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.

Tech Elevator changed my life. I was wandering around the web trying to learn how to code through different courses and subscriptions for over a year, while hated being at my 9-5 office job. I knew I needed in-person concrete guidance to start a new career as a developer, and I’ve looked at all the possibilities in Columbus area. The program at Tech Elevator itself is very well thought out. We started with Java, moved on to SQL, Spring MVC, and then client-side programming (JavaScript and VueJS). All of that was not easy to do in a span of 14-weeks, and I couldn’t have done it alone. My professor, Steve, did an incredible job at explaining concepts in different ways (wouldn’t be where I am without him). He had such an in depth experience in tech and taught our class to be a developer from different viewpoints. The academic fellows were so dedicated at helping you get unstuck (which will happen multiple times throughout the day) during assignments and capstones without revealing the answers.

The cherry on top of this Sunday is the Pathway Program. I wouldn’t be sitting as a developer right now without the help of Ben and Laura. I was able to gain knowledge on how to utilize and curate my LinkedIn, resume, and elevator pitch. My cohort went through series of mock behavioral and technical interviews to prep us for the real deal. The Matchmaking event is… priceless. Tech Elevator provided an event where multiple potential employers came to interview us for an available position they have open! The Matchmaking event is where I met my current employer now, without it, I wouldn’t have been successful at securing a position before graduation.

Tech Elevator is not only invested in you learning how to code, but they also want you to get a job!!! They want it as much as you do! The whole entire staff is passionate on helping you become successful. I can’t keep my mouth shut on how much Tech Elevator has changed my life.

It was an incredibly tough program and you HAVE to be ready for the workload, financial strains, and emotional rollercoaster. If you are willing to do whatever it takes and bet on yourself to change your career into tech, look no further and go to Tech Elevator!

My background going into Tech Elevator:

Before attending Tech Elevator I was a youth pastor at a church in Columbus. I have always loved technology and had an interest in programming, but could not justify going to college for a four year degree in Computer Science. After talking with my brother-in-law (a front-end developer) and learning that he went through a bootcamp I started to look for options in Columbus, Ohio.

What Tech Elevator does well:

The staff at Tech Elevator, from the instructors to the career support (they call this the Pathway Program) to the administrators are all genuinely invested in getting every student into their goal job. The staff are all amazing and I have nothing but praise for all that they do on a daily basis to help you.

The curriculum is laid out well for the most part. It is written in a way that you can complete it even if you've never written a line of code, but its also paced quickly enough that you won't get bored if you're a little bit ahead of the curve. I had John Fulton as my instructor and I was continually blown away by his ability to explain complex concepts in a way that a room full of people could all understand. I have heard similar remarks from classmates who had different teachers.

What could be improved:

There are some areas of the curriculum that could be improved upon, and were being actively improved upon when I left. The front-end framework that Tech Elevator teaches is Vue, but this is the area where I felt my education was most lacking. Tech Elevator's curriculum strongly emphasizes the core concepts of programming, which is a very good thing because all of those skills are transferable to any language or framework, but this means that front end development gets pushed into a relatively small chunk of time. With the tech world moving more and more towards front-end frameworks and Single Page Applications, I think it would be better to spend some more time on this section. (This section was being re-written during my cohort so I'm not sure what its like now).

Tech Elevator is exactly as advertised: fast-paced, challenging, and life-changing. The course is not for the faint of heart, but it's the perfect place if you're willing to buckle down and push yourself for 14 weeks. Throughout the program you’re told that you’ll get out what you put in, and that couldn’t have been truer. A willingness to not just do the minimum, but to demonstrate an interest and curiosity in coding seemed to pay dividends for those that did so.

To echo many other reviews, the Pathway Program sets Tech Elevator apart from other bootcamps. The staff is dedicated to helping each student finish the program and to land a job at the end. The end result is still up to the student, but the tools and support are in place to allow each student to achieve success. Trust the process…

This success would also not be possible without an incredible team of instructors. Steve was my instructor, and I can’t thank him enough for his unwavering support and encouragement. As someone that has been in the tech industry for a while, Steve was able to keep class engaging and fun by relating course material to real-world experiences. In addition to Steve, each instructor and the academic fellows were always happy to help me get unstuck. There was one Friday when I went to the office for help at 5:30pm and was lucky enough to catch Andrew right before he left. Without hesitation he sat down, unpacked his bag, and helped me debug something for over an hour. This is just one example of how the instructors go out of their way to make sure their students are successful.

