Prior to enrolling at Tech Elevator I had no formal coding experience. I had been working mostly in customer service without a degree. I had created some small personal projects and websites so I knew coding was something that interested me, but getting a 4 year computer science degree wasn’t practical for me. After reading the glowing reviews from alumni I decided to attend an open house at the Detroit location of Tech Elevator and after hearing about their mission and path for students I knew this was the bootcamp for me. One thing that really sets Tech Elevator apart from other bootcamps is their Pathway Program. After all, you don’t just need technical skills to get a job! Throughout the program I leaned how to write a technical resume, how to use LinkedIn effectively and how to ace behavioral and technical interviews. Additionally, I was able to make many connections in the tech industry during the showcase and matchmaking events, which lead to me getting my first job in tech before I even graduated. Make no mistake, the program isn’t easy! Every day I was learning and implementing new coding skills so having a strong work ethic and ability to commit yourself totally to the program for 14 weeks is fundamental for success. However, the staff was always there to support me along the way. Anytime I needed help understanding a concept, practicing my whiteboarding skills, or assistance with my job hunt my instructors were always more than willing to help me. Throughout my 14 weeks at Tech Elevator my coding skills grew more than I could have possibly imagined. I gained the soft skills and confidence to truly sell myself in an interview, and now have a career as a Junior Developer in the eSports industry. All together, attending Tech Elevator was the best choice I could have made for myself and my career. I was able to more than double my income and improve my life significantly thanks to the hard work I put in and the staff and instructors at Tech Elevator. 

Invest in your future. 

They trust you. And you trust the process.

They give the education you need to be in the tech market and be successful. 

They care about you and will be your family.

They are honest about everything. 

Before Tech Elevator, I was a math teacher in a middle school with a little coding experience. TE helped me to get my first professional full-time job in tech. It is an intense program. Be ready for it. Knowing at least a little programming fundamentals will put you in a good position in the process and helped you to pick up the things faster. 

I admired the Pathway(Career) Program, and it plays an essential role in your job interviews(prepares you for both technical and behavioral interview) and job searches(crafting your resume). Bringing companies in, having you learn about the top tech companies in the area, and giving you a chance to interview them face-to-face without wasting your time sending job applications everywhere is the big plus. 

Long story short, you will be satisfied. TE is the best! GO Java!

 

Tech Elevator is truly everything it claims to be. I came into this program with trepidation because I come from a completely non-technical background. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up or that the risk I was taking wouldn’t pay off. It’s an incredibly difficult program, but if you are determined to succeed, you will. My instructor Brian, along with the rest of the instructional staff and the Pathway team, make your success their priority and they truly have your best interests at heart. Your fellow students will also define the experience, and the environment of support that is built from everyone wanting their peers to succeed is unlike any learning environment I’ve been a part of. You will put in a lot of work, and you will need to clear out all distractions and put life on hold for 3 months. Every single day you’ll be learning something new, and you’ll be putting yourself in a lot of uncomfortable (but rewarding) situations with plenty of mock interviews, public speaking drills, and pair/team coding projects. Every moment is worth it, and you’ll come out of the program as a completely different person if you let it happen. I received a job offer before graduation and I’m confident I’ve picked up both the technical knowledge and the soft skills necessary to carry me through this new career as I continue to learn and grow.

Before coming to Tech Elevator, I was working in the non-profit sector. I felt like I was reaching the ceiling of my career and wanted to pursue software development because of the opportunities, the creativity and the challenge. My opportunity finally came when my position was eliminated at my job and I decided to take the leap and apply to a bootcamp. I decided to go with Tech Eleveator and it was the best decision career decision I have made to date. 

I didn't have any experience coding, but my instructor Frank broke down the concepts so that I was able to understand them much more clearly. You will learn a lot in a very short time. You will be amazed by what you can do when it's all said and done.

The Pathway Program sets Tech Elevator apart from other bootcamps. They help you with your resume, LinkedIn profile, interview prep, and so much more. Valerie, the Pathway Director, is great! If you do what she says and trust the process, you will be on your way to a new career!

When I think back to the decision of choosing Tech Elevator, I remember feeling nervous. Worried. Excited. Skeptical. Lots of different feelings. I thought, "Fourteen weeks to change my life for the better? Double my salary? Take the next step in my life? This sounds way too good to be true. This sounds like something that I'd have to go back to school for at least 4 years for... What's the catch?" At the time, I was unhappy with my current job, my career status. I felt unfulfilled. I felt like I was capable of more. I knew I needed to do something, so when I discovered Tech Elevator, I did what most of you reading this are doing right now -- researching, scouring student reviews, looking into the graduation/placement statistics, etc. I was convinced, and I took the the chance.

