Software Guild

I attended the January 2017 Cohort at The Software Guild in Akron, OH. Was it perfect ? No. Was it one of the better decisions of my life ? Probably.  Would I come here again and do it all over from scratch ? Absolutely.

I went in with a solid understanding of OOP concepts and ability to make simple apps in Java. The first few weeks were a good refresher, but once we got into design, testing, and building applications of substantial size I really began to appreciate everything the guild was offering. Pat Toner was our instructor and he was, as others have said, a Java ninja, but more than that he was a really personable teacher who was as engaging as he was knowledgeable (if not a bit snarky)! I would have liked more lecture time, but part of the guild is learning how to learn when it comes to programming and doing things on your own. The second part of the course covered web applications with Java and the presentation of the material and the flow was, for the most part, great. Being able to go from simple console apps to dynamically created and updating web apps is kind of unreal, given the time span in which we were able to do it. 

I came in expecting to learn a ton of stuff that wasn't readily available online (design patterns, workplace norms, test driven design) and become employable. I'm happy to say that both these goal were accomplished. You definitely get out what you put in and the more time you have to dedicate yourself to these 12 weeks, the better you'll probably do. I would have liked the pacing of the course to be different / better at times and I would have liked more time with some of the meatier concepts (security, REST web services), but given the timing, some topics had to be introduced and then we had to move on.

I'm quite happy with my time here, I came out of the guild with a job, I was able to develop apps for both the guild coursework and for myself and I learned so much that will help me (I feel) transition to a real world environment. 

It's a good learning experience. From knowing nothing to knowing something. Before I attended, there is a month and a half worth of prework on HTML, CSS, minor JavaScript, and basic computer stuff. As I am writing this review, I only have one day left of class. Now I can say I am a full-stack developer. I will be always be tightening up my skills. I would attend this if you are a quick learner and highly motivated to get a job in the software industry. It's not for everyone, so think about it closely before investing time and money into this. I think I have learned alot, and it was good for me.

If you're on the fence about bootcamps in general or which bootcamp you would like to attend I just want you to know that The Software Guild is worth it.  The course is difficult but has structure so your able to build on the knowledge you gain.  I know multiple people from my class that  secured jobs even before they gradutated which is a testimate to the structure of the program.  The results for the guild speak for themself (linked below).  The short version of what really could be a long review is this, the program is worth it.

https://www.thesoftwareguild.com/cirr-report/

The Software guild has been a wonderful experience for me. I came here with almost no knowledge of computer software or anything related having spent the last 10 years in the service industry as a bartender. I heard about software bootcamps from a family member and decided to look some up, it was hard to decide which one to go with since their are so many out there. After doing some research i decided to go with the software guild because of all the great reviews i read. Im 100 percent glad that i decided to do this, it was difficult but not impossible. You really get out what you put into it. For 3 months you will eat sleep and breathe code, at times it will be frustrating but know that everyone is in the same boat as you and dont be afraid to ask questions. 

My time at the software guild was an amazing time and ive built life long friends and relationships here. The staff was awesome, I did the JAVA cohort and it was a blast. Patrick Toner was a heck of a teacher and was very knowledgable about all topics. He never spoon fed us information and always pointed us in the right direction in search of the correct solution to a problem.I would take this course over again for the simple fact that the man is incredibly smart and made the class fun. We spent alot of time doing projects and working in a team environment. I feel like it really mimicked what a real work experience is going to be like. 

In weeks 6-7 i began putting together a resume and portfolio of projects i did and started putting out feelers, by the end of week 8 i had a job lined up. In week 10 we had an employer event where all the companies in the guild network show up and have 15 minute interviews with the apprentices. Matt Lopiccolo is the man in charge of the akron area job recruitment/search and he did a heck of a job making sure everyone was prepared for interviews and such. We're now in week 12 and almost everyone has accepted a job offer or has offers on the table. 

If youre thinking about attending this bootcamp i would highly recommend it!!!

The Software Guild is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I decided to attend TSG after a year of CS at two seperate colleges, and neither year comes close to the amount of quality and necessary skills I learned while at TSG. The first half of the course was dedicated to console applications, and during this process I was taught best practices for applications as well as version control and working in a team while developing. 

The second half of the course was angled towards front-end dev, while still enforcing everything we had been taught so far.

My instructor was Dave Balzer, and he was great. He, along with all the other instructors, really wanted us (the apprentices) to succeed and it was evident in everything they did. There was always someone ready to jump in and help explain something, or to meet with me for a code review.