I can’t say enough about how amazing the Tech Elevator program was. Not only did it enable me to make a career change from finance to technology, to help me land a junior developer position, and to feel that I have a place to turn when I have questions or need advice, it also provided me with a network of like-minded individuals (my classmates and alumni) also starting their careers in technology. Tech Elevator is the complete package.

I took a chance on them, and in return they took a chance on me - I'm someone who is outside of their demographic, and was a possible risk on their outstanding statistics. But they saw something in me that made them take a chance on me, and believed in me the entire way through the program. Tech Elevator doesn't just give you a 14 week education; they also give you life-long friendship, mentorship, and support. 

The program is rigourous and not for the faint-of-heart, but it challenges you and pushes you in a realistic manner for what you will face going into the workforce. This bootcamp is vastly different from others becuase it provides you with career specific training in an area that is truly lacking in the tech field - the Pathway Program teaches you how to spotlight your emotional inteligence, and showcases that in their students to outside companies. This leads to external relationships that you truly cannot find elsewhere. Each of the instructors genuinely care about their students as people, and want to see them achieve as much as they can. It is constantly reiterated to students that the staff is not just there for students for the duration of the program, but following graduation for as long as we need it.

Tech Elevator also has a phenominal Alumni network that they encourage students to interact with. It provides a crucial aspect of support that you will not find elsewhere. These are individuals who have gone through the same exact thing that current students are experiencing, and provide hardcore evidence that people make it through, and come out the other end successful. Please note that what you put in is exactly what you get out of the program. There were students that spent all their time on phones, and scrolling through random webpages, and those individuals were a part of the percentage that struggled to get a job. Tech Elevator cannot gaurantee a job, but they do a lions share of the work, and those who put effort in see a positive outcome.

I had Steve as my instructor, and I could not have asked for a better individual to lead our class. He guided the class with a lively personality and an opportunistic approach to the topics at hand. He provided enough instruction for individuals to have a skeleton of what we were to be doing, and still allowed for critical thinking to occur whilst completing study and assignments. He never once shut down creative ideas, or routes of thinking, and often times encouraged conversations and discussions that, while not always exactly the topic of the day, furthered our knowledge, understanding, or curiosity on subjects.

He is also an incredibly genuine and caring person. He treated each of us as students and often as peers as well. He never made me feel stupid for not understanding something, and encouraged me to make mistakes. He often provided guidance for newbies in the "adult world" and on this career path. He was a safe space to grow, and ask questions, and stumble, and was always there with a smile to encourage us through the program. I cannot thank him enough for everything he has done for the program, for his students, and for me personally. I am excited to continue on in this career knowing he is available as a mentor and guide going forward, and my passion for the program has grown astronomically due to his presence and teaching. 

As someone who honestly avoided tech and programming for the first chunk of their career/life and who had no skills that were valued in the skill-centered workforce, Tech Elevator changed my life. It challenged me, changed me, and vaulted me into a career that I never knew I could acheive, with a network at my back that I couldn't have ever dreamed of. I owe Tech Elevator a great deal to who and where I am now!

A family member had attended Tech Elevator and had highly recommended the program.  Research showed me that Tech Elevator had both a graduation rate and job placement rate of over 90%.  After taking the online and in-person aptitude tests, I was accepted into the program.  

When they tell you it will be like a full-time job and the most intense learning experience you have ever had, BELIEVE THEM.  The program is incredibly intense, but I would STILL say choosing to attend is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made.

In addition to teaching the necessary skills in order to become a full-stack developer, there is a strong focus on career preparation.  I think I may have revised my resume at least a dozen times before I graduated. All the hard work paid off, however, when I actually had a job offer in hand prior to graduation.

If you're interested in accelerating your career in software development (especially if you're impatient like I am!), this is a great way to do it. The staff is incredibly supportive not only for the 14-weeks of the boot camp, but also after the program has ended.  It is truly a life-changing experience and I would definitely recommend!

Any bootcamp can teach you to code, but Tech Elevator is the only one I found that will teach you how to get a job as a developer.

The coding education provided by TE is absolutely top-notch! Most of my cohort went in with little to no experience, but by graduation, we were all competent in multiple programming languages, and spent our last two weeks developing a fully functional web application from scratch! The coursework was challenging, but well-paced, and the instructors are all experienced, friendly, and perpetually available to help you get unstuck (and you WILL get stuck).

