Tech Elevator

I recently completed the Full Stack Java-based National Live Remote Program from Tech Elevator. I am a career changer coming from a lengthy STEM career into the Software / Web Development world. This is a review of what I experienced and how I feel after completing the bootcamp.

The Good:

• Most Instructors are very good. Understand that they are trying to squeeze as much material as possible in a short amount of time. They are willing to help answer as many questions as possible and will give you time if you request office hours.
• Java content and Database content are great. The daily assignments provide the rhythm and rigor needed to absorb the content taught.
• Alumni Curriculum support provides constant refreshers of the material taught during the bootcamp and can provide a learning experience with smaller groups. 

The Mediocre:

• The HTML, CSS, and JavaScript portion of the curriculum is rushed. Vue.JS is an easier-to-learn framework but React has the most market share and would have been the better choice for increasing employability.
• The curriculum covers the fundamentals and practical skills with basic web applications but many employers ask theoretical questions that involve an understanding of Data Structures & Algorithms. You will need to acquire this information on your own. Putting in the time to study and do problems like LeetCode, HackerRank, Code Signal, Code Wars, etc. is something you will have to do.
• The professional development portion of the bootcamp (called "Pathway") is mostly geared to those with no professional experience. If you have any successful interviewing and resume experience, then this part of the bootcamp won't provide much value other than a few required mock interviews and working on your elevator pitch. This extends into the Alumni Pathway support as well since it is just a repeat of the content discussed during the bootcamp.

The Bad:

• Understand that the current market (this review being written in Q1 2024) is extremely tough. Talking with the admissions team, they made suggestions that there was a large set of employer partners or company contacts they had access to, and leaving the bootcamp employed was very likely. The reality is far from that. There is no job guarantee. 
• During my cohort, the few companies that came to this matchmaking experience were either companies or institutions that weren't hiring at all, companies centered around Tech Elevator's physical campus locations,  or contracting companies that were taking extreme advantage of market conditions to offer new developers low wages, with harsh contracts that require your to uproot yourself at a moment's notice. The matchmaking experience seems to have been better for those who went to a campus-based program.
• The quality and experience of pair programming projects like the mini-capstones and Final Project are dependent on who your partners are.  If you have a team of passionate/dedicated people then your projects can turn out to be amazing. It is very possible to get matched with people who have no desire to do the work or learn. You will then have to complete the project on your own. I encountered this myself and know of others who also had a poor experience due to individuals who for one reason or another didn't care. Some of them have no business being in the bootcamp as they are not willing to put in the work to learn. If their time during the bootcamp is evidence of their work habit, they will not succeed. ChatGPT and other AI tools can only take you so far. 

To summarize, the technical portion of the bootcamp is great for covering the basic concepts and being able to produce web applications. You will have to expand on the topics and do deeper learning to be able to have a chance at finding work. The professional development portion of the bootcamp is only OK. The likelihood of leaving with a job other than a predatory contract position is extremely low in current market conditions. The key to finding work is to find programs at companies that accept bootcamp graduates for apprenticeships or entry-level positions, or become self-employed via freelancing, or network as much as possible and hope you make a connection with someone who can make hiring decisions or at least influence them enough to get you an interview. If you can't pay for the bootcamp outright, get the income sharing agreement over the loan as the current market makes the prospect of finding employment during the grace period of a loan extremely challenging. I was fortunate enough to find employment through an entry-level program within my loan grace period after graduating.

Initially skeptical about the effectiveness of software engineering bootcamps, I conducted thorough research, interviewing alumni and reviewing various programs. Despite common concerns about inadequate career coaching and outdated curriculums in many bootcamps, my experience with Tech Elevator (TE) was remarkably different.



At TE, I found the curriculum to be an excellent foundation for an entry-level engineer. The instructors and staff were consistently accessible, offering substantial support with coursework and real-world coding projects. The Pathway Program was a highlight, enabling me to secure my first job through TE's Matchmaking partners. TE's commitment extended beyond the curriculum, with consistent personal follow-ups and a surprising level of dedication, exemplified by my Pathway director's presence on my first day at my new job.

I really enjoyed the classroom structure and exercises.  I learned the most from the Capstones and really liked how available the teachers were for questions.  The pathway program provided great insight in how/where to apply to jobs and with resume structure.  I wish there was exercises/learning that leaned more into computer science areas and in breaking down more complex technical interview questions.  A decent amount of interview questions are on topics not covered in class (bits in particular).

During the summer of my senior year pursuing a Computer Engineering Degree (May 2023 - Aug 2023), I had the privilege of participating in a meticulously structured and enriching educational experience. Armed with a strong foundation in the field, I found the course to be both accommodating for beginners and challenging for those with more seasoned expertise.

I am uniquely positioned to address the perennial debate between traditional college education and the intensive bootcamp approach. While I hold my alma mater in high regard, it's important to debunk the notion that a bootcamp is equivalent in difficulty to a Computer Science or Engineering degree. My summer course, although intensive, provided me with significantly more flexibility to maintain a well-rounded life – a luxury I often found scarce during my university years.