That chance came to fruition on September 16, 2019. I had my first day of class. I was thrust into a new city, a new building, surrounded by so many new faces. It only took a day or two until some of those new faces became new friends. Our class clicked in a way that I've never experienced before. Not in elementary school, high school, college, a workplace, a sports team, anywhere else. Our class had this unity almost immediately. We all knew we were in this together. We all had each others' backs. We knew what the end goal was and we wanted to see each other make it through. That comradery was there the whole time. I'll be the first to admit that I needed help with the lessons, and I had a network of great people, great friends to lean on when I did. I'd ask my friend next to me, or my friend across the room...

Or... we could go to the instructors who would stay all afternoon if we had questions. Our technical instructors had our backs, they took joy in seeing us pick up these new skills. They're friendly, wonderful people and they brought our classes together and helped facilitate the learning experience. I'm currently a couple weeks into my new job and I've already had a couple conversations with my .NET instructor about how great everything has been so far, and he seems so genuinely excited for me. 

Our pathway instructors were equally on that same page. You could see it on their face every day how much they loved what they did, and how much joy they got out of seeing us succeed. It was apparent. Their positivity and encouragement was contagious. It takes a special kind of person to be able to manage a huge group of people, with various backgrounds, various social and technical skills, and be able to bring them together for a common goal and ultimately get us there. They celebrated with us in all of our victories, and picked us up when we were dealing with our struggles. And at the end of it all, they will do everything in their power to put you in position to get that job. They did it for me, they did it for my friends, and they'll do it for you too. They are amazing people.

I'll never forget the relationships that started thanks to being a part of this program. I'm so excited to see what happens to all of my friends I've made here. I graduated just a few short weeks ago and I've already told several people that going to Tech Elevator was one of the best things I ever did. That it was one of the greatest decisions I made in my life. It opened the door to a future with so much potential and opportunity. It gave me another chance.

If you're considering attending Tech Elevator because you want to make a change in your life, take the chance I took. You won't regret it.

Before coming to Tech Elevator I was working in automotive sales/costing. I was not very interested my work and knew I wanted to make a career change. I always had an interest in programming but was hesitant to leave my job and commit full time to a bootcamp with no guarantee I would have a job at the end. What changed my mind was all of the positive reviews and recommendations about Tech Elevator. 

Upon joining Tech Elevator it was clear all of these reviews were correct. Their instructors are excellent and love teaching new students. Also on top of the cohort instructors they have plenty of tutors and staff to make sure that all students understand the material and no one falls behind. But what really sets Tech Elevator apart from other places is their Pathway program. Their dedication to finding every student a job is incredible and they provide you with every skill you will need in your job search.

I was able to get an entry level developer position upon graduation and I owe all this to Tech Elevator's great instructors, pathway program, and their reputation in the area. When you join Tech Elevator, you become part of the tech community that helps each other not only in the bootcamp but for the rest of your career. I met a lot of the alumni while I was there who had changed careers like I had and could offer advice on how to handle the bootcamp as well as tips on finding a job and what it's like starting out when you switch into the tech field.

In summary, having completed a bootcamp I feel that anyone who attends and is willing to put in the work will find a new job and a more rewarding career. My only regret is that I did not make the decision to attend Tech Elevator earlier.

I was in the business world for several years before making the pivot into tech. After thoroughly researching as many Bootcamps that I could find, I took a chance on Tech Elevator. I chose Tech Elevator for a variety of reasons- I spoke with alumni, I toured the campus, a read online reviews, I scoured the internet for any other information that I could find and everything I found was a glowing review of the program.

Tech Elevator gives you the education you need to learn the fundamentals of coding while simultaneously giving you the tools you need to find a job in the field. Both of these are equally as important so it's paramount not to overlook that fact on your Bootcamp search. I would highly recommend Tech Elevator to anyone who is serious about doing a Coding Bootcamp. I say 'serious' because they will push you. They will challenge you. There will be times you may have to stay late or come in on a weekend to get an assignment done. You have to put in the effort. But at the end of the cohort, it will all be worth it because you will be prepared to be a software developer. AND you will have the interpersonal skills to find a job in the field. 

I went to Tech Elevator with absolutely no degree and no experience and I left with a career in tech! My biggest fear going into Tech Elevator was that I wouldn't be smart or good enough to succeed in what is advertised as such an intense environment but honestly, I think this program is exceptionally manageable for anyone as long as you understand that you get back what you put in and at times it can be a little overwhelming. At least from my experience, it never felt "impossible" or "unreachable" to complete what was assigned. I could always finish what I needed and have time to spare to keep up with my social life and hobbies.

