The Tech Academy is a great institution, the instructors are attentive and helpful, the curriculum is set up perfectly in that it starts out very basic but comfortably turns into more specified and challenging assignments, but not in a way that left you in the dust with no idea what you were doing like some other self-paced schooling. The Tech Academy taught me a great deal of the practical skills I will need for software developing, giving me a solid foundational knowledge, and more importantly it gave me the ability to learn more on my own and grow my own skills, but on a more personal level while attending I learned to get a hold of my procrastination problem and to become a better student and improve my work ethic over all.

The one issue I ran into with the Tech Academy surfaced right before I was to graduate, and the issue was that I was getting very worried that in this line of work I might get a little stir-crazy, as I am an incredibly social and talkative person who thrives on interaction, so a job that did not have a considerable amount of that human element involved isn't something that I would be successful at. But luckily a job fell into my lap just recently that perfectly fulfilled my requirements, as it is a job in sales that would keep me constantly engaged with people and in a dynamic environment, and on top of that shortly I will be starting to work with the IT department on a project concerning their database.

So while my path didn't go exactly where I planned post-graduation, I do not for a second regret attending the school and very much look forward to incorporating my skills to my new job. All in all the Tech Academy is an excellent school that provides a great learning environment with instructors that are more than willing and able to help whenever they can.

I want to recommend the Tech Academy to anyone interested in technology and computing who wants to begin or change their career path. No prior experience or education in programming is necessary whatsoever for the incoming student.

I myself am in the process of changing careers at just a few months shy of my 40th birthday. I researched coding bootcamps for several months and came to enroll in The Tech Academy for the following reasons:

The Web is replete with resources for self learning many disciplines especially software development. And this is both beneficial and problematic. There are simply too many options and too many points of entry into this field of study. I needed a structured, curated curriculum and The Tech Academy has provided this.

I don’t have the luxury at this point in my life to return to a traditional four year university degree program. The Tech Academy’s course of study takes 15 to 20 weeks.

I needed specific training on employment acquisition. The Tech Academy’s job placement team provides weekly instruction sessions to prepare for the technical and personal interviews as well as resume construction and information on networking opportunities in the Portland metropolitan area. I didn’t have this resource at my college and graduate school.

The cost of tuition at The Tech Academy is at least half of the amount (if not even less than that) that many other bootcamps nationwide charge.

 

The curriculum structure is perfect for the coding newbie, even an absolute newbie like myself. The coursework begins with the fundamentals of computing and builds in logical succession. The content itself is broad spectrum covering both front-end and back-end web development languages and frameworks. This is a great benefit to me as I am still in the process of determining what direction I want to professionally pursue. The team of instructors are very kind, patient, and accessible. I am more than halfway through the content and have not met any concept or coding challenge that could not be understood and overcome. The study schedule is as flexible as needed for the situation of the individual student. I can recommend The Tech Academy to any interested student without reservation.

 

The coursework starts off really basic, which is exactly what I needed, then quickly progresses to full stack web/software development. I learned the fundamentals and was given assignments that forced me to do my own research. It really helped build my confidence to do my own research and figure things out myself. They do have staff available to help, everyone was very encouraging and I never felt like they were talking down to me, which was really important since it was all new to me. I’m not sure if other students felt the same way, but the coursework seemed to keep me right on the edge of my ability, always pushing me to learn just a bit more on my own to complete the projects.

After completing the software development curriculum, they have Job Placement Directors to help with  job hunting. They don’t get you a job, but they help with everything job search related like resumes, where to look, how to network and mock interviews. The skills and knowledge I learned at The Tech Academy allows me to not only work in web/software development, but added to my sales and customer service background and apply to a broader range of jobs. Ultimately, the position I accepted doesn’t involve actual coding, but having studied web development and databases helped get me the job.

I really don't have anything negative to say about The Tech Academy. I admit that I wasn't the model student since I couldn't devote full time to studying, it took me quite a bit longer to complete than most students, and I wasn't available to be there for a lot of their group discussions and presentations, but they always happily worked with me to use my time wisely and get the coursework completed.