If you have any reserves about TSG, I would say put them to bed because attending here was the best decision I have ever made.

The Software Guild gave me the skills, the confidence, and the network I needed to land a great job as a software developer. I heard about the Guild from a friend almost a year before I enrolled. I took that time to find out if software development was something I could actually get into or not. They say you can start the program with no previous experience, but personally I prefer to be a little more prepared. Especially when investing so much time and money.

That time to prepare was not wasted. There are plenty of online tools to help someone learn programming concepts and languages. And though they may not be a complete program in and of themselves, they make for great prep work for someone with no experience with the subject. Anyway, without proper, prior, preparation, I may not have performed so well. That being said, the Software Guild was the perfect opportunity to build on that self study.

The coursework was intensive and structured. There was enough repetition of in-depth concepts that they not only made sense by the end, but became second nature. We built individually and in groups several full stack applications from the ground up. I walked out of the cohort with the ability to set up a SQL database, write stored procedures, connect to the database in my code, swap out mock and live data with factories, move data through layered architecture in a safe manner, and display and manipulate that data in the browser. The Guild also prepared me to work with source control in a team environment, a skill which I now use every day on the job to access and update my own team's codebase. Basically you get 3 months of full time education, experience, references, mentors, and a hiring network to boot. They delivered as advertised.

I attended the .NET cohort on site in Akron Ohio and David Balzer was my instructor. The structure and content were great, but it also comes down to the quality of instruction and Dave nailed it. He presented the information clearly, took the time to answer any question, and would always show encouragement and support. When someone was really stuck, Dave would sit down and walk through the problem step by step explaining along the way. This really helped to understand some of the more difficult concepts.

The rest of the staff was also amazing. I always enjoyed my interactions with the instructors, mentors, and the administrative staff. I honestly can't say enough about this place. If you are willing to put in the work and trust the process you should definitely see the results.

My advice, find out if you really love programming first (this includes working with people btw). If you do, the Software Guild should be a great next step for you. Highly recommended!

Once upon a time, I was in a miserable, horrible situation with my career and knew that something needed to change.

That change was The Software Guild, which — by way of a piece on NPR — made big ‘promises’ that in 12 weeks I could change everything. I could learn a trade [software/web development] and find a new career [via their career development efforts and hiring network].

It sounds too good to be true? For some in my cohort it was, and things didn’t pan out as expected. For me? I found a new life, and I am absolutely grateful to The Software Guild for that.

NOTE: I attended the January 2015 Java cohort. I was employed directly out of the Guild, though working with technology that I hadn’t studied [COBOL and C#].

The Good

Far and away, the best aspect of this program is the instruction. My caveat to that is that I only had one instructor [and a TA] of the available instructors. Pat Toner. If you are considering doing TSG, I’d highly recommend that you do whatever you can to be in Pat’s class — even if that means that you have to wait for the following cohort.

Pat’s style is unconventional. He teaches in a conversational tone and manner, which helps to lower the stakes a little in an incredibly stressful environment [more on that later]. Pat is also absolutely brilliant, and getting to watch him in his element of designing and coding was nothing short of inspirational. If it sounds like I’m being overly indulgent on the qualities of Pat, let me assure you that I am not. He made this entire experience worth it for me.

I’m also going to put the aforementioned stress level as part of ‘The Good.’ Why? Because it was motivating. In my class, which consisted of 15 men aged 22–65, at least 12 of us had put everything on the line in order to attend. Several of us were married with children who needed to be successful in this venture or else face pretty dire consequences. At no point did I feel that my situation [I came into the Guild with a 1 year old and a 4-months pregnant wife…] was undercut or belittled. The stress level also somewhat mimicked what life can be like [though isn’t always] in a development setting.

The Not-So-Good

Administration is, frankly, very bad. During my 3 months in the Guild, 3 staff members were turned over [the hiring network leader, the administrator, and one of the teachers]. The hiring network one stung the most, as we found out in week 11 that our fears of not feeling prepared for the hiring events were well founded and that he had shirked 90% of what his job responsibilities were. Unfortunately, we did not even get an acknowledgement from the staff [including the founder] of how we had been really given the short end of the stick. I cannot speak to the new hiring network leader’s work, as I only spent 1 week with him.

