Software Guild

Deciding to quit my job (that I disliked) and go back to school full time or more like double time was still the best decision I made. I originally applied for an earlier cohort but little did I know, the curriculum was very intense and very fast. There were just a few items that I did not fully comprehend but it was significant enough to not be able to move on. For a few weeks, I studied Java and finally understood the curriculum a bit better. I finished the program in the second attempt and now have a fantastic dream job.

When I tell people that I went to a coding bootcamp, they think it is just a simple online course with a printable certificate. When I told them how hard it was, they were in awe. After being employed and looking back at the curriculum, they are very much on par with what is necessary to have a job as a developer. Not just the languages made you feel prepared, but they also introduced us to certain ways of testing, text editors that are used in professional environments, JIRA, and using repositories. During my employee orientation, I was surrounded by new STEM grads and they did not know anything about coding and were going to have jobs in IT. Being in the program definitely made me realize how far I can push myself to get something accomplished and also just being able to learn something so foreign in a small timeframe. We were in a classroom for 40 hours a week and on top of that about 20-30+ hours of working on projects and learning the material that is going to be taught the next day. So yes, that is a well spent time commitment.

The instructors were very accommodating and quite approachable. Having a classroom be a max size of 18, it felt like the program was more individualized and they cared about each individual student and their progress. Even after graduating they are very helpful with resources. The employment manager has quite a large network of employers so he followed up with every student on their job search every 2 weeks after graduating. I checked out another bootcamp, called Prime Digital Academy but the Software Guild stood out to me. When I went to Prime’s open house, alumni did not emphasize on the curriculum. Instead they spoke about how they learn about communicating effectively. When I spoke to a recruiter at the Guild, she told me “we will teach you to code” and those few words sold me to the program and they sure did!

If I had to go back and do something again, I would have liked to have been told to at least look at the Java language before attending the program. Even though I was already admitted, there was a gap of time where I was waiting for class to start and I could have looked at terms or tutorials online. I do not think that it would have been so foreign if I studied beforehand.

If I had to recommend someone to attend a bootcamp, I would say that someone who just finished high school would not be a great fit. The program is very intense and if they are not motivated to attend college, then I do not think they would be motivated enough to finish the full-time program. It was even more difficult than finishing a bachelor’s degree. Most the students are in their 20s and above.

When getting employed, the statistics are correct for the program but when you are the one experiencing the difficulty of getting your first coding job, it gets frustrating. My cohort ended at the end of July 2017 and I got my offer call in mid to late September. Many people try to go through staffing agencies but entry level developer roles are very hard to come by. Even if the position says 1-2 years of experience, they will not submit your resume because you have no previous coding experience. The employment manager told me that it is not just your background but it also has to be a good match overall (culture fit and technical skills). Luckily, I managed to get hired directly through my employer.

So, to put it simply, I would 100% recommend attending a coding bootcamp and particularly, the Software Guild. Everyone just needs to understand and think about all the variables that could slow you down and if you 

Long story short:

My career path had gotten stale, and it was time for a change.  I'd always had an interest in techonology but figured that since my traditional degree wasn't in Computer Science that those doors were probably closed.  I was mistaken.

Attended the C# Akron cohort in Fall of 2015.  If you've got some aptitude and are ready to really dedicate yourself to heads-down hard work, you'll come out the other side a changed person ready to get to work in the software development industry.

The instructors were excellent from day one, professionals in the industry with a real passion for imparting that knowledge on their students.  This was not a program for the faint of heart -- I've never learned so much in a shorter period of time, but there was always a helping hand waiting when you needed one.

I've been employed in the industry now for over two years, and I've got the folks down at the guild to thank for it.  Don't bother if you're not ready for a serious challenge.  But if you are -- go for it.  Good luck!

I entered The Software Guild having taken some computer science coursework in college and having messed around on my own a lot.  Other people in my cohort had zero experience.  The amazing thing is, we all got so much from the course.  The combination of individual attention (mentors avaiable basically around the clock) and comprehensive course material meant that they received the support they needed as newbies and I was able to go a little beyond.

It is an intense experience, with about 40 hours a week in the classroom and another 40 on your own - but worth every minute and penny.  I have never had an easier job search (multiple offers within 10 days of starting my search), and I have a Guild Community for life.

I attended the Software Guild having no prior coding experience other than taking a few Code Academy courses. I found it difficult to come in with such minimal experience and felt that a number of my classmates were more prepared for the work. I recommend taking a Udemy course on your chosen language prior to attending if you are worried about not being prepared. My classmates and teachers were more than willing to help, however, providing a good learning atmosphere where I felt ok making lots of mistakes.

I found the curriculum to be strong for the first half of the course when we were learning basic coding for console applications, and weaker in the second half learning web applications. The Software Guild did an excellent job preparing students for the job market, with the exception of not providing enough technical interview practice. I landed a good job in QA with a large company that hires a lot of Software Guild graduates, thanks to the Guild's networking event.