This is still my first week at The Tech Academy though I just wanted to share some history. I have an A.A.S. in Computer Technology from Heald College and it can asked, so why am I here? Well, not every road leads us where we want to go. I was working 40 hours + a week and Heald was my night school. This was well before I was confirmed having ADHD and also, I graduated right after the dot com crash. Not a good plan? It sure sounded like one at the time. Thinking that between my good GPA of 3.25 and the word on the street about the market bouncing back... Uh no. It was just bad timing which lead me away from technology.   The next several years devolved into mainly the electrical trade with varying side jobs. Nothing really culminating into a cohesive career much less training plan. It paid the bills but was really not a future. Now jump to the present. I recently became involved with ReBoot NW which, after winning a lottery or being a veteran like myself, provides federal grants to people wanting to get into either advanced manufacturing or technology. I chose technology to unearth and reinvent my career in computers.  It truly was the best choice I could have made given my work history and The Tech Academy fit the bill.   While attending a two-week  ReBoot NW course I had my pick of three final presentations. I choose "training providers" and became my group's project lead. Since the goal was to make use of federal grants, this made sense to me. Using metrics to distill viable options, which of course was self-serving aside from a presentation, I deduced that Epicodus and The Tech Academy were the front runners. The selling point for the The Tech Academy was watching that student introduction video by Erik Gross. The lessons were laid out in a way that really resonated for a person like myself. Very procedural and building upon themselves.   Coding? What's coding? Doesn't matter. It does if you have a genuine interest in software development. Commit to the opportunity that The Tech Academy has laid out before you. It does not a bright person to figure out their past has not served them well. Writing code. Yes I already knew what that was  - I had simply never done that professionally. My point is a cliche; When opportunity knocks, answer it. Yes we all have heard that but, most times we do nothing to further ourselves. Vacillating over possibilities and regret are nothing but mental exercises. Take the necessary steps and commit yourself to your own future.

I took much longer to complete the program than most.  I was working 60 hour weeks with a wife and two kids. They worked with me and allowed me to work at the rate I could manage.  I had been teaching myself programming for a couple of years before attending.  The tech academy helped me fill some gaps in my knowledge, but more than anything helped me overcome my 'imposter syndrome' and coached me on interviewing and marketing myself.  I was assigned a coach who did mock interviews with me several times a week toward the end of the program and offered encouragement and advice.  It took me two months to land a job as a remote full stack software engineer and I'm nearing my one year mark with the company.  I went from working 60-70hr weeks and rotating shift work in factories to working 40hrs/week at home.  I see my kids more than ever and am happier than ever.  It's an immense challenge both intellectually and personally, but with perseverance, you can do it. I highly recommend The Tech Academy to anyone looking for a change in their lives.  

I have been attending The Tech Academy for about a month now. I have an English Degree from the U of O and had worked a few jobs since graduating, but decided that I needed to change careers and chose The Tech Academy as the means for starting a transition into a brand new field.

The thing that I like the most about The Tech Academy is the environment provided by the school. Everyone has their own scheduling confilicts and The Tech Academy allows for all students to be able to put in the hours that they can. I have a wife and child (1-year-old) at home and find it hard to get a lot of work done with the distractions of home, so I appreciate that The Tech Academy provides a nice place to concentrate with plenty of instructors on hand whenever I have questions. For me I come in early and put in about 8-10 hours a day and then can get home at a decent hour and can still be the huband/father that I want to be for my family.

The course material is thorough while still moving along at a decent pace. It is not overwhelming for someone like me who does not have much of a background in the tech industry. There is also a big focus here on developing the skills (technical and social) necessary to find and get jobs. Overall my experience so far has been very positive and I would recommend The Tech Academy to anyone thinking of jumping into computer programming.

At the Tech Academy I was given a huge breadth of not only technical, but personal skills. They have solid structured curriculum covering many of the top languages and skills to create a very strong base for a developer or coding career. On top of all this Tuesdays and Thursdays, there are interview practice sessions that proves to be incredibly helpful in honing interview etiquette or just keeping them sharp. With a personal interest in Business Intelligence and a possible data future, The Tech Academy was my choice for its focus on SQL, C# and Python.

