Tech Elevator

I'm going to do a full breakdown below my review, because I wish someone had done that when I was researching Tech Elevator (TE). Here I'll just do a generic review: TE is incredible. Their process for admittance almost guarantees that if you are admitted, you're capable of completing the program. The instructors, pathway directors and anyone else you come into contact with are fully committed to your success. It's clear that it drives them from day one of the program. When you're in week 10 you'll think back to the questions you asked in week one and you'll be awed by how patient the instructors are, from start to finish. This is something you'll read over and over again, but it's true: the Pathway program is what separates TE. You can be the best developer in the world, but if you don't interview well, you're not going to get a job. This sentiment is important to remember, because when you start the program, most students (myself included) are so focused on learning code that the Pathway events tend to be an afterthought. This is fine for the first half of the cohort, but after that, your focus needs to shift. Which brings me to my "but..." part of the review: 

I was surprised to find that many fellow students had at least a bachelor's degree. I did not. I received and accepted a job offer two months after graduating, but I believe it would have been quicker for me if I had a degree. One issue with COVID is that less companies are hiring; so while you will be happy for your classmates that find jobs, in some cases you'll be going after the same job. In those cases, everything else being equal, if I was a company I'd choose the student who also had a degree. Something to keep in mind and a reason to push yourself harder, especially with regard to Pathway. Someone without a degree may get less interviews, so knocking those interviews out of the park is critical.

Overall going to TE was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The staff, fellow students, alumni and other partners (hiring and not hiring) are all amazing and all root for you to succeed. You come out of TE with a full blown starter kit for a tech career: technical skills, soft skills and a network. If you're thinking about doing it, do it - it was less work for me than the full time job that I left, and I got to learn new skills that I'm passionate about. The biggest determining factor for how the cohort will go for you is how quickly you "get it" - the instructors reference it early on, but some people can navigate the cohort successfully putting in 40 hours per week. Some need 60 hours per week. Some in between. The interesting thing is that you can struggle all cohort and feel like you're not getting it as fast as other people, and then it's possible to land a job immediately if you nail the interview, which is why Pathway is so critical. I cannot recommend Tech Elevator enough.



Below I will break down the cohort from my perspective to give a better idea of what you may be getting into (note: the curriculum can change, so this is just what I experienced in the Summer 2020 cohort). If you do the bootcamp, I would recommend coming back and reading this breakdown again once it starts:

It starts with attending a virtual (or in-person, without COVID) open house to learn a little about the program. From there you do a small assessment used to determine your aptitude for problem solving. If you pass that, next is a face to face interview, with a longer version of an aptitude test. If you pass those, you're in. Once accepted, you will be given some exercises to complete prior to the start of the cohort - the purpose for this is to make sure everyone starts the cohort on a level playing field (some people may have experience writing code, but most do not, so don't worry). These exercises just cover the basics. If you struggle with these, DO NOT worry - all of this is covered during the actual cohort. You will also get informed about the student book, which is a companion to the course. More on that below. You will also have a Google calendar shared with you for Pathway events and other miscellaneous events throughout the cohort.

The first week introduces the basics of coding, either in C# or Java (I did C#). If you don't know which to pick, one nice tiebreaker could be going to LinkedIn and searching for "java developer" and ".NET developer" and seeing which has more open positions. Otherwise I would tell you .NET, but that's just me. You will have lecture from 9am to anywhere between 12pm-1pm, depending on what all needs to be covered that day. The morning starts with a review of the prior day, and a quiz for you to gauge where your understanding is (this quiz does NOT impact your actual grade, it's just so you and the instructor can see how you're doing). These quizzes were one of my favorite parts of the cohort because it allowed you test the knowledge that you just learned. After the quiz it's on to new material. For COVID, these lectures are in a classroom via Zoom and were recorded - however, I found taking notes the old fashioned way helped me retain the information. Why not type them? You will have a laptop and second monitor provided by TE if you need it (I used a TV for a second monitor). You'll want the lecture on one screen, where your instructor will be sharing their screen so that you can see what they're doing and how they're doing it. You'll also want to follow along with what they're doing on your screen at the same time, so that you can get used to doing what they're doing (and what you'll need to do for your homework). For me that meant handwriting notes in a notebook, which helps me retain information anyways. Other students typed notes. Some didn't take notes. Some followed along, some didn't. Following along AND taking notes helped me, and I generally picked up on things pretty quickly, so take that for what it's worth.

