Tech Elevator

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Tech Elevator is an amazing program for those looking for a career change! In 14 weeks I went from almost knowing nothing about coding to getting a job offer for a junior software developer position.

The best part of Tech Elevator in my opinion was their Pathyway Program, which helps with career prep. From building your resume to mock interviews, they are with you every step of the way to help prepare you to do well interviewing. And maybe most importantly, Tech Elevator does a lot of work to build relationships with companies in your city who are in need of developers, which is huge to get a foot in the door with their hiring network. 

The instructors do a good job of teaching you during lecture every day, but it's up to you to do the homework well and go above and beyond to learn things that might not have been covered completely. The capstones in particular (of which there are four) were really helpful in solidifying concepts and things we had learned at the end of each module. At the end of the day, it is still just 14 weeks, so there's so much more to learn and at times I felt unprepared for technical interviews, but you should know enough at the end to get a job and show any employer your motivation and ability to learn a lot in a short amount of time. 

Overall, I had a really great experience at Tech Elevator and would recommend it to anyone who had the ability and interest in coding. It was scary to quit my previous job and write out those big tuition checks, but it was totally worth it.

​I weighed my options of bootcamps between online, AcademyPGH and TechElevator, and TE won out pretty quickly. During the open house information session that I went to, many of my questions were answers, and my worries eased. The graduation and employment percentage and the salary outcome were all promising to me, and so I was convinced of the numbers-related proof that the program works, but I needed more. I spoke with instructors and TE alumni, and "Trust the Process" echoed throughout the room. It's a big deal to take a leap of faith on something where people say "trust it", but honestly? I got a solid vibe from the place. Call it a gut feeling.

Before the bootcamp, I used to be a Kitchen Manager, and for the last 11 years, I worked in customer and food service. I hadn't had any preparation for the professional world, and even with a B.A. and solid soft skills, I couldn't get out of that system. That's why I chose Tech Elevator. They have a stellar reputation that is iteratively building positively over time through tangible results. It's a clean slate, a new start, and a second chance. 

Professionally, the Pathway Program and advice from the instructors helped me a ton. They gave me advice on how to answer certain questions, how to conduct myself, and what the tech world is really like. My Pathway instructor was serious about helping me get to the next level in my professional life and even took time late into the night to talk me through problems and questions I had related to presenting myself professionally. I spent SO much time with the instructors so that I could have a solid understanding of the core concepts of development, and they were there for me every time that I needed them.

If you decide to do this program, make sure that you tell your friends and family that this is serious. The more seriously and professionally that you treat the program, the more you'll get out of it. I pretty much only hung out with TE people and spent most of my time there (except for sleeping) for a good chunk of the time, and I was able to absorb information much more fully than if I was only checked in at certain "required" times.

Related to coding skills, I feel that I have a good, general knowledge of how to approach learning any new language, and a strong base in C# and SSMS. If you create a solid knowledge base, picking up different languages and processes isn't as daunting as opposed to if you were walking in blindly.

I was able to meet and converse with professionals in the tech industry that I otherwise wouldn't have had the chance to meet through matchmaking and networking events, made visible and possible by TechElevator.

I wouldn't have the title, Software Engineer, and the chance for a new life if it weren't for TechElevator. This program gave me the opportunity to become the person that I want to be, and for that I am eternally grateful.

When I signed up for Tech Elevator, I was skeptical. In terms of “ There’s no way, they can make me a programmer.”. Sure enough I was wrong. There instructors and staff were all helpful. You have to put the work in and trust the process. There were times were “I didn’t get it”. Remember that’s common when it comes to a entirely new subject. If I can rewrite my college history, I would choose Tech Elevator over my college education because they truly make you successful for your future

 

Best Curriculum!!! Best Mentors!!! Wow Jobs!!! Its worth it !!! Its one of the best decisions I ever took in my life. Being from a foreign land, struggling for a job I must say Tech Elevator has really stood out as a bridge to my career gap. It has not only given me the knowledge I required for my career growth but also provided me immense amount of confidence, friends and mentors no less than a family who still care about my work life and overall I grew as a strong individual. Great experience!!!

TLDR: Best decision you could make if you're interested in programming and are sure you can commit to a fast-paced and challenging program. Try t

The parts of Tech Elevator that I thought were most useful were the great instructing staff who were available to help every day during working hours and even sometimes afterwards if you had questions about homework assignments or projects. Every instructor/teaching staff member has lots of experience and they are very patient with students (even those who are brand new to programming). Aside from the actual academics, the instructors frequently provide great career advice and guidance. Each offers a unique experience and you get to speak with each one many times throughout the cohort.