The most important thing to remember about The Tech Academy is that you can easily breeze through if that's your goal, but what effort you put into the program is what you will gain out of it.

From doing the Database and SQL Course, I gained the skills to create, populate, and manipulate tables in a database using Microsoft SQL Server 2012.  I also gained the knowledge to write code to query information from database tables that met the parameters requested.   As a developer, I can use my knowledge of SQL to create dynamic websites that draw from databases.  I would like to also use my learned knowledge to further study the LAMP Stack in order to order to utilize the capabilities of Open Source collaboration.   My studies at the Tech Academy has laid the foundation for a future in software development.  The curriculum and instructors are highly recommended!   -Jun 

I gained a lot of self discipline from the Tech Academy.  You learn that the information is out there for you, but no one is going to spoon feed it to you, you have to go out there and learn it. If you're like me where learning new things takes awhile, but once you get it - you get it, then the self-pace setup at the Tech Academy is perfect. I worked a 40+ hour a week fulltime job, so scheduling was very important to me. Looking at other boot camps, the Tech Academy was the only viable with my schedule, and luckily so because I was able to teach myself and push myself to do a part-time contract very closely to a what a fulltime student would have done. Overall, that was my main gain, knowing my limits and when to push and when to hit the brakes.

It allowed me to put great content on my resume. Only having customer service and retail on my resume made it impossible for me to look good on paper to potential hiring boards. Completing the course work, linking my github, and working through building a great resume was the best take-away. Having the ability to speak to what certain code could do, or what programming language to use in a certain situation felt good. There is no better surprise than when you surprise yourself with what you know. 

I felt like a broad spectrum in mulitple languages is the best way to approach boot camp style learning. I'd rather know 70-80% about numerous languages than 100% in only two. The instructors are there to help should you hit any snags - though you are encouraged to really try and find the answers yourself. Almost every Friday they have Tech Talks where they highlight individuals or companys that will come in or Skype in and talk about the current market, and their experience with it. It's available to remote students as well. I will say though, a lot of the instructors are super talented, and while I know it isn't structered like a classroom, it'd be great if the instructors took portions of the curriculum and "taught it" to students. I know that even thought I had finished Python, if one of the instructors reached out and said they were going to highlight a portion of the language, I would absolutely want to be a part of that. Basically while it's up to the students to immerse themselves in languages I also think it would be helpful to have instructors offer that from time to time as well.

The job placement portion, which I felt like was the most important portion of the bootcamp was excellent! I worked with Michael as I was a remote student, and he is honestly on top of his game 100% of the time. By far, he offers the most tools to his students and stays on top of the group to make sure they are working just as hard as he does. I honestly feel like it's because of Michaels diligence that I pushed myself to be a programmer even though I wasn't in a job as one. I worked at my job, then I went home and worked as a coder - for seemingly no one, but knowing that some day all that freelance programming I was doing was only going to help me in the end - something Michael harped on. He wasn't wrong either, and within a month of looking for a job I was able to procure one.

The Tech Academy was a great experience for me overall. I am now able to be in the career I always thought I couldn't be in because of fear of leaving a secure job, or being too old to learn new things. Being able to tackle the curriculum at my own pace and my own hours really made my dream possible too. The instructors are really great and they will absolutley help you when you really need it. Again, my only feedback is that I think it would also be helpful to see a little more outreach from the instructors from time to time too almost like a mock classroom type of setting where students could attend and ask questions and get into the nitty gritty of the language - or something like that. Again, I went into the boot camp hoping I would leave with a change of career by the end of it, and that's exactly what happened.

TECH ADACEMY REVIEW

       

1. What did I gain from doing The Tech Academy ? 

I got the right kind of start for a computer programming beginner: I learned the basics so I

could then become a self taught software developer. Since I have no previous

programming experience, I would have never figured it out on my own.