Once class ends, you'll have a homework assignment and you'll want to check your calendar - there will usually be a Pathway event at 3pm. The homework assignment can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours - depends how quickly you picked up the material and how quickly you work. Once I had an assignment that took several hours, I began working on them the minute the lecture ended. One thing they caution you against is spending too much time in front of a computer - taking breaks can be good - I preferred to get everything done and then not work on anything until the next day, but I also have a 2 year old who I wanted to spend time with in the evenings. That worked for me; for others, multiple breaks helped them get through it. You'll have to figure out what works for you, and if it's in-person that probably further changes the conversation.

Remember that student book? You should read the chapter tonight or tomorrow before class for what will be covered in tomorrow's class. It helps wrap your mind around some of the concepts. Tutorials also starting coming out, and for me a good habit was book the night before, tutorial before class, class, lunch, homework, Pathway, homework, done by 5pm on most days.

Tech Elevator is a coding bootcamp that lends you the opportunity to hunker down and learn how to engineer a full stack web service, from scratch, in as little as 14 weeks! If you take it seriously, practice hard, ask lots of questions, and believe in yourself. You too can finish the program with the confidence you need to bash code from thought and enter the job market your chin held high.
TE hosts a solid curriculum that allows even complete novices to quickly gain traction and jump into programming.
The instructors are very knowledgeable and want you to succeed. Pathway is an excellent addition with university level instruction on how to enter the job market with your best foot forward.
The bootcamp is very intense and fast paced. If you don’t feel comfortable asking for help when you don’t understand, you can find yourself behind the ball in an uncomfortable position.

Tech Elevator was the perfect choice for me and I recommend it for anyone who wants to learn coding in order to make a career change. Before the bootcamp, I had no technical knowledge, coming from a background in the arts and human services. The structure of the program–daily, live remote, module based–made it easy to stay engaged and learn efficiently. It was hard–very hard–but I felt supported by the structure of the day, coupled with the ability to get help from instructors and peers who were available daily after classroom hours.

My instructor was Rich Seeds, an expert in his field, knowledgeable, and with a great sense of humor. Together with my cohort, we created a learning environment that fostered open curiosity, encouraging active questioning and problem solving in order to master challenging concepts. I also appreciated the Pathway Program, which prepared me for the job search with resume reviews, mock interviews, and networking opportunities. I’m so grateful for the guidance that Claribel Quintana–my one-on-one Pathway Director for my post-graduation job search–has already given me, and I look forward to continuing our work together in the coming weeks.

Because of Tech Elevator, I feel confident in my skills and in my ability to continue to learn other coding languages (Python is my next venture!) on my own.  I am excited about the opportunities ahead as I begin my job search as a junior developer.

As someone eager to transition into a software development career, Tech Elevator provided the ideal in-person learning experience. The instructors and staff consistently supported us, ensuring a solid foundation for our software development journey. The 14-week program was intense but rewarding, covering extensive coursework. The availability of resources, including attentive instructors (thank you, Tom A., Walt, and Tom M.), significantly contributed to my success. Working with Julie Jurich, Pathway Director, significantly enhanced my personal branding, resume, and interview preparation. Despite the workload, the staff took the time to understand my career goals and aspirations. Reflecting on my time at Tech Elevator, I appreciate the dedication of the instructors and staff in fostering success. If you thrive in a traditional classroom setting, Tech Elevator Pittsburgh offers an excellent option for in-person instruction.

If you're considering a coding boot camp, check out Tech Elevator. I went from a web novice to a confident junior developer in three months, and it was an awesome journey. I had previously dabbled in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with the Odin Project and FreeCodeCamp, but I entered the program with minimal experience.  Our instructor was amazing, their passion for code was contagious, and their expertise felt bottomless. No matter how stuck I was, they were always there, patiently untangling the knots in my logic. Another positive to Tech Elevator is its Pathway Program. It might seem basic if you already have an extensive career history but follow their advice. They know what they are doing. My Pathway Director, another rockstar, helped me polish my resume, refine my interview skills, and build a LinkedIn profile that got noticed. Put equal effort into coding and the Pathway Program – it's like a secret weapon for landing your first tech job.Another great aspect of the program is your other cohort members. Everyone brought their unique perspective and experiences to the table. We learned from each other, supported each other, and built connections that will last far beyond graduation. These aren't just classmates; they're your future network. Now, let's address the elephant in the room: the price tag. Yes, it's hefty, but here's the thing – you're investing in yourself. I was fortunate enough to land a Software Developer job through matchmaking in the program and have been using skills I learned at Tech Elevator every day. Overall, I think Tech Elevator is worth it, and if you’re thinking about doing a boot camp, Tech Elevator is where you should leap.