Drawing a distinct comparison, my academic semester encompassed a demanding load of subjects, including Cal 3, Embedded Systems, Algorithms, and a Capstone project that required mastering a new backend framework on the spot. This workload underscores the stark contrast between the two paths. The college experience placed a higher onus on independent problem-solving and time management, fostering a comprehensive understanding of diverse programming languages and algorithms. In contrast, the bootcamp immersed me in an accelerated and all-encompassing learning environment, emphasizing a specific language and framework. However, success in a bootcamp is contingent upon one's dedication and effort, and the subsequent job search presents its own challenges.

In summation, both avenues have their merits. The traditional college route cultivates resilience, self-reliance, and a broad spectrum of technical proficiencies. Conversely, a bootcamp necessitates swift and intensive absorption of knowledge, focusing on specialized skills. Securing employment post-bootcamp demands personal commitment and perseverance. Ultimately, the journey you choose will shape your growth, and while not without its challenges, triumph is attainable in either scenario.

I am thrilled to give Tech Elevator Java Bootcamp a glowing 5-star review. My instructors were extremely knowledgeable and provided great guidance throughout the program. I feel well-prepared for my career change upon completing the TE bootcamp, and I am excited to put my new skills into practice. Overall, my experience at Tech Elevator was fantastic, and I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to enhance their technical skills and make a successful career transition. 

 After my interest peaked in coding, I decided to go "all-in" and picked Tech Elevator as my bootcamp of choice after hearing good reviews from number of friends. The curriculum really offers a solid base for entering the development realm, and I really enjoyed the 30 week timeframe as it offered more time to digest the material. However, you get out of it what you put into it. If you study a lot and make an effort to truly learn and grasp the material, you'll do well. If you scrape by knowing the bare minimum to pass your assignments, don't expect to get a job soon after graduation. The part time program is very low-key, and although the syllabus outlines policies to follow,  they are not strictly enforced. Many students neglect to attend class and pair programming sessions, leaving other students hanging, but there were no noticeable consequences for this behavior. It sometimes felt like the institution was more interested in our tuition payments than our success or their reputation. A number of students also had issues with the availability and quality of the instructors, and while I will admit that my cohort got the short end of the stick, this was not a huge issue for me personally since I am a good self-learner. The academic fellows are SUPER helpful and are the life support of the program. I did learn learn a lot and received 2 great job offers through match-making, so the program was definitely a good investment and worth it for me; however, if you're not a self-motivator and/or get a lot out of lectures/visual teaching, the part-time program may not be for you.  

Pros:
 -Good curriculum -Help is usually available in a decent time frame from the Academic Fellows -Matchmaking is a great way to get your foot in the door to jumpstart your career 

Cons:
 -Poorly enforced policies -Faculty issues (hopefully this was just a series of unfortunate events for my cohort...) -End of module projects are not graded, so many people get away without doing/completing them -lack of individual projects to showcase to potential employers 

I started this bootcamp with very limited knowledge of programming/software development and now I can say 6 months later I have my first job in the technology field as a software developer. I was an in person student at the Pittsburgh, PA campus. The campus is very nice and you have 24/7 access while attending, complete with table tennis of course! The Pathways program at TE is wonderful! They really get you ready for those first few interviews and teach you so much. Listen to them and don't dismiss those sessions! The technical instructors were fantastic! It is a lot of information to gain in such a short amount of time. I will say it is not about memorizing but about figuring it out and piecing out the puzzle. In the beginning when first starting the program the days can feel very long and like you need a ton of help but as you move through the program you will find that you need less help and you now what you are doing. My number 1 tip when starting this program though is to check out the plugins that you can add to your IDE/development environment. Rainbow brackets really helped me at the beginning of the journey. Overall, definitely worth it! Everyone is supportive and they want you to succeed. If you're on the fence I would say apply. I have already referred quite a few friends to the program.

Tech Elevator completely changed my career trajectory for the better and it accomplished that in only 16 weeks for a price that's much cheaper than getting a traditional degree.  The program is hard and will challenge you every day, but if you put in the work you will succeed. Trust the process.  Absolutely amazing teachers, academic fellows, and career services to support you every step of the way.  Start the homework the day it's given and do the pre-work before class and you will see your skills improve throughout the course.

The pathway program is a series of useless material, which may not be useful if you have prior work experience in literally any field. The program does not prepare you for technical interviews, which is a crucial part of the interview process for tech jobs. The 6 month job assistance offered is limited to meetings with someone from TE, who only provides generic advice. The matchmaking event was not productive, as most employers were not hiring and the few that were required a bachelor's degree. The instruction provided is rushed, but not bad. However, they do not cover important topics such as data structures and algorithms, which can be encountered during the interview process.

 I had a poor instructor, and the campus director was not responsive to requests for a switch. Overall, the program is marketed as a workforce development program, but it is not worth the cost if the instruction is not tailored to the student's needs.