The Tech Elevator Pathway program was also very useful. At the very beginning it's hard to know exactly how much this program will help you but after a couple weeks you start to realize how seriously they take placing students into jobs and how much effort and time is put into helping us navigate the tech job search process. They help you write resumes, give presentations about yourself and your experience, create a solid online presence, teach you how to network, and so many more skills. I'd say half the value in Tech Elevator is preparing you in this area and holding you accountable for taking the necessary steps to secure a job.

Last thought: Come in prepared. Do the pre-work and then do more preparation. If you're in a Java or .Net class make sure to spend a good week learning the bare basics of that language on your own. It makes things much easier when you get into your third week and already have a base level understanding of the material. Also, reviewing version control (aka git & github/bitbucket systems) will make your life so much easier. This program is easily as intense as an entire college semester (probably more so) so it's good to come in ready to go. 11/10. Would reccomend to anybody!

Coming from a computer science background, I had basic experience in coding but I was not able to get exposure and get a job on my own until I joined Tech Elevator. I did research on local bootcamps and ended up attending open house for couple of them including Tech Elevator. I found that Tech Elevator was by far the best for it's placement record, the quality of the curriculum, experience of the instructors and the commitment of the staff. I joined Tech Elevator in fall of 2018, and to be honest it was the best and timely decision I have ever made in my life.

During the 14 weeks of the rigorous program, there was ups and downs, but handling the stress and keeping on was very vital. we learned end to end Java software development which includes mini capstone projects for every module that we finish and one final capstone project at the end of the program. Our instructor Brian was a very humble and very experienced instructor with over 20 years of industry experience. The way he delieverd the subject was very amazing and the effort he did to help  everyone and his availability was extraordinary.

One of my favourite part of the program was the Pathway Program. It is a career service program led and delivered by a committed and professional members of the staff. Pathway program has helped me to identify my strengths and weaknesses, develop my communication, networking and interview skills. By the end of the cohort I was confidently expressing myself and talk about my skills and was able to land a job 5 days before our graduation.

Finally, I would recommend everyone interested in coding career to checkout Tech Elevator and you will not regret your decision.  it's worth it. 

About 4 months ago, I remember going through these reviews and wondering if I was making the right decision to attend Tech Elevator. To be honest, I almost backed out a week before the cohort started because I wasn't sure if Tech Elevator could deliver on it's job placement/salary statistics (By the way, Tech Elevator does not guarantee a job, but 91% job placement is pretty damn good). Fast-forward to present time, I'm graduated, employed, and have a higher salary than anyone in my family has seen. 

Prior to Tech Elevator, I had never seen a line of code before. In fact, I didn't know much about technology besides what I needed to get by. That may have caused me to have to put a little more time in to understand basic concepts, such as how the internet works, but it definetly didn't make the bootcamp impossible. With that said, Tech Elevator was the most intense learning experience I have gone through. You have to be fully committed to the program. If you are not, there is really no reason to waste your time, money, and effort. At the same time, I don't know of any other programs that can take someone from 0 tech experience to thriving software developer in 14 weeks.

The staff that you get at Tech Elevator are unbelievable. It's rare to get an entire team that invests themselves into you as much as the TE staff. The student's workload is intense, but you can take heart in knowing that your instructors and the career pathway team are working equally as hard to ensure your success. I believe its what separates Tech Elevator from any other bootcamp. Whenever they say that they do not succeed unless you succeed, it's more than just words. They practice what they preach, and all the current and future success I have will be owed to them. I could not have made a better decision for my life.

i enjoyed every second of Tech Elevator, I went through the Columbus campus for Java and it is very intense, you’ll be there very late for many days of the week but if you love to code then it’s all fun. There will also be weekend commitments too so be prepared for all that time that needs to be spent there. Having a job is not recommended, this is more than a full time job to learn programming and apply your skills. I met great new friends who are also interested in development and great mentors who are basically wizards of development. You’ll learn all that you need to become a junior level developer. Again, make sure to be committed the learning is fast paced. You’ll also learn about what it takes to find a job and they will help you to build a network and become connected with people who are hiring. The instructors are truly committed to the students as well often answering questions until very late at night or coding something new as a learning example for us when they are at home after work. My biggest fear was that employers would look down on this route of learning but if anything it shows that you’re willing and able to learn very quickly and tech is always changing so they need people who want to keep growing. Employers I interview with are impressed with what I’ve learned and the work I’ve been able to complete in such a short span of time. Tech Elevator in particular is also connected to many large employers in Columbus, so it is nice to take advantage of their connections. I am only a week and a half out of the program and I now have two job offers with great companies. I can’t wait to start coding and building applications as a career and I most definitely have Tech Elevator to thank.