But the thing that truly sets TE apart from the rest is the Pathway Program. They will teach you how to tailor your LinkedIn, resume, and elevator pitch to attract and hold the attention of potential employers. They will teach you how to shine in HR, behavioral, and technical interviews, and give you practice sessions for each type of interview, both with staff and industry professionals. They have panel discussions with local developers and former students to help you understand what it's like to work as a developer. In the second half of the program, there are several employer showcases, wherein large and small tech companies give presentations and field questions about their businesses and environments. After all that, the shining jewel of the program is the Matchmaking interview process. Every student gets interviews with several local tech companies and tech recruiters!

Even after you've graduated, the TE staff is always available to help with job hunting, salary negotiation, on-the-job problems, and more. The program isn't cheap, but it would be a bargain at twice the price.

In closing, if you are serious about getting into software development ASAP, there's no better place to go than Tech Elevator!

I was not sure about the whole thing, the bootcamp etc. Well, I was wrong. This is the best investment I have ever made in my life. I wanted to change career since I have left school after graduating from a Master's Degree in Industrial Engineering.

My spouse relocation gave me the opportunity to make that change and I would not trade it for anything in the world.

Tech Elevator is not just a coding bootcamp, there is a program called the pathway program that will help you network, connect and potentially interview with dozens of companies within the greater Pittsburgh Area. 

If you are unsure and you are reading this, Just Do It !

I attended Tech Elevator's Cleveland Campus and had an AMAZING experience. Perviously I worked in sales, and had little to no technical knowledge when it came to programming apart from a few very basic classes in college. When I left and got into the work place I was well prepared and armed with the tools I need to take on the challanges I face as a developer on a daily basis.

The instructors are fantastic and will take the time to make sure that you really understand concepts that you struggle with and are readily available. The Pathway program will keep you focused on finding a job and give you plenty of amazing tips and tricks for your career endevours in the future as well. 

Overall, I was blown away by my experience at Tech Elevator and more than satisfied with my new career in web development!

Tech Elevator was a great experience. I feel competent as a developer after only four months. The material was in depth and well worth my time. The technical side that you're is looking for is there. You WILL be a software developer by the end of the course.

The part that catches people off guard is the Pathway program. You expect to come into the program and just learn to code but what you don't realize is that Tech Elevator gets you a job too. Not just any job either. I was interviewing with big companies like GE Aviation and Kroger. The price of admission is almost worth it just for Pathway. I highly recommend this course for anybody looking to start or change careers. 

The only downside is the stress. Not only are you drinking from the firehose that is a coding bootcamp, but you also have zero income for about four months. You can get cost of living money from your student loan for the course, but once it runs out, you're out of money potentially with no job. This comes with any coding bootcamp though, so I can't criticize Tech Elevator for this directly. 

So yes, Tech Elevator is both a significant financial investment, as well as a risk if you have to quit your job to attend. That being said, if you're looking around for coding bootcamps, you are probably already aware and willing to take that risk. If so, read on.

Tech Elevator was a grueling, intense, challenging, experience that piles on all of the knowledge you need to get that first tech company job. This isn't a college computer science course, this is a practical, hands on bootcamp. Think of it like a job and school combined in to one. There is in class lecture, followed by hours of coding exercises in constantly growing difficulty. 

One thing of note, people will stress about whether they took the .NET or Java track when it comes to job seeking time. I would say that in my experience, it does seem that occasionally an employer will look for people that are already using the same tech stack, but I've also seen .NET students get hired into Java shops. I would say that is a small concern, just don't worry about it. There are too many elements outside of the student's control in that situation. I've seen .NET people get disheartened because company A is a Java shop and is looking for Java students, and then seen company A hire a different .NET candidate. Just focus on the job search and these things won't have to add undue stressl.

Despite this stressful, challenging, crazy amount of learning, there will be quite a bit of just hanging out and getting to know your cohortmates, instructors, and the local tech scene. You are actively encouraged to go out and network. Meet people in the local tech industry, make some friends, find a mentor, etc. You are also provided a boatload of job search advice, assistance, and resources. The job seeking aspect was the most stressful, but rewarding part of the program. Two weeks after I graduated, I landed at essentially my dream job. 

You have to put in the work to obtain this kind of outcome, and there is still a slight element of chance at play, but I can definitively say that Tech Elevator has changed my life for the better. If you have the grit to get through this program, you have the grit to land that first big tech job, and the Tech Elevator staff will be there to help.

I had a fantastic experience at Tech Elevator. I kept a blog while I was there with a review of almost every day. Here is the link if you are interested: https://retailtoprogramming.home.blog/2019/01/05/i-got-laid-off/