On top of that, our cohort was one of the first after TSG was bought by The Learning House. As such, there was a lot of bad communication, and we often felt left in the dark as to what was going on. At times, it felt like we were the guinea pigs. Not a great feeling when you’ve put your life on the line [and a large chunk of money].

And so?

If you go in with eyes wide open, you can be successful. This is not a fix-all for your life, and there are no guarantees that you will make it through and find gainful employment at the end. Like everything worthwhile in life, it’s a huge risk. Would I do it again? I don’t know. Am I glad that I did it? Absolutely. 

I was part of the Java cohort at the Software Guild from April to July 2016 in Akron, Ohio.

Short Review:

1) The Instructors were great!  Pat Toner is a Java ninja with more than 15 years of professional experience.

2) The local employer network is strong: about 12 or so local companies came for speed dating interviews on site.

3) I had 4+ job offers a week after I was finished

4) I am now 6 months into working as a software developer at a Consulting company.  I have been learning Javascript, Angular2, C#.Net .Net Core, and SQL server as new projects at my job necessitate.  It is hard to believe looking back how I got to where I am today in only 9 months.  The Software Guild had a huge part to play in helping me:

a) gain the technical skills
b) learning how to learn
c) approaching software design first and foremost from the problem to be solved and only then getting into the design and implementation of the technical solution which helps to solve the core problem and determines the value of any specific technical aspect no matter how cool.
d) gain the psychological confidence to get out there and interview for my first job in tech.

I recommend the Software Guild as a good stepping stone into the world of Software Development.  I am happy to talk with anyone about my experience there and hope it may help you in your own journey.

Longer Review:

My background: After starting college as an Electrical Engineering major I got board and although at the top of my class, decided to pursue a career as a professor in the humanities.  I finished with a BA in Philosophy and Religious Studies, did my MA, and was working on a PhD.  I loved teaching, learning, and imparting knowledge in a way that helped others have the “ah-ha” moment.  Higher education is a mess with one real job for every 5 - 7 highly credentialed and qualified people.  So I decided to make a change.  While I was working on my PhD I worked at a Church doing leadership formation, communications strategies, programing, and strategic planning.  While there I was asked to redo their web site.  I had no idea how to make one.  I picked up Wordpress as I worked with someone who was a seasoned wordpress developer.  I also started to dabble in Javascript, CSS, and HTML and loved it.  I knew I wanted to make a profession change but the question was how.  I saw 3 routes.

1) keep my current job, self study, make a project, then interview for entry level developer jobs

2) quit my current job, totally dedicate myself to self study, make a project, then interview for entry level developer jobs

3) quit my current job, go through a bootcamp, then interview for entry level developer jobs

While I think all three of these are valid ways to getting into the software industry ( I know people who have done each), I was leaning towards the 3rd option since it seemed like the quickest way to get into the field, 12 weeks, all in, job change, then get paid to learn more on the job while getting professional developer experience.  Option 1 could take up to a year depending on how much time each night I was able or motivated to dedicate to it.

So why the software guild?  I researched and read up on many different bootcamps.  Some seemed like a scam and probably were.  Others seemed more reputable with alumni who are working as developers and becoming senior level people.  I was impressed reading some of the reviews of Software Guild Alumni.  I was also attracted to the Guild since it introduced you to a more traditional (C#.NET / Java/Spring ) object oriented programing language and framework used by many many enterprise level companies.  I wanted some formalized education but not another college degree, so this seemed like a good fit.  It also worked for me being from Ohio, close to home, I was able to stay with family nearby, and the tuition was reasonable (10,000) compared to other bootcamps.

I enjoyed the staff, the teachers, and the other students in my cohort.  The teachers knew their stuff and were invested in helping you succeed.  Not a place to be spoon-fed success, so come with an active spirit (but that is all of life!!), if you are active and passionate in learning AND in your job search, you will find a job.  Finding people who are qualified, passionate, and personable is HARD for companies, if you want this and enjoy it and want to work hard at a career of using software and tech as a tool to solve human and business problems, you will be hired!!

Pat Toner, who was my Java teacher, was great! All the other teachers were available and happy to help with questions or give you more side projects.

The curriculum moved a bit slower than I expected but Pat always had a list of more projects and things to work on if we completed assignments, so no time was wasted.

The outcome was proficiency and familiarity with:
web development using MVC design, Object Oriented approaches to programing, the Agile approach to developing a software product as a team, git (a source control tool), 

The title of this review is in no way an embellishment of my experience at the Guild. Prior to attending the Guild I was stuck in dead end job with no upward mobility.  Two weeks after graduating I had recieved two offers from companies I was excited to join.  If you are passionate about programming and motivated to change your career then attending the Software Guild is a no brainer.

