree in electronics. I had been working as a technician of sorts for years, a role it would seem i was self-relegated to be for life. I would stay up into the wee h...
Imagine realizing your dreams are finally coming to fruition, yet looking back and finding it challenging to believe there could be better days and better people ahead. Tech Elevator will leave you exactly there, if you let it.
In my particular case, I’m 31, I have an associates degree in electronics. I had been working as a technician of sorts for years, a role it would seem i was self-relegated to be for life. I would stay up into the wee hours of the night vacillating amongst dreams of creating the future, and the unyielding afterthoughts that i’d missed said opportunity. Four more years at ohio state? My credits don’t transfer? How can I possibly explain to people I’m falling off the earth for 4 months?
Like roots gradually upheaving the sidewalk, hope eventually eroded the barriers in my way. I dropped off my deposit and my quixotic adventure was enroute to materializing. I wanted to develop, just the word itself a living illustration of my desires. The pre-work was a nice introduction to what was in store down the road, further feeding my insatiable drive to learn. I submitted my two week notice then prepared, or so I thought, for the forthcoming journey.
The phrase “fake it till you make it” really takes precedence here. You are cast into a new, well, everything. Though all of the students have immensely diverse backgrounds and skill levels coming in, soon enough you’ll find you are all adrift in a bizarre comfort zone-less sea. Each day brings new material, new programs, new software, each building on the last. It’s kind of like building a brick house, you don’t know how to build a house(eh, maybe you do?), you don’t know where to start, but each day you just tote your bricks, one by one. You place it where they tell you, you morter it how you were instructed. You repeat. Over and over and over again having no clue how all these pieces fit together. Then at the end they say “look, you can build a house!”. You would disagree if you were not standing alongside the house you just built. You may have been faking it, but you most certainly find yourself making it.
Oh, and the whole “carry your bricks” deal, don’t let them pile up. The workload is immense to be sure. Getting behind would be a much more grave issue were it not for the exceptional staff and students at your side. No matter which path (c# or java) you undertake, The staff is always there for you. I recall countless days staying late, and as my instructor was headed out the door, he would do one more round of checks to see if anyone was struggling with anything at all. I couldn’t ask for better instructors, they really do care that you succeed.
Just as crucial are the professional resources that Tech Elevator offered. Do not overlook the pathway program. If Tech Elevator is the doorway to a brighter future as a developer, the pathway program is the key. You can be a truly talented developer, but if you are unable to enunciate your strengths properly, employers may be convinced you have none. I personally had the chance to see why professionalism and communication are so important, even when i thought it didn't matter. Do not overlook the pathway program. For redundancy now. Do. Not. Overlook. The. Pathway. Program. Katie, Terry, and Kalyn were the motor oil here. You may not notice or understand the importance, but things come to a screeching halt without them.
My personal favorite though, are the peers. I can’t remember being in a crowd of people more genuine and modest, all of which possessed the same fervor for learning. Given, this may vary from cohort to cohort, but the people i spoke to daily became friends. I’m not sure about you, but it’s hard to make new friends when you are 31, let alone 28+ of them. Who would have known spending 60 hours a week vociferating obscenities at compiler errors would lead to quality friendships? Seeing the individuality was just amazing, from settlers of catan to smoked meats, people brought themselves in their entirety, and it was a privilege to connect with people at their most honest and exposed level. I will say, tech elevator did an astounding job of finding others who authentically embraced problem solving, proof that they really do filter the passion from the pride.
And now, with the cohort several months past, I’ve found myself truly happy. That quixotic adventure? My reality. I’m developing robots, staging quantum computers for next generation logic gates, Digging my teeth into AI and data modeling, and learning how to take projects from ideas to plans, and plans to products. That’s really what you learn here, how to attack problems without giving up. That’s all a problem is right? a number of unknown steps you can take to get what you want? You know what companies want? People who can tackle their most insurmountable problems without giving up. I chose the java path, and I’m currently utilizing pretty much everything but java, so don’t sweat the path you choose.
I guess the takeaway here is to believe in yourself. Tech elevator isn’t the destination, it’s not your answer, it’s a tool, an elevator. You jump in, work harder than you ever have before, and it takes you up a few floors. Life is made of those things, those floors. It’s always a challenge to go up another. You have every reason, every comforting convenience to incline you to stay where you are. But nothing I’ve ever known elicits stronger emotion than feeling the progress rendered through hard work.
On a final note. when I accepted the job offer designing robotic applications, months ago a certain impossibility, they didn’t even ask for a copy of my tech elevator certificate.
That’s when i knew tech elevator was worth every cent.
Greetings,
So you're considering a coding bootcamp? I was in your shoes not long ago. I chose Tech Elevator's coding bootcamp in Columbus, OH. I was part of their Jan-April 2017 .Net cohort. Let me tell you a little about my experience.
The decision to attend Tech Elevator was not one that I made lightly. The cost of the program and the time commitment were the largest hurdles I had to consider and clear before attending. I am so glad I made the sacrifices necessary. I ...