 

What I feel isn't advertised nearly as much as it should be is the amazing staff that will support you through your change in careers (or in my case, the start to a new one!). The staff at Tech Elevator are some of the kindest most genuine people I've ever met and they really do care about finding you a job doing what you love doing. I honestly wouldn't trust anyone else with something as important as my career then these guys and gals. If you are interested in having a career in technology and are shopping around for bootcamps, look no further, this is the place to go.

A lot of bootcamps have very flashy websites, and they've all got inspiring stories and exciting rhetoric. What is less clear is how many of them are genuinely concerned about education, or how many have competent instructors, or how many are just VC-backed vampires looking to get your tuition and shove you out the door into a cold and unfeeling world. What first caught my eye about TE were their extremely high placement levels as reported through CIRR. They seemed to be substantially better than the numbers even some of the oldest San Francisco bootcamps were reporting, which I found extremely promising. Given that CIRR reports are externally audited, I had a reasonable degree of confidence that the statistics were accurate, but I must admit I was at least a bit skeptical. And beyond that, the big question: were they humans, or vampires?

In any event, I decided to apply and at least see what this place was like. I filled out a relatively straightforward online application that covered my background and motivations, and took an online aptitude test. Within a few days I was invited to the campus for an hour-long interview and a longer, more complex aptitude test. From the moment I walked in I felt comfortable. On a superficial level, the space is well-designed and feels friendly rather than sterile. More importantly, the staff I interacted with that day could not have been more courteous and engaging. Every person seemed genuinely concerned that I have a good experience, and Marty, the campus director who conducted my interview, set me at ease in what is fundamentally a stressful situation. We discussed my background and motivation at great length, and we both tried to get a good sense of whether I could thrive in the program. I left confident that Tech Elevator was run by people that genuinely cared about their students, and happily enough, I was admitted a few days later.

I enrolled in the Java cohort, one of two courses TE offers; the other covers .NET Core/C#. In my case, I had had some prior exposure to Java, which influenced my decision, but plenty of my classmates had no prior experience at all, I hasten to add, so don't let that limit you. We dove in on day one with the basic concepts of programming, and continued for four weeks, culminating in a multi-day pair-programming capstone project. The capstone gave us the opportunity to stretch our newly-acquired skills with a bit more autonomy and freedom than we were able to in our daily exercises and quizzes, but it's important to note that our instructor and several other staff members were always available for help and guidance. This basic pattern continued through three more modules covering SQL/data abstractions, Spring MVC server-side programming, and front-end (HTML/CSS/JS, RESTful APIs, and Vue.js). By the end of the program we had a very good understanding of the overall architectural principles of software, and enough knowledge of the details to actually implement them. Our teacher, Frank, had a fantastic sense of humor, immense technical knowledge, and most of all, cared deeply about our success.

The other half of the program, and something that would be easy to underestimate in one's excitement about learning exciting new technical skills, is Pathway. This, essentially, is a career-skills bootcamp interwoven through the program. Several times a week we had Pathway workshops covering every aspect of job-hunting from elevator pitches to resume best practices, LinkedIn to networking, interviewing to negotiation. They even gave us clear guidelines about clothes and grooming! Outside of the actual workshops, they helped us through multiple resume drafts and brought in endless companies to speak about their business and give us the opportunity to practice pitching ourselves. They even brought in outside interviewers to give us practice in both behavioral and technical interviews. I could go on forever, but I have to say that Val, our Pathway Director, was deeply, personally invested in each of us, and worked incredibly hard to prepare us to find jobs. Give it your all and your effort will not be in vain.

Near the end of the cohort came an incredible opportunity: Matchmaking. Essentially interview speed dating, TE brings in companies that are actively hiring for two days of interviews. I personally had nine interviews in total, and eventually got a job from one of them. Even if you don't find the right match (and plenty of my classmates found jobs from outside of Matchmaking), it's invaluable real-world practice. I can tell you from experience that by the end of the process almost all the anxiety had been removed purely through exposure.

Another thing I haven't mentioned yet: my classmates. I have never met a group of people that I got along with better, much less one that was so incredibly friendly, open, collaborative, and brilliant. Obviously they've all graduated now, but if my cohort is any indication, you can be confident that the admissions decision-makers know what they're looking for, and that if you're accepted, you're going to have a great time around hard-working, like-minded people, just as I did.