I owe a lot of my success to my instructor Pat Toner.  Pat was not only an expert in building enterprise business applications but also an expert instructor in this field.  I always felt comfortable approaching him no matter what the problem.  He is a master at providing non technical metaphors to assist in understanding some of the more abstract concepts in software development.

Pat wasn't the only staff member that impressed me during my time in the program. All the teaching assistants are wonderful people who are always available to help. Not to mention the excellent assistance I recieved from John Manila and Matt LoPiccolo who were in charge of helping students attain employment. They were helpful during and after my completion of the program. These two organized an event that enabled all the students to interview with companies seeking developers. I ended up accepting an offer from a company that attended this event.

I couldn't of been happier after attending the Guild but I must warn prospective students to make sure they are financially stable before enrolling. The Guild does offer options to help students with tuition and living expenses but you must consider the time after the program. You shouldn't expect to have a job lined up upon completion of the program. It takes a lot of hustle to land your first software development job and that might take some time. But overall I am enthralled with the experience and am proud to be a Guildee for life!

I was part of the first online .NET cohort (~May 2016).  Initially, I was very excited.  I think they do a good job teaching the fundamentals.  And I think their material is top-notch.  However, the instructors are quite busy.  It can be hard to connect with your classmates, because most of them have already full-time schedules (that is why they are in the online cohort in the first place!).  The basic premise is that the in-person bootcamp is 60 hrs / wk, so the online expectation is 20 hrs / wk (so 9 month completion vs 3 month completion).  However, based on surveys of my fellow classmates while I was in the class, expect to put in more than 20 hrs / wk.  I think they were planning on changing it to 12 month completion because the work was taking longer than they had anticipated.  It's reasonable, because you are presumably juggling a full-time job and possibly a family at the same time.

I feel like code reviews could have been done better.  I think my experience became a lot better once they moved from Hipchat to Slack.  I was able to connect with in-person and even some graduates of the program.  I think because our cohort had a lot of early drops, we ended up with about 10 students after about a month, and our specific cohort channel chatter dropped to almost zero.  Also, I was always told not to talk about advanced math or algorithms (I have a degree in physics, I can't help it....)

I think the reason I might have lost some of my excitement is because I wasn't able to progress faster (being the first cohort, they were still creating material as we were moving forward).  Also, I actually have a fair bit of background in programming: just not enough to get into a masters program or get a job in Software Development.  So I thought the bootcamp would help me bridge the gap.

The reason I left early was (personally):

1) I started getting interviews from major companies in my area (Seattle) (Expedia, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft).  I even made it to the on-site round at Amazon, but my feedback was my algorithms and problem-solving weren't quite good enough.

2) Algorithms are generally de-emphasized and / or completely ignored in this bootcamp.  The focus here is to get a Jr. Dev job in the Akron / Louisville / Minneapolis Area, which is a lot different then getting a development job in Seattle or San Francisco.  I got many algorithm questions for every interview I did.  However, I don't think it is as necessary outside of the SEA / SF area.  I think they have a fairly good track record of placing their bootcamp grads into their locations.  In response to my rejection from Amazon, I dropped out of the bootcamp and enrolled in the Data Structures and Algorithms specialization from Coursera (which I highly recommend for anyone, but I am an algorithms geek).  It looks like it was a good choice for me personally, because Microsoft will be extending an offer to me after my onsite last week :)

I can't speak much about job assistance, but their employment lead was in technical recruiting for 20 years, so that can't hurt.  Also, some of their instructors have a podcast called Dev Coaches podcast, I'd recommend giving it a listen for anyone who has an interest in development.

In summary, if this review was too long to read, I'd say if you are in the Minneapolis / Akron / Louisville area or in general would not mind relocating, then the bootcamp is a good choice.  However, if you want to get a job in the algorithm-heavy areas like Seattle, San Francisco, and I have to guess New York City would also be like this, consider other options.

This bootcamp helped me become excited about development and improving myself.  I don't think I'd be where I am today if I hadn't enrolled.  The instructors are very friendly!  And the people are great.  All kinds of different backgrounds, an ice carver, a flight attendant, a VP at a bank, a software tester, and a IT networks professional (just a few of the friends I've made there!).

