devCodeCamp

With background in finance - having graduated from a 4 year degree and working at a bank for 2 years, I wanted to expand my career with technology. What I did not want was to spend a few more years in school and miss out on years of real world experience. With this program I was able to put in the 600 hours in 3 months - constantly learning new material and working on projects that apply to the real world. A good investment. It was not easy, but in the end worth it if you have the drive and motivation. DevCodeCamp's network of employers offers a great opportunity to connect with great companies. I definitely recommend this program to anyone willing to give up 3 months to expand their career. 

Before I came to devCodeCamp I was floating along, never really doing anything that I felt proud of in any aspect of my life. However one day a good friend of mine told me about devCodeCamp and I couldn't pass up the opportunity of getting an education and a job. I chose to come here of all places, because I wanted to code, I didn't want to sit in a 4 year school, and I admired the honesty at devCodeCamp, because they're open and honest about the aspects of their program, how hard it is, and how much work it is. devCodeCamp has already changed my life, and how I think in just seven weeks, I came in here not knowing anything about coding, and now I can look at all problems objectively, and now I can code as well. This place is a game changer for schooling, devCodeCamp goes the extra mile and beyond for their students, they will always challenge you and support you through the tough time that is learning coding. 

After taking a tour and seeing for myself what the program entailed I couldn’t wait to get started! I haven’t been disappointed either. Every week I reflect on how far I have come from day 1, and I am constantly amazed at how much I have learned and how much I have created in a few extremely quick weeks. Not only has the staff shared valuable information in lectures, projects, and 1 on 1 development, but they have also instilled an entire new learning paradigm in me. I feel confident when researching new and unknown topics when working on projects, which is something that will carry on into a valuable job skill. While it is not for the faint of heart (It will test your determination and perseverance), DevCodeCamp gives learners of all styles a chance to succeed and tools for success.

My name is Keith Hetzel, the second I found out about this class I was interested in it. not just because of the future salary, but because I loved coding. Last August I started doing web development on my own and I really enjoyed doing it. I wanted to be better at it, for many reasons.

I'm here because I was going to college at MATC but I wasn't enjoying what I was doing. I was going to switch my major in college but I was too deep in my program to change. I came to their infosession about the class, then the next day I dropped out of college to come here instead. 

I love this program, I have learned more here in the past 12 weeks than I learned in 3 semesters of college. It's fun, it's rewarding, and now I will be able to call myself a Software Developer. Every single day I come here I learn, I can't say that about college, it was too slow for me, I was bored. I'm not bored here, you don't have time to be bored. The instructors teach us what we need to know, we learn, they challenge us, help us, and then we create awesome projects. They're available for contact after hours when we're at home, and they'll take time out of their personal schedule to reply. The students are important to the instructors, there is no doubt about that, no matter what position you're in, every instructor is ready to help. I have nothing bad to say about devCodeCamp, just that programming isn't for everyone, just like medical science isn't for everyone, this is exactly what I want, and I love it.

My name is MIchael Mueller, and a soon-to-be 55-year old student at devCodeCamp in Milwaukee, WI.  I enjoyed a successful 30-year career at a large Fortune 500 company, and as my peers with similar years of experience started to retire or leave for better opportunities, I realized something was still missing when I looked back at my career.  Moving up early in my career to senior management positions, I now wish more of my time would have been spent rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands dirty, so to speak.  While I have no regrets, I saw the opportunity at devCodeCamp as way to fill that hole in my career, to get back to problem solving and making a real difference in people's lives.  It also allows me to do what every self-help magazine and career blog recommends - make a career change.

As the main income for a family of six, the decision to join devCodeCamp came with some consternation and the realization it would require a huge sacrifice from my spouse and kids. The main factors convincing me it was the right decision were the coding opportunities in the software development area, my younger kids' love of games and other computer-related devices, and the great impression the devCode people left on me during the initial interviews.  I was allowed access to their amazing space in downtown Milwaukee, and was ready to start as soon as the next class of 20+ students were scheduled to begin.

During my several weeks so far, I am continually impressed at the caliber of students (both intellectually and emotionally) and the knowledge and diversity of the teachers.  Every day is a challenge, and as they emphasized in the informational meetings and interviews, as well as the first two weeks of class, coding is very, very hard.  I have faced many challenges in the past, but never have I worked so hard at trying to learn something new in such a short timespan.  Having seen the students who have graduated from devCodeCamp deliver their final Capstone projects, it is also very evident the devCode process works.  Based on these results, it is very evident this method of learning software development works.  I look forward to the many light-bulbs going off in my head, as they say, and starting a new and rewarding career.

Hello, my name is Christian Petersen and this is my story.  My interest in software development started back in the MySpace days when I found myself spending countless hours editing my profile with basic HTML and CSS coding.  Back then I had no experience or knowledge of what I was doing, I just knew that I really enjoyed the creative aspect of constructing a unique webpage with code.

While I was in college pursuing my degree in Business, I took an elective in webpage development.  Taking this class solidified my interest in pursuing software development as a career, but I was too far into my degree that it did not make sense to switch majors.

It was not until I was visiting a friend in Milwaukee, WI that I stumbled upon a devCodeCamp advertisement on my FaceBook newsfeed.  I started to do research on the program and was unable to find reviews so I took a chance and went to an open house to get more information.  I was incredibly skeptical given the cost were pretty high and the lack of feedback, but still found myself curious on what they were all about.  Going to the open house peaked my interest more, however the one thing that sold me on the program, was that they offered a refund if you started and decided software development wasn’t for you or if you reached the first make it or break it point and did not pass and wanted to get out.  You may want more of a reason, but for me personally I was looking for a big change and I love being creative with code so that is all I needed to take the plunge and move to Milwaukee from Orlando, FL to start my adventure.

The sign up process is pretty simple, but very thorough.  You will have to attend a couple of one on one interviews in which you will be shown the facility, possibly meet some students, and be reinforced the level of difficulty of the program.  This is not a tactic to scare you, just to help prepare you for the amount of work you will receive.  Most people in the program started it with little to no experience in coding, so do not think that you will be alone – there will be plenty of people who can relate to what you are going through.

Like I said before, my experience with coding was using basic HTML and CSS language.  To date, I have been in the fulltime program for six weeks and can honestly say that I do not regret my decision.  During my time here, we have tackled Javascript and are now learning C#.  I will not lie and say that the process has been a picnic, but what is comforting is that you are never without support when you reach a rough patch.  You can find support from an instructor, or from other students.  Everyone is super understanding and willing to help because they are your devFamily (cheesy – I know).  You will receive multiple projects, some fairly simple and some that are more comprehensive and challenging.  You will come to class one day full of confidence, and the next completely stumped on an obstacle that racked your brain for many hours.  Again, the instructors are there to help, however the most liberating feeling you will have is when you overcome the obstacle and just want to scream with joy (some do).

If you find yourself interested in software development, are looking for a change of pace, and like the idea of challenging the standards of education, devCodeCamp might be a great fit for you.  You will only know if you give it a shot.