The overarching theme in all of this is that Tech Elevator has managed to bottle the unique magic of genuine humanity, what the Jesuits call cura personalis, or "care of the person." You are not a number to them, you are not a potential placement statistic, you are a person that they want to know and teach and help in any way possible. Everyone is available not just for technical help or career advice, but also for just plain encouragement and conversation (and sometimes ping-pong). I have rarely encountered this in any educational or professional organization, and I cannot tell you what a joy it was to find it here, and to find it so totally pervasive among everyone involved. The fact that I worked at a bookstore before Tech Elevator, and fourteen weeks later I'd received three job offers as a software engineer, is just gravy (OK, no, it's not just gravy, but you get my point). If you're ready to work hard, that's all you really need to know.

Tech Elevator was the best risk I took. I was very skeptical at first. There have been so many for profit school scams that have left people broke. When I learned about Tech Elevator I did a lot of research. I was trying to find the disgruntled mutterings of a scam. I could not find it. The fact that Tech Elevator voluntarily reports to a third party watchdog agency that monitors for profit schools was instrumental in making me realize it's legit.

Unlike other boot camps that train you up in the latest fad Tech Elevator gives you a core education in languages that have been part of the tech industry for decades. They give you a taste of all the components of a web based program. Learning Front end, back end, databases, and javascript gives you the ability to be a confident coder with a wide variety of job prospects.

There are no catches with this education. You don't owe them a percentage of your salary, no one is forcing me to write this as a condition of graduation. I won't lie it's hard work. You get what you put in. If you follow the process do the work, not just the coding but the career prep too, you'll have a job by graduation.

The student to teacher ratio was about 13 to one. There were instructors available after class for one on one tutoring. The instructors are not graduates of the boot camp, they have had long successful careers in coding before choosing to pay it forward and train the next generation. The investment and compassion of the teachers and career counselors was apparent. They care deeply that their students succeed. Nothing I've had experience with in colleges and universities comes close to the kind of career counselling you get here.

As someone with a master's degree in music I didn't think going back to school to re-skill myself was possible. The length of the boot camp and the success of student job placement made it seem possible that I could improve my life. I've never been in the position to consider several job offers and pick a career I want. I'm excited to start my new job just weeks after graduation.

 

Self context: Military Veteran, University Graduate, live 45 min from campus and have a 9 year old and 4 month baby at home (started bootcamp when she was 1month).

Plan on really dedicating yourself to this program if you want to succeed. Required hours are 9am to 4pm but It was not uncommon for me to be there from 8:30 to 6pm. 

Do not miss class. I was there everyday and still felt like I was 2 days behind because the pace of the course is very fast. Make sure you understand every concept before moving on to the next. Everything is compounding and you cant afford to move forward without laying the propper foundation.

Both instructors have 20+ years of experience ranging from IBM to Microsoft.

The Pathway program is not a job placer. They are a tool that is meant to train you to be the best version of yourself. Interview prep, Resume building, Self Advertising. You have to do 80% of the work including job searching. If you do they will open up oppertunities you couldnt even imagine. Before tech elevator I went 9 months without a job even though I have a tremendous amount of professional experience. Tech elevator put me infront of the right people and  iam now a fulltime app developer for the biggest IT department in Ohio.

Trust the process, never give up and never be afraid to ask questions. 

If your struggling to choose which language. .NET is a wonderful option, alot of the clevaland job space involves this language. Mike Morell is a wonderful instructor and I wouldnt have changed my choice.

This course is not for everyone. I will say that the people and relationships will last a life time. They truly want to elevate you.

 

Short and simple, Tech Elevator starts slow, but then sprints through so much technical information, it can seem overwhelming.  

That said, they cover a wide enough base to give you a strong start on your path to becoming a successful programmer.

What really sets TE apart is the Pathway Program where the Instructors do their best to prepare you for the real world job market and give you the help that you need to succeed in your job search.

Tech Elevator is/was one of the better decisions that I have made in my life. Their approach is catered to each student pending on the feedback of the student. In addition, the support given by the staff is at an exceptionally high level (especially Laura in the pathway program and John the .Net instructor) and does not simply end when you are finished with the cohort. I did not anticipate coming to such a fast paced bootcamp (14 weeks) would result in such a sense of community for those that you graduate with and the alumni that went prior. Highly recommend, changed the trajectory of my career.

Yep. Got chapters and everything. Pages held together by glue (At least I hope that's glue). 

