Prime Digital Academy

I was a barista for five years looking for a more creative role that didn't feel like I was making the same thing every day. I went to a HTML/CSS workshop one night and made the decision to apply after that. The staff seemed to really enjoy what they were doing and they cared about helping me reach my goals. The program can be difficult at times, but the support from the staff and my classmates made it so that I never felt alone or that I wasn't keeping up. By the end of the program, we were all family, and it will be tough to not see them every day. I had one job offer by the end of the program, and I was also in various stages of interviewing with other companies by graduation. The program works if you show up and do the work.

I was apart of the third cohort in Kansas City. We graduated on February 28, 2020

I recently graduated from Prime and it was one of the best experiences of my life! I have friends that have attended similar boot camps and they have all said that the curriculum at Prime is way more in-depth. The staff at Prime are amazing and will set you up to succeed in the tech industry. Beyond that, they will teach you valuable soft/life skills. I can't say enough good things about Prime. If you’re wanting to break into the development industry I HIGHLY recommend attending Prime!!!

Prime Digital Academy changed my life.  Not only did I receive top level software engineering skills and practices, but they totally revolutionized the way I approach new topics and learn them.  The instructors here are top notch and willing to give any and all extra effort necessary to make sure that the students are understanding and comfortable with the materials discussed.  

The classroom setting is awesome and very conductive to learning.  Not only did we do daily deep dives into some of the most cutting edge tech on the planet.  But we also learned a ton about different development styles, business practices and teamwork and communication.  

I left Prime feeling empowered and fully setup for success in the future.  Prime taught me that I can learn and do anything I want as long as I have the right approach and set proper expectations for myself along the way.  

I cant recommend Prime enough and I look forward to working with them in the future through mentor ship and other community activities.  

Prime Digital Academy is life changing!

I recently graduated in January 2020 and was offered two jobs a week after graduation (one I got offered 5 minutes before graduation!). 5 months ago I was working in what felt like a dead-end job in corporate wellness (where it's difficult to grow in career and salary) and am now working as a software engineer that is extremely rewarding, fun, great pay with TONS of growth opportunities. I never would've thought that I could be working as a software engineer and so quickly at that. I really attribute that to Prime. 

My time at Prime Digital was such a wonderful experience. You can really learn how to code anywhere nowadays. Another bootcamp or on your own (there's so many online courses out there!) but Prime does an amazing job at creating a fully immersive atmosphere that is both challenging and incredibly rewarding. Prime also offers many opportunities and experiences that no one else does (career counseling, technical interview practice, real client projects, etc). On top of that, Prime Digital has an amazing reputation and network. Almost every job interview I went into has heard of Prime and what the students there are learning and capable of. The staff and instructors at Prime are all amazing as well. Super personable and you can tell they really care about each student there. They really equip you for success. Best bootcamp out there and gain more than just coding knowledge and skills coming out of it. 

My first job after Prime is more than double what I was making prior as a research scientist in academia. It has truly changed my life.

Salary aside, Prime is extremely special. The cohort system brings together 15-22 strangers from entirely different backgrounds. Then we go through this intensive, transformative, journey where we become really close and supportive and trusting. 

It is truly exposure to professional experience more than it is a "classroom." The project management methodologies and collaborative strategies used during our client project intentionally mimic the professional work place. We have relevant experience to speak to in interviews, and a sense of what to expect going into the work force.

The career support is incredible. We are coached on everything from how to approach a pod of people at a networking event, to building relationships with recruiters, to negotiating salary, cover letters, resumes, following up on applications. Prime was awesome and the best decision I ever made. I highly recommend. 

I graduated from Prime in Nov 2019 and highly recommend the Full-stack Software Engineering bootcamp. The quality of the instructors, curriculum, and career support was top notch. Prime brings in speakers each week who are professional software developers, project managers, entrepreneurs, and recruiters in Kansas City. Our group project was an app for a local nonprofit that delivers fresh produce into food deserts. I was blown away by Prime's holistic approach; public speaking practice, Scott's learning framework ( self-awareness, humility, logic, action ), and mentorship all helped me grow as a person and a developer. I'm grateful to my cohort, the Prime staff, and all the folks that lent their time to help us grow into thoughtful developers.

I got 2 job offers and will start my new job just 2 weeks after graduation.