.It's so much better to have a curriculum, instructors, and classmates who will help you

learn what matters . Without that kind of help,it's easy to become confused, or at least

waste a lot of time, trying to sift through the overwhelming amount of information that's

available.

 

2. How has what you learned at The Tech Academy helped me ? 

 

Since I'm a beginner who is working off of a limited amount of developer skill,learning to

be extremely practical, and not a time wasting perfectionist, is enormously helpful when it

comes to being a good problem solver. The job market has proved that we get hired by

proving that we are a good enough problem solver. According to 

Erik Gross, The Tech Academy's Founder, when it comes to solving a software problem

that we've just been handed, talented software engineers are often at as much of a loss

as junior software developers are in general, when it comes to immediately having all the

information we need. So despite the fact that I'm not a software 

engineer, my Tech Academy curriculum has forced me by necessity to do the same

things we need to do at a developer job: solving the problem I've been handed by using 

whatever technical skills I possess, as well as being a good teammate, so other people

will like me enough to answer all my questions.  

 

 

3. What do you think of the curriculum so far ?

It's great that we are being exposed to enough of the programs and programming

languages that get developers hired. Being able to demonstrate that we have a

basic understanding of HTML/CSS, GitHub, Javascript, SQL, Python, Visual Studio, C#,

and the opportunity to develop in  PHP or .NET, is ideal for proving that we are ready 

or trainable enough to get hired as a developer. 

 

I attended the Tech Academy to catch up on modern programming techniques to augment my Software Sales and Business Development background.  I needed renewed confidence be more competitive in today's job market.  

The .net framework, website design and SQL databases have evolved since I started my career and the Tech Academy courses were a perfect way for me to learn and apply new techniques and the self pace is ideal for my lifestyle.  The instructors are fantastic and go out of their way to help you solve problems.  They do not just give you an answer they teach you how to find it on your own.  

The coursework was very helpful in landing a job as a Sales Engineer recently.  I had much more confidence and made a much better impression on many prospective employers.

I'm a current student at the Tech Academy and have been participating for a little over a week. So far I've been completely blown away. As a relative newcome to programming I was hesitant at first to enroll in a coding bootcamp rather than a more traditional program, but I can confidently say now that I made the correct choice. 

The sheer amount of work I've been able to accomplish in such little time is staggering. I've felt supported and encouraged at all times in the program, both when I was working remotely and in-person. 

Not only have I been impressed at the pace and clarity of the learning materials, the Tech Academy seems to have well organized and effective job placement department. They hold weekly roundtables just to practice technical and soft skill interview questions in addition to personalized mentorship.

I would highly recommend the program to anyone looking for a fast track to learning how to code, but be forewarned- you will have to work very hard! If you're looking for a challenging but supportive environment, you've found the right place.

I've just finished Tech Academy's first course, Computer Basics. A very intense and thorough overview of computer science for anyone, no matter what your previous knowledge. A large part of proficiency in any subject is having a good understanding of the common vocabulary of that field. This course of FULL of vocabulary and succinct descriptions.

This class gave me a good review and I've already started learning and understanding new stuff. I come from a background in computer science, but wanted to freshen up my skills and move into something new. I know what I'm saying when I say this is good material!

Sometimes the walk through the forest is so thick it's impossible to see where you're going,and it was kind of amazing to see such simple, understandable explanations and examples. This information can be used as reference material going forward and I'm looking forward to the next classes. I'm very sure I made the right decision to study here.

 

After my second term at Oregon State studying Computer Science, I felt I was not learning enough for my intended profession as a developer, so I decided to search for other options.  The Tech Academy had the most extensive coding school I could find in the Portland area, so I decided to give it a shot.  

In the six months it took me to graduate, I developed a really strong base in multiple coding languages.  Because you learn the skills for web language, databases language, and general-purpose languages, you can get an idea of what you want to specialize in.

One thing to keep in mind about the Tech Academy is that you learn what you want to.  The instructors are very helpful, but its important to be self-motivated and not expect hand-holding throughout.  You are being held to your own standards while being provided great resources.  