That was just a book review from an assignment! This program was great. Our instructors were personable and stayed almost as late as we did each day. The team's commitment to our success was obvious, both on the technical and behavioral skill sets. I can say that I have developed skills in all of the technologies they mentioned, aside from the Selenium Tool Suite, and I have tools they have provided to continue to develop my skills for fun ( Seriously, I mean fun!). As someone with no development experience beforhand, nearly all my unstructured time from Monday to Saturday was spent working with code. They call it a bootcamp for a reason. I was not able to hold a job in the meantime and the few people who were quit to focus on our material. I do reccomend that all students do the same and focus on learning skills for their new career path.

Our cohort was a bit of an outlier, but I did have a job before finishing the program. Take that as you may, but you should attend Tech Elevator if you want to become a full stack web dev. 

.NET!

Enrolling in the .NET Bootcamp at Tech Elevator in Pittsburgh was the perfect choice for me. When first reading about it, I was concerned it might be too good to be true, until I read various reviews and then ended up knowing someone who attended the cohort previous to mine. The whole experience was very professional from beginning to end. Every member of their staff really cares. They definitely come through on their commitment to set you up to receive a job. I took advantage of every opportunity they gave to groom us in this way and sure enough- it worked. I had a job offer before I even graduated and got my 2nd job offer just days after. I absolutely LOVE my career and the company I'm with now. I am SO GLAD I did it. Due to my personal circumstances I needed a solution to learn tech skiils quickly and then actually get a job doing it-- not years from now, but NOW. This did just that. It is an intense experience that requires intense commitment. For anyone that is willing to make this level of commitment, then this can truly be a life-changing opportunity. For me, it was BEYOND worth it. It feels good to be doing something I love in a field that's respected and brings financial stability. I am so happy I took the journey to get to this place. If you choose to do it, you will be in GREAT hands!

For anyone that is serious about learning software development and ready to put in the work required to break into the industry, there is no better place. I was surrounded by like-minded future developers that were just as driven as I was to succeed and a staff that is there to help every step of the way. The enviroment, instructors, curriculum, and 24/7 access to the facilities is second to none but there is one thing that sets Tech Elevator apart from any other Boot Camp in my opinion. The Pathway program. This program runs concurrent with your lessons and gets you prepared at every level to get noticed by organizations and ace your interview. I cannot understate the impact of the Pathway program!! If you are thinking about another school instead of Tech Elevator this is the aspect you should be evaluating with which ever school you are considering. It's one thing to learn these skills, but to have assistance in being able to effectively show off what you have just learned to employers and actually get them to invite you to interviews is what we are all really looking isn't it? They do not guarantee any type of employment, but if you follow this program and put your all into this for 14 weeks there is zero reason you should not find a job! 

This review is about Tech Elevator Detroit Campus

In general, learning at Tech Elevator Detroit Campus is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I have met so many people who are genuine and interesting, and I quickly transitioned from a non-technical background to software engineering. I have already accepted my offer from Slalom even 3 weeks before graduation and the fact that employers were competing to get me in their teams greatly boosted my confidence.

My experience at Tech Elevator is real and I would like to share my story and opinion with anyone who is thinking about joining Tech Elevator Detroit Campus. You can connect with me either through linkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guan-he/ or my email address: heguanelvis@gmail.com. 

About myself

I have a master of public policy degree and a B.A. of English and International Studies. Being an immigrant made it challenging for me to establish my career here in the United States, and I was fairly nervous after graduation that I could not find a decent job. Prior to coming to Tech Elevator, I do not have much software development experience. I used Python at school to do some basic data analysis and have not used Java.

Detroit campus staff members

The Detroit campus is quite new. I am in the second cohort. There were four staff members when the cohort started and now they have hired our missions coordinator. Jeff and Nicole work really hard to connect with the employers and try to get them to school during the last few weeks for matchmaking events to get students employed. They are responsible for the non-academic aspect, including helping us create good pitches, craft resumes, networking etc. Andy and Margaret are great instructors who have years of experience using Java. They are always acessible whenever people have questions. Overall, all the staff are all very knowledgeable, patient, reliable and hardworking.

Java cohort curriculum

The curriculum consists of four modules. Module I is the fundamentals where we learned about Object Oriented Programming and the fundamentals. Module II is about Database and SQL to design tables and effectively store data. Module III is about the Java Spring Framework to create backend for web applications and Module IV (what I am learning right now) is about JavaScript and the Vue Framework to create interactive and responsive frontend pages. At Detroit, the curriculum focuses a lot on testing, which really helped me in the job search process. Students have their Tech Elevator Laptop and are given a really well written e-book link so that they can preview and review the lessons. In addition, Margaret and Andy also made great slides and sent out additional resources for self study and interviews.