Greetings,
So you're considering a coding bootcamp? I was in your shoes not long ago. I chose Tech Elevator's coding bootcamp in Columbus, OH. I was part of their Jan-April 2017 .Net cohort. Let me tell you a little about my experience.
The decision to attend Tech Elevator was not one that I made lightly. The cost of the program and the time commitment were the largest hurdles I had to consider and clear before attending. I am so glad I made the sacrifices necessary. I was resolute that I would not only participate but I would put all of myself into the 14 week program. It required all of that--and sometimes a little more. Tech Elevator did a good job of letting me know what to expect and the fast pace at which things are taught. A little joke we had was that it would be 14 weeks of drinking from a fire hose. IT WAS.
That is not said to scare you away, so much the opposite! It was an intensive, exhaustive 14 weeks but I was able to learn at an accelerated pace unparalleled by any other education I have had. In my eyes the difference between Tech Elevator and other bootcamps are twofold.
First, the team assembled to assist you along the way are unlike any others in their field. The instructors are a deep pools of programming knowledge and the epitome of what a mentor should be. If I had one word to describe the instructors it would be Invested. They are wholly invested in your success.
The second differentiator that sets Tech Elevator apart is the Pathway Program. This is the career prep portion of the coding bootcamp. It is a streamlined series of events that is planned with precision and ensures that if you are putting in the effort that is advised you will be prepared to launch a career in the tech industry before graduation. Take the Pathway Program seriously and it will pay dividends.
By graduation I had multiple offers from reputable companies within Columbus, Ohio. Thanks to Tech Elevator I was well versed in programming and (equally as important) I could confidently communicate the knowledge I had learned. On the day of graduation I accepted one of the offers I had received. Today (5/1/2017) was my first day as a Software Engineer. I owe everyone at Tech Elevator a substantial debt of gratitude. The program prepared me for a successful career in the tech industry and has drastically changed the trajectory of my life.
I highly recommend Tech Elevator.
As someone changing careers, I felt the need for more formalized training in Web Development to get my skills and knowledge to a level that would enable me to land a job. The curriculum at Tech Elevator was exactly what I was looking for. With a thorough training in full-stack web development I learned all the fundamentals I would need to write a fully functional web application, and more importantly, have the skills to get a job. Another key factor I was looking for was excellent teach...
As someone changing careers, I felt the need for more formalized training in Web Development to get my skills and knowledge to a level that would enable me to land a job. The curriculum at Tech Elevator was exactly what I was looking for. With a thorough training in full-stack web development I learned all the fundamentals I would need to write a fully functional web application, and more importantly, have the skills to get a job. Another key factor I was looking for was excellent teaching staff. My instructor was everything I could have hoped for: knowledgeable, patient, experienced, and someone who loved teaching. The career assistance at Tech Elevator was also incredible. From major players like Chase and Huntington to smaller software development companies, there were plenty of connections made for us that made the job hunting experience much easier. If you are someone who is thinking about a bootcamp, I cannot recommend Tech Elevator enough. I am incredibly glad I did it.
Employed in-field | 70.0% |
Full-time employee | 45.0% |
Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position | 25.0% |
Short-term contract, part-time, or freelance | 0.0% |
Started a new company or venture after graduation | 0.0% |
Not seeking in-field employment | 0.0% |
Employed out-of-field | 0.0% |
Continuing to higher education | 0.0% |
Not seeking a job for health, family, or personal reasons | 0.0% |
Still seeking job in-field | 30.0% |
Could not contact | 0.0% |
How much does Tech Elevator cost?
Tech Elevator costs around $16,500.
What courses does Tech Elevator teach?
Tech Elevator offers courses like Full-Time Java Coding Bootcamp - In-person, Full-Time Java Coding Bootcamp - Remote, Full-Time .NET/C# Coding Bootcamp - In-person, Part-Time Java Coding Bootcamp - Remote.
Where does Tech Elevator have campuses?
Tech Elevator has in-person campuses in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Pittsburgh. Tech Elevator also has a remote classroom so students can learn online.
Is Tech Elevator worth it?
The data says yes! Tech Elevator reports a 93% graduation rate, a median salary of $65,000 and 88% of Tech Elevator alumni are employed. Tech Elevator hasn't shared alumni outcomes yet, but one way to determine if a bootcamp is worth it is by reading alumni reviews. 505 Tech Elevator alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Tech Elevator on Course Report - you should start there!
Is Tech Elevator legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 505 Tech Elevator alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Tech Elevator and rate their overall experience a 4.9 out of 5.
Does Tech Elevator offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Yes, Tech Elevator accepts the GI Bill!
Can I read Tech Elevator reviews?
You can read 505 reviews of Tech Elevator on Course Report! Tech Elevator alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Tech Elevator and rate their overall experience a 4.9 out of 5.
Is Tech Elevator accredited?
Tech Elevator is licensed under the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools, Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools and Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
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