The job placement folks are also really helpful and supportive.  

The Tech Academy was a great way for me to get my foot in the door at a software company, and overall a good experience.

 

For some years I had contemplated making a detour on my career path to software development. But my background was accounting and finance and I did not acquire a great deal of programming experience in the business world except as an end user of many different products, and some very straightforward things such as SQL queries, some Visual Basic, and so on.

 

When I went to research coding schools in the Portland area, as I compared them I was looking for a school where I could acquire a broad base of software development knowledge, methodologies, and experience with some key programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, and C#. I was able to find all of these things offered by The Tech Academy of Portland and at a price that was very competitive with other coding schools in the area.

 

Additionally, I really appreciated the fact that the program is structured such that it is a great starting point for students regardless of what previous exposure they have had to computer science and software development in general. It also offers a flexible platform on which to study and learn whether you are local to the Portland area or not by allowing for remote study and allows the student to have some flexibility with their study hours by remaining open for a wide range of hours during the day, evening, and even weekends. This allows for the student to study full or part time depending on their situation while still having access to the instructors when they need it most. Learning and gaining skills in software development has been a great experience and I highly recommend checking out The Tech Academy if you are interested in finding a starting point for your journey.

Walking into Tech Academy and receiving my interview upon enrolling into this school was a very fun experience. All the staff members were very helpful, funny and chill. In my experience going through high school and a few years of community college, it made me realize something about myself regarding learning. Some people like myself, learn at their best potential when they are in an “intimate” atmosphere. Meaning all the students, instructors and employees have a good relationship with one another. After my older brother graduated from Tech Academy and shared his experiences with me, I knew this school would be the perfect choice under my current circumstances. The self-paced, full-time/part-time, and remote or in-person schooling is a great option for students that are working at a job on the side. If you’re looking for an affordable school that will teach you all of the essential Software Developing knowledge in a concise and candid manner, with awesome peers and instructors, then this is place for you!

The Tech Academy was an integral part of my current employment. The courses are sound and informative, the instructors are very kind and helpful, and the overall atmosphere is amazing. A long held belief of mine is if you want to know more about something, go look it up. Research it, find a mentor/teacher, and become the best you possibly can at whatever it is. From my experience, the Tech Academy supports this belief, and facilitates it wherever possible. For those people out there with the drive and ambition to gain mastery in coding, this school will help you to focus and funnel that energy into success. I learned so much from these wonderful people, and am grateful for their generosity and knowledge. Work hard, follow the guidelines they set, and you *will* succeed.

I am currently graduating the Tech Academy. I found there program to be the best method any prospective software developer can use to enter the tech field. I learned software development on my own in my previous work experience and looked into degree programs to formalize my training after leaving my previous employer. This program can take anyone with the ability and interest from only knowing how to turn on a computer to a deep understanding of C#, Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and Agile/Scrum development methodologies. They cover the basics of numerous languages with the resources to learn as in depth as a student wants with a constant focus in job placement and thinking like a developer.

 

With the assistance of their job placement specialists I was hired as a full time software developer before even completing the last steps of the program. They work with my schedule to allow finishing the studies at night, remotely from home, or on weekends understanding that I am interested in completing my education. I cannot emphasize enough how fantastic the experience was at the Tech Academy and highly recommend it for entering any IT field or just getting the knowledge as a manager to understand their development team. There is no better opportunity for the cost effectiveness, and the time it takes (about 15 weeks at 40 hours of studying per week).

My name is Andrew Earls and this is my experience at The Tech Academy:

I have taught myself many computer languages and most of my experience with coding has been unprofessional. I have always desired to go to school for software development, but always lacked the funds and time. After working a high paying job for a company that had just gone under I was presented with enough time and money to attend a software boot camp. The Tech Academy having the highest ratings and offering a discount drew me in.