Career program

Tech Elevator's career program is probably one of the best part about this boot camp. I would say it is way better even than my university. They teach you everything about marketing yourself, writing resumes and cover letters, networking with employers, behavior interviews and tech interviews, and the strict deadlines forces you to keep making changes to your documents and becoming more professional. They also invite industry professionals coming to campus to do mock interviews with you. My resume and linkedIn profile looks completely at a different level before I start applying for jobs. The most amazing part is that they also invite a lot of companies on campus to introduce themselves and you will defintely have the chance to interview with them at the matchmaking event. I met Slalom at an employer showcase and got the offer after the matchmaking event. 

Next Steps

It is still 2 weeks before graduation and I am looking forward to doing my final capstone project. After graduation, I will take a trip to visit my family in China and get ready for my new position starting in February. 

I really enjoy my time at Tech Elevator, and I believe they are doing a great job to help people get stated with a tech career and create IT professionals for the city of Detroit.

Tech Elevator not only made me a full stack developer but it changed my life. My carreer was on a track to nothing beforehand, and now I'm a successful developer in the field.

Class is long and class is hard, but when you put in 110% you get 200% back. The staff is present and invested in your success the entire journey. I can't explain how many people I've been reccommending it to by word of mouth, it really is as great as they say. Which yeah totally sounds phishy right? But there is no greater joy for me than praising Tech Elevator every day. I preach it and I live it everyday.

Through the course of 14 weeks you learn a bunch, but what you really learn in the long run is the patterns and ways of thinking. In the end you will be thinking like a developer and ready to learn newer and more advanced concepts. That is the most valuable part I would argue. Every single day I go into work and I'm confronted with new concepts and technologies, but Tech Elevator taught me to learn them, tackle them, appreciate them, and truly Tech Elevator fueled my hunger for knowledge.

The Pathway program is another huge aspect of Tech Elevator. I don't think anyone would begin to think about Tech Elevator without thinking of the Pathway program. My Pathway staff was incredible, Jessica, thank you. You're walked through the do's and don't's of the IT world, what to excpect, how to achieve it, and again back to those patterns, ways to continue to do so. If Tech Elevator had a 2nd course for advanced level concepts I'd be there in a minute because I know it would be worth my time.

TL;DR

Overall great experience. It took alot of time, work, and money (I don't have $15, 500 in my couch cushions...), but it paid off (and now paying off that loan). I got a job offer one week before graduation and accepted it. I love what I'm doing and if you want some unsolicited advice scroll to the bottom. 

MY BACKGROUND

When I saw I have no computer programming experience, I mean NONE. I didn't even do the HTML stuff to my Myspace page when I had one (RIP top five). I asked a computer programmer friend what language he recommended me trying out and he said to try JavaScript. That was in April. I started my bootcamp in May...#myexperience

I come from a television production background in Los Angeles. I was tired for working 12+ hour days and not really having a skill. Plumbers plumb, Electricians wire things, Builders build things, and I wanted a skill that had good pay, benefits, and offered interesting challenges.

I knew that my life was going to transition out of film and into something else. All I knew is I wanted to learn a language something like Mandarin, Russian, or Korean, something easy (joke). But instead of any of those languages, I found computer programming and Tech Elevator...

HOW I FOUND TECH ELEVATOR

I was listening to NPR and heard the ad for Tech Elevator and learning to code.  ​

Nutshell: After reading their website and reviews here on course report, I took the test, scored well on the test, talked on the phone with Terry to schedule interview, filled out application, took another aptitude test, interview, got accepted. Woo! 

I decided to go to an open house down in Detroit when I got to meet Anthony and Andrea and ask more questions and hear their spiel in person. I was so impressed that instead of starting in September like I had originally intended, I decided to be a guinea pig and move up my date to May the first iteration of the Detroit bootcamp. Cohort[0] forever! 

STAFF

Margaret and Andy were my professors during the bootcamp and they are both phenomenal! They truly cared and took time to help me understand when I was struggling. And when I had to take two days off for a wedding in California and another day off because my aunt died, they helped me get back on my feet and catch pace again with the rest of the class.

Nicole and Jeff worked equally as hard on their end in the bakground to make sure they were finding businesses for matchmaking, finding speakers to come share their wisdom, and helping our resumes shine above the rest!

CURRICULUM

I appreciated the structure of the curriculum and the tools they used to keep a pulse on how we were doing. Everyday they knew how you were doing through a survey quiz thing. 

We learned object-oriented programming using Java, PostgreSQL, Spring MVC, JavaScript, Vue.js, and CSS/HTML. Maybe you're reading that right now thinking, "Sh!t, I don't have a clue what any of that is?" Well, then you would've been me about five months ago. Lol. You'll learn it. It'll be hard, but by God you'll learn!