I attended Prime as a way to get the skills to get into Software Engineering and they give you so much more than that! The instructors come down to your level and explain concepts to you over and over again. You are never made to feel dumb for not knowing or understanding something. The staff is extremely helpful and approachable no matter what you need help in from crafting emails, to helping you understand an error in your code. This program is intense because you learn so much in 20 weeks but the instructors will literally be there every step of the way! I would do it again if they would let me lol

Before coming to Prime, I was a year out after graduating from the University of Missouri with a Business degree. Always fascinated by the field of technology and not enjoying my current job, I began taking online classes and tutorials to teach myself how to code. Wanting to finally switch my career path, I began to research all kinds of coding bootcamps, both online and in-person. I had visits, meetings, and phone calls with many prospective bootcamps and they all felt eerily similar. I had a creeping suspicion that none of them genuinely cared about my success or were transparent about their curriculum/process, and all they really wanted was my money. Then, I met with the staff at Prime. 

Now as corny as it sounds, right off the bat, I could feel that the people here were different. From the get-go they were incredibly transparent at what all I was going to get out of this intense experience and did just as much work to make sure I was good fit for them, as me making sure they were a good fit for me. I really liked how they were continuously adapting the curriculum to the newest technologies and to best fit the needs of the local market. They also seemed to actually care about what I had planned for my future and my success. After building my trust in the instructors from the meetings we had, I decided to pull the trigger, which was still nerve-racking because of the considerable investment. 

20 weeks later and I have to say that my experience at Prime was one of the most positive and beneficial of my entire life. And I say this because this is NOT just a technical coding bootcamp. Prime's curriculum emphasizes the importance of so many other things outside of the technical spectrum–like communication, collaboration, speaking, the psychology behind being a great developer, and strategies for learning and growing as a person–while also providing you an unbelievable foundation for technical skills in the most current technologies. They also guide and emphasize the importance of networking, and to constantly be building friendships/mentorships around yourself and your community to help you grow as a software engineer. (You will consitently be visited by great local engineers and people working in tech within the area and are able to pick their brain about their career, which I really enjoyed).

Now I will also say it was also incredibly difficult at times and super demanding–you really have to have your priorities straight to commit to this level. There will definitely be times when you are humbled and you must be self-aware enough to let go of your pride. Despite this though, you are surrounded by great people to help pull you through these difficult times of doubts. Not just the instructors, but also your other classmates. 

Returning full circle, Prime does truly care about you as a person and your success. And I really made this realization when I understood that the success of their business really depends on the success of their students. In a way, they are betting on you just as much as you are betting on them. 

Business aside, I believe the staff are just honest, good people that really enjoy and get satisfaction out of helping people navigate what can be a difficult time in their lives. Even after being done with graduation, they have continued to stay connected with me and give me guidance. They have really enforced helping me stay involved with the entire community and connections they've built throughout program. I really appreciate this and look forward to staying connected with them for the future to come. 

I am trying to think of negatives to not sound like a dang salesman here, but it's really hard. I guess my only feedback would be having more higher look lectures on the theory and concepts behind software engineering–mainly because I really found those super fascinating. 

I know it's a big investment, but I promise you, if you are committed, you will get an unmatched bang for your buck. Also, if you have any more doubts, they had me placed before we even graduated, which is insane. 

A full intense immersion program of 20 weeks.  Focused in a multitude of technological languages, public speaking, diversity and inclusion, and creating a modern Software Engineer professional.  The instructors are very hands on and take an extream interest in your success.  Open to all, with any level of expierence, Prime for me has opened up doors I didnt even know exisited.  The whole Prime community, cirriculum, and expierence was mind blowing.  I can not recommend this program enough for those interested in a professional lifestyle change.  I LOVE PRIME!!

I could not be happier with my experience at Prime Digital Academy. From the first day, it was obvious how much the staff cared about my personal success. My instructor, Dane Smith, was incredibly patient and knowledgeable. Immersion programs are stressful and difficult, but the Prime staff keep you motivated and on-track. You can change your life so quickly with Prime, and I would wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone and everyone who is ready for an incredible and transformative experience.

My experience at Prime was wonderful, challenging, gratifying. Everyone involved in the operation of Prime is invested in the positive outcomes of its students. The instructors, particularly my instructor Mary, are passionate, engaged, helpful, and empathetic. The assignments are, for the most part, well thought out, fun, and challenging.

A few notes of possible improvement:

1. Spend time during class on effectively navigating documentation
   1. This is a crucial skill in the workplace – to be able to effectively browse, skim documentation and find what you are looking for
   2. Could also include tips on navigating Stack Overflow 
       
2. Instructor code reviews for solo and group projects
   1. Our weekend assignments and code challenges were reviewed by instructors. Those reviews were extremely helpful in guiding our work and promoting best practices
   2. Students need instructor reviews for their solo and group projects. The peer review process is great for reviewer and reviewee, but this should be combined with instructor review of projects. Mistakes, bad practices are often missed by peer reviewers because the peers aren’t aware of them or aren’t sure or are being polite. In any event, instructors have the authority and experience peers don’t yet have to point out problems