Anyone looking to have a career in Development should take advantage of this opportunity.

I attended the Software Guild as part of the April 2016 Java cohort with Pat Toner as my instructor. In just 12 weeks I became a competent junior-level developer having learned technologies such as Java, HTML\CSS, JavaScript, Ajax, JSON, MySQL, and much more. 

Before the Software Guild, I was a dishwasher(past 4 years), had no degree, and basically no support system.

If you are highly motivated, persistent, and self sufficient this program will be viable for you, regardless of your background.

My experience at the Software Guild

While I was there I took advantage of the short-term sublease to apartments that they offered which was right down the street from the guild. Staying at the apartments was extremely beneficial because it made it much easier to focus on what I was there to do and three other members of my cohort were in the same loft, so if I was ever stuck on a problem, help was near by.

I would say the first four weeks were the most daunting. The first week was pretty relaxed, we spent time getting to know each other and the curriculum for the next 12 weeks. After the first week, we hit the ground running. The next three weeks were the most crucial,  there was a lot of information to take in during class and plenty of work to do from home. I dreamt about code the most during this time, surprisingly I actually dreamt up solutions to some problems in my sleep. Basically once you make it through the first four weeks, you'll know if coding is for you.

After the first four weeks, the intensity went down a bit, I adjusted to the lifestyle and we started to focus more on different technologies. 

Instructors and Staff

I don't know how my experience would have went without my instructor Pat Toner. Learning how to write code can be very confusing and not so straight foward. My instructor was very good at making concepts easy to understand and taught us the best coding practices. Sometimes it takes a little more for me to learn certain material. I can't just read about something or just have someone verbally tell me how to do something. I need to actually understand what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and see it being done. Pat does a great job of painting that picture, explaining things in a way so I can actually understand why/how to do something, instead of just going through the steps.

I havn't had a chance to learn from any other instructors but they were all friendly and would go out of their way to help.

Job Assistance

The Software Guild does an excellent job at providing job assistance. We focused more on our job search during the end of the program but our employer network director, John Manilla, was always available for mock interviews or to give any advice that was needed.  Around the last 2-3 weeks of the program they host an employer networking event where they invite a number of companys to interview with. A number of my collegues ended up with offers from the networking event. Unfortunately I didn't, but about two months later I ended up with an offer from Nationwide thanks to the feedback my instructor gave as a reference.

Ultimately the search is your own, but you are given all the resources you need for it to be successful. 

This program should be a serious option for those who are interested in transitioning to a career in software development. 

At around May of 2015, I was at an important crossroad in my life: I knew I wanted to pursue a career in software development, but like most others in that kind of situation, I was led to chose between two options: going to a programming bootcamp or atttending a 4-year CS degree program. 

Ultimately, I decided that after already having obtained an undergraduate degree (in Physics and Mathematics), a quarter of a medical degree, and comitting four separate years as a tour-bus driver, attending school for another bachelors degree --which you'll learn carries less weight in this industry than it does in others-- felt like more of a risk than an investment.

So I enrolled in Software Guild and thought: whatever-- I can fill in the theoretical deficiencies within 3 years and 9 months of my own free time while getting paid as a software developer. These numbers were based on the assumption that I would actually land a job straight out of bootcamp.

And land a job(s) I did. I applied to 80-some jobs after bootcamp (with most of the non-prestige positions being in Houston, my hometown). Only three companies saw that I was worth their time for an interview. These three interviews eventually led to offers-- one of which was from IBM.

Many of my current co-workers have commented positively on my performance, and not just in respect to my background, but generally speaking for a junior software developer. This is where I must give Software Guild most of the credit. Their program not only taught me the technical skills that the industry needs, but also the soft skills necessary for a budding software developer to scale nicely into a senior-level practitioner-- skills like project management, effective team communication, prioritization, and how to work efficiently.

If you're truly interested in software development, I urge you to give Software Guild a shot. It is a positive, nurturing, and efficient learning environment. It is clear that Victor, Randall, and Sarah were given the gift to teach. They will patiently answer all and any of your questions (even those that are "into-the-weeds"). If you give them the chance, they will also act as your friend and mentor, polishing your soft skills until you are ready to successfully step into a real interview scenario. 

In closing, I'd say that the smartest decision would be to give it a try, and if it doesn't work out, then go for a 4-year degree. However, make the most of your time while you're there by obsessing over your work and utilizing all of their resources because this is a very real fast-track to the career of your dreams.