EQUIPMENT

The laptops they provided worked great. I definitely had to adjust to using a PC...They had great monitors there and system for showing coding on all the screen so we didn't have to rely on the whiteboard all the time. 

FEEDBACK

• I've read some other reviews on here saying they don't spend a lot of time on front end and I would agree. It does take a little bit of a back burner compared to the back end stuff, but I think with the timeframe they are working with, they do a great job. 
   
• Sometimes I had feedback to give, but no one or thing to entrust it to. It would be nice if they created an active email account for the different bootcamps where current students could submit feedback whether on assignments, structure, staff, or whatever they thought could be improved. That way instead of the feedback getting lost in classroom discussions, it could be received, pondered, and implemented.
   
• Tech Elevator didn't realize when they started in Detroit how big Test Driven Development (TDD) was here so when it came time for interviews, we were mostly prepared for whiteboarding exercises and less of TDD stuff (though many of us took extra time outside of the classroom to prepare for this). If they haven't carved out a space for TDD in the curriculum, my feedback would be that they do so. 
   
• Career Pathway - this is the least sexy thing about bootcamp (no offense, Nicole). Who wants to stop working on their coding application to go to class to learn about how to format their resume? Unsexy, but necessary. However, I felt like the first two sessions of Career Pathways were really severe. We were getting mixed signals about how it was "optional", but "if you want a job, you'll come". If that's the case, then don't make it fake "optional", make it "mandatory". Just remember, it will make a difference and make sure you implement any feedback Nicole gives you on your resume. It will help!

WHERE I AM NOW

One week from graduation, I got a job offer from a great company. I'm currently training with them and I'm loving every minute of it. #sexyresume

Side note: I did a Java bootcamp, but got a C# job. I was worried about this at first even though they are both OOP, but my professors assured me it was super similar and they were right. It's not a bad transition at all!

UNSOLICITED ADVICE

//You get what you put into this program. Margaret and Andy can't solve your problems for you, but they can help guide you on the right path. You might have to get there early, you might have to stay late, and if you're like me you have to do both of those things. 

//Don't. Be. Afraid. To. Ask. Questions. You are only hurting yourself if you don't raise your hand and admit you don't understand and ask if they could go over it again because chances are someone sitting next to you felt the same way, but they didn't have the guts to raise their hand. Be gutsy in admitting you don't know!

//Take a walk. When they give breaks, get out of that classroom and do a loop around TechTown. It helps. 

//Help one another. There is not a single person who knows it all or has all the answers. The people on your right and left are going to be your family for the next 14 weeks and you'll need each other.

 

I had been working around 6 years in a field that was not bringing me any real satisfaction when I decided to enroll in Tech Elevator.  I gave myself 1 year to pull it off myself - learn online and get a job as a developer - and when that year ran out, I turned to Tech Elevator as the fastest reliable way to just start working in what I love - coding.

 

Learning Process

The curriculum is structured in a sensible way that progresses from one day to the next.  Every single day has a homework assignment that incorporates that day's ideas.  Lecture is around 3 hours, and the rest of the day is working with classmates and instructors to apply the ideas firsthand.  I loved this balance because class did not drag on - if you listened closely, you understood, and if you missed anything you had the rest of the day to work on it one-on-one with an instructor.

Each instructor is experienced and knows can explain ideas in different ways for different minds.  I appreciated that the instructor of the Java class was always happy to sit and help a .NET student, and that the curriculum designer himself would make time to help me think things through.

Job Guidance

The Pathway Program is everything it's hyped up to be.  Learning and practicing soft-skills, iterating on our resumes, and meeting major employers for around 10 interviews per student is a pretty amazing edge to have in your job search.  I got a couple of competitive offers and accepted one before the bootcamp was completed.

Environment

The staff and students must be pretty carefully selected because every last person on campus was genuinely pleasant, easy to work with, and motivated to make a good life.  I can't think of too many environments like that, and anyone who studies there or works there is very lucky to have such healthy surroundings!

Summary

If you are looking to reach your first job in the industry in a minimal amount of time, and you're motivated to put in the work, Tech Elevator will give you a clear set of goals to meet and all of the support and tools you need along the way.  Strongly recommended!