This bootcamp did everything I had hoped for and more, both on the tech side and the job-support side. As a former desktop developer, it was a great refresher for relational databases, plus it checked all my boxes for topics I was dying to learn: OOP, C-based languages like Java and JavaScript, HTML, CSS, how to be Agile, how to code unit tests, and how to use Spring to complete the magic of API calls that make web applications work. Our instructor was incredibly knowledgeable and always available to answer questions. Truly the only limit for how much I could learn was my brain's ability to absorb information. The Pathway side was equally valuable. Our amazing Pathway Director helped me translate my twisty-turn-y job history into a coherent 1-page resume, helped me build a respectable LinkedIn presence, and fed me employment leads appropriate for my interests and abilities--one of which resulted in a job! Tech Elevator is worth the tuition, it's an investment in yourself, but you have to make room in your life, because it's a lot!

I still can't get over how surreal this whole experience was. First of all, the other thirty-something students in my cohort were amazing. Everybody was so nice, helpful and got along so well that it really made it quite sad to leave the bootcamp at the end of the three months.

Additionally, I learned that I REALLY loved to code. I thought this might be true given that I started teaching computer science partway through my 16-year career in education (and generally enjoyed it), but I was afraid that when we got to the tough stuff at Tech Elevator, it might break me down...thankfully I was wrong. I came into class nearly everyday excited for whatever concepts would be thrown at us. I never once dreaded coming into class like I did when I was teaching. Better yet, my wife can attest to the fact that I came home (even on the super long days) from class in a better mood than I had been in for the last I-don't-know-how-many years in my previous career.

Thirdly, I ALWAYS felt supported at Tech Elevator. If I ran into any problems, I knew I could talk to my instructor, one of the other instructors, some of my classmates or rely on our online "textbook" for help. I never once felt alone in any of this. Any time that I was struggling, I could find comfort knowing there was a VERY good chance a bunch of the other students were struggling, too (does that make me evil?). Programming can be difficult!

I worked my butt off at Tech Elevator and you know what? I got a job before the bootcamp was even over. Add this to the list of things in life where you will get out of it what you put in. I sat up front (something I NEVER did in high school or college), I never once used ChatGPT to give me answers, I (almost) always did the readings before class, and I really thought hard about how the code worked as I typed out solutions to the practice assignments. I put tons of time into this class, and the class rewarded me with a job!

Attending Tech Elevator was one of the best decisions I've ever made as a human being on this planet. I cannot wait to start the next chapter of my life as a software engineer!

Tech Elevator is a fantastic program! With their combined technical and career instruction, I was transformed into a complete novice in coding to an employed Software Engineer before I graduated. I believe anyone, with the right attitude, can complete this program and become extremely prepared for a life in tech. The instructors were insanely compassionate, and my instructor in specific was a Tech Elevator alum herself, so she understood our position excellently. Only consider this if you are truly interested in coding because if you are, you will find the work energizing and fun!

Tech Elevator was an incredible experience. The teaching staff was incredible and it is obvious they are passionate about educating people. The support staff is also incredible, from to bottom the entire staff is always available to offer whatever support you need. One of the things that made me feel compelled to write this review, is that during my cohort I face some rather tough personal challenges. Still, I never felt that additional stress because it was obvious I had the full support of Tech Elevator. Overall, awesome experience and great confidence builder as you jump into your new Software career.

I joined the boot camp straight after high school. I have always been a hard worker and a dedicated person who had his life goals set years prior. Although there was a lot of new information every day, I believe I received the help and instructions I sought which then helped me succeed overall. I had zero interviewing experience so going through that I had a lot of practice with the pathway director(s), also had my elevator pitch perfected by the time we stopped presenting them. I had Steve as my Java instructor in Columbus and enjoyed his class every day and the way he explained and answered concepts made it very clear for me. Tech Elevator also made it a comfortable place to get out of your comfort zone (I know it doesn't make sense) so I was able to ask whatever question that came to my mind even if it was just a clarification. Great experience overall 100% would recommend it. It just took me to find my job longer than I anticipated, and the problem wasn't my interview preparations but rather no recruiters would reach out. I followed everything I was taught at the boot camp, but I don't even know how Tech Elevator could've helped a high school graduate with no job or education experience land a job quickly.