Overall the Software Guild was a good experience and enabled me to completely change careers.

I cannot speak highly enough of the training and support I received from The Software Guild. Aside from the rigorous and top-notch training, this bootcamp is like an incredibly tight-knit family--every member of which really wants you to succeed. It was a very challenging program and with that comes mental and physical exhaustion, but I was prepared for coding in the real world and still have support and answers from the crew at Software Guild when I need them. My instructor was invested in my success and encouraged us all when the challenges of the program mounted along the way. As the title says, I have never doubted my choice to attend Software Guild and would recommend it to anyone.

 

My Story: I quit my job as a Registered Nurse to attend the Software Guild in Minneapolis - Summer 2017 Java cohort. I had little knowledge of programming, besides a couple of classes in college and some HTML/CSS knowledge. Within a 5 weeks of graduation I had three interviews for development positions and started my first job in Software Development - an incredible career change in about five months.

Pros: First of all, The Software Guild has a free, online pre-work course covering HTML, CSS, and some Javascript. This course is a good reflection on whether Software Development is something you might enjoy. It also helps you review (or learn) some of the more simple concepts that the curriculum builds upon, so you can hit the ground running once the bootcamp begins.

Secondly, the curriculum is relevant. I looked into several bootcamps when beginning this process, and the Senior Software Developers that I knew at the time recommended this bootcamp over others, based on the curriculum. 

Finally, the staff is really dedicated to make sure your job search goes as well as it can after graduation. Not only do they set you up with speed interviews with companies in the area, but they have staff dedicated to improving your resume and coaching you on how to best get your resume out there and noticed. Not all companies are going to appreciate the bootcamp experience, but The Software Guild has created a good name for itself in the Minneapolis tech scene. 

Cons: The curriculum isn't perfect - there are sections that could use improvement, but there are also sections that were great. You will need to do outside research to fully understand some sections, but that is to be expected when learning most things! Also, the instructors and employees are continually responding to student feedback to improve the curriculum.

Overall, I do not regret for a second my decision to attend The Software Guild. The people were fanstastic and the experiecne was life changing. 

I had been trying to learn software development on my own and youtube just wasn't cutting it. I had heard about a free program in town that teaches software development and helps you land a job. The only problem was the incredibly long waiting list and you only met in the class once a week. But right next door was The Software Guild, an everyday for 3 month program that took you from knowing nothing about coding to helping you land your first job! At the time, the price seemed to be a lot but the starting salary for entry-level developers in my field was 5-6x more than the price of the school! I learned a lot of great things and met some great people!

Pro's :
      - A small class size for individualized help
      - Great resources for out of the classroom learning
      - Becoming friends with your classmates and helping each other solve problems
      -Great atmosphere, i never felt like i was going to be judged on my coding ability if it wasn't up to speed with everyone else

Con's:
      -Extremely difficult to work while going to school, make sure you have support while attending.
      -The curriculum moves very fast, you will need to keep up with all of the information in front of you
      -Getting to class by 9am.... I am not a morning person

Overall I had an amazing time and I would go back again if I could! Whenever i talk to someone who is interested in software development, I recommend The Software Guild every single time!!

I decided to attend The Software Guild after being fired from a local restaurant as a server. I had given almost 10 years of my life to working in restaurants and was feeling major dissatisfaction with what my future looked like. Not to mention that I had just had a daughter and now I needed to provide for my family. I knew nothing coming into the pre-work which I was able to navigate through with some effort. My time in the program is something that I will never look back on with anything but pure appreciation. The instructors and staff gave me guidance and the courage to move forward when I felt overwhelmed or not cut out. In the end I graduated with enough working knowledge to land a job at a company that appreciates me and my talents that I gained at the Guild. I am a full stack web developer building an app now that isn't scheduled to be finished until 2020! How's that for job security?! If you're asking yourself if this is the right thing for you take a hard look at the world you live in today. The Software Guild isn't just teaching you to code they're ushering you into a future that is ripe with opportunity and that gives back when you put your time and energy into it. The Software Guild is the greatest investment I've ever made. 

I recently graduated from the Software Guild's C# online program and I have to say that it was the one course I should have taken years ago and wish I never took! Why? I wish I started learning with these folks years ago. My career would be looking very different right now. But it was also the toughest course in IT that I've ever taken! It was extremely challenging, and they required me to learn many things. I love it now, because they got me through the 'tough' learning parts to properly teach me OOP, and C#.

Their course is done in such a fashion that every lesson and every assignment is especially challenging. If you try to breeze through, you won't be able too.

Would I recommend this course? Whole heartedly on one condition. You better be serious about learning C#. If you are not, you won't get through it. But if you do graduate, you'll have a well rounded education that will project you into the future!