I enrolled into Tech Elevator with minimal coding experience. I was not sure what I had gotten myself into, but I can say that it is among the best decisions I have ever made. Starting with the curriculum, I found the first few weeks to be the most difficult. Being new to programming certainly had it's challenges, however I found the instructors to be extremely committed to my success. They were an amazing support network, and exercised great patience while I was learning. I feel the material itself prepared me well for any aspect of programming, it truly gives you a full-stack of knowledge. What I found really separated Tech Elevator from other camps in the area is the Pathway Program. The program at Tech Elevator really feels like two courses. One you learn to code, the other prepares in navigating the job market. This program teaches you how to craft a resume, prepare for an interview, building a LinkedIn, and working with recruiters. The crown jewel of Pathway is Matchmaking, where you are set up with a variety of interviews with companies big and small in the area. In the event you don't get a job from Matchmaking (like me), the team at Tech Elevator is absolutely committed to your success, and will continue to help you until you are placed. In summation, the entire team is behind every student, and really wants to help you succeed. The course work is challenging, and asking for help from instructors or classmates when needed will be the key to success. Job placement is taken very seriously, and if you graduate you will get a job in the field. You will not only leave the program with knowledge and employment, but also a network of fellow students(and Alumni), committed staff, and other members of the field in the area. This network will last, and will assist you moving forward should any issues arise as well. It is a culture that dedicates itself to elevating oneself, and also to elevating others. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to break into the field.

I came to Tech Elevator in my early 40s, transitioning from a career in education, with my only previous coding experience coming 20 years ago (one class in C++, some dabbling in HTML) and almost completely forgotten. As an adult with a family at home, I particularly appreciated the compressed nature of the program, allowing me to shift careers in just months rather than years. Today, thanks to Tech Elevator, I am a junior developer starting my first job in my new career. 

Instruction and Curriculum: It’s not easy to change careers, and the intensive environment of a 14-week boot camp was often challenging, but the supportive environment at Tech Elevator helped ease the transition. First, the instructors I worked with were great professionals with technical knowledge on the one hand and a passion for helping students on the other. We had access not only to our classroom teachers but also to additional teachers who were always very helpful. The format of the program, with reading the night before, class work in the morning, and time to work on homework in the afternoon worked really well for me, and part of the strength of the approach were the variety of ways of learning that it allowed. Our teachers were always helpful, but they also fostered a collaborative environment where students learn by helping each other. 

As much as any 14-week program can be, Tech Elevator’s program was also comprehensive when it came to learning the basics. Obviously there’s a lot still to learn on the job, but with their full-stack approach, I felt like I developed a great foundation to build upon. 

Career Readiness: As good as the technical and teaching portion of the program is, what I think really sets apart Tech Elevator is the robust “Pathway” program. In Pathway, we had the opportunity to learn more about the broader field from numerous panel discussions and “employer showcase” events; we learned and practiced the so-called soft skills to prepare for the interview process; we had many opportunities for mock interviews, including significant practice for technical interviews; we polished our resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and our ability to pitch ourselves and network; we made a lot of great connections with alumni and other tech professionals; and we had great support through the entire job search process. From what I’ve seen, Tech Elevator has done a fantastic job cultivating relationships with tech employers in Cleveland, and this was incredibly helpful. Our two “matchmaking” days where we interviewed with prospective employers was significant not just for the experience it offered us, but I and several of my classmates ultimately received job offers from companies with which we started the hiring process at matchmaking. 

Doing any 14-week coding boot camp is a big commitment and a significant challenge, but I would recommend Tech Elevator without reservation for anyone looking to start a career in software development.

Whether or not to attend a bootcamp was a decision that I agonized over for close to a year. I knew that I wanted to change careers but upfront cost of attending a bootcamp coupled with the lost wages accumulated over the course of a fulltime program gave me pause. As a recent Tech Elevator graduate I can now confidently say that the experience was definitively well-worth both the time and money.

The team at Tech Elevator is incredible. From the instructors to the teaching fellows to the career advisors, I honestly got the impression that everyone was invested in me and genuinely rooting for my success.  While the coding curriculum is rigorous and extremely challenging, there is no shortage of support. Whenever I ran into a roadblock, I only needed to walk down the hall or, if it was after-hours, send a quick message to my instructor.

One of the most valuable things about the Tech Elevator experience is their partnerships with local businesses and their reputation within the community. I attended the program in Columbus, Ohio and their reputation here is pretty incredible. Everyone who works in the tech community seems to know someone who attended the program and is excelling in the field. I also found a lot of value in the matchmaking even that they host towards the end of every cohort. I interviewed with 6 different companies through this event and snagged follow-up interviews with 5.

I received an offer from my top choice company a week prior to graduation. While graduating with a job offer already under your belt isn't a given, it certainly wasn't abnormal either (based on my experience and that of my classmates). I am 100% satisfied with my experience at Tech Elevator and would absolutely recommend it to anyone.