The curriculum is work at your own pace, which is nice. The approximate time of completion that is posted on the website and every curriculum, I feel may be a bit of an exaggeration, as I completed in nearly half of the time, however I can understand how someone not knowing anything about programming may take longer to complete the course. As the industry changes so must the curriculum, this leads to a lot of info constantly being changed and updated, which in my opinion is much better than paying for a five year old book that has lost all value and is no longer relevant.

The instructors were all very helpful and focused on connecting with the students, this is great if you come into class everyday, but also helps if you work from home. Some of instructors have not completed the course and even would join us in our studies. This was interesting and unconventional, but honestly it helped in making the environment a great place to study.

The job assistance. I am a shy guy. Interviews are not my thing. But these guys never gave up on me. They worked hard to help me perfect my resume, cover letter, website, and soft skills for any interview. At the beginning of my time at The Tech Academy, I was afraid of talking in front of people, but by the end of The Tech Academy I was sharing and interviewing like a pro, with confidence.

My overall experience, I was looking for a school that would teach me the skills I needed to know to land a job and start my career. What I thought I needed to learn and what I actually needed to learn was complete opposites. I thought once I knew the languages I would easily get a job, also not true. The curriculum was easy and it is my belief that children can learn how to code. Knowing enough to get a job and getting a job are two different beasts. The Tech Academy taught me what I needed to know to get a job, but they also gave me so much incredible support as I struggled through application after application. I would have never landed my job if not for their support.

The Tech Academy, unconventional, continually adapting, and very supportive. It is not what I expected, perhaps not what I wanted, but it is what I needed.

 

The main reason I attended this boot camp was to land a coding job. Here's my experience:

1. It started with talking with the Registration staff about the program. They were helpful and not pushy (which I appreciated). I wasn't into the entry testing but I did it and passed.

2. The first course was computer basics. For me this was beneficial because I hadn't written code before. The first 2 or 3 courses really helped me understand computers and programming and I felt more confident that I could learn coding.

3. Most of the rest of the classes were on coding (Python, JavaScript, C#). It went pretty smoothly but there were some rough patches. The instructors helped out when I needed it. I had to wait a couple times but most of the time help was instantaneous.

4. The live project was awesome. I got to help on an app they were making and it allowed me to use some of my skills and I found out I had a bit more to learn... It was nice to do a real life project. 

5. Finally, I got into the job placement section. They have a short class on job placement and a job placement director to help students. At first I had thought that I would just be handed a job but this wasn't the case. I had to apply at various places and it was rough for me because I'd never had a tech job before. Luckily the school helped me out a lot and after 3 weeks I got hired.

I am now making three times what I made before going to The Tech Academy. Anyways, I basically went from never coding to having a coding job. I am glad I went here. There you go

The course on SQL was my favorite. It's a very well-designed curriculum. I went from knowing very little to being very confident of my knowledge and skills. I like the focus on actual practice to build skills. 

I learned how to create databases and to manage the data within. I also learned new logic for how to program in these databases, which I believe will be a good precedence going forward for other languages that I will learn, even if the syntax is different. I also learned how to really dig into sites like Stackoverflow and the like to help me find solutions to problems that I may not have been able to do otherwise. By learning how to research solutions I believe I'll have an easier time on the job in the future, as I'll be able to dig up my own knowledge without having to ask questions all of the time.

I learned that Python can be used for just about anything in software development and that it does it quite well. I plan on using Python to create a website with a database attached. I also intend to write some "Quality of life" scripts with it. Scripts that could cut out endless "copy + paste" tasks and maybe even a script that updates my desktop background automatically. I'm also interested in what games I could create using the PyGame module or a similar one that focuses on game development.

  I gained confidence in knowing a programming language and the ability to start writing a program without much hand-holding. The drills near the end of the course were great practice and I feel much more proficient at how to google for answers, which is a skill in itself. I also feel that I have a great jumping-off point for getting into other languages due to being able to compare ideology from something I already am familiar with.    To summarize my experience, knowing the bigger picture of how a language works and what it can do was a real eye opener. I feel as though a door has been opened and I've taken my first big steps into creating original programs. I would highly recommend to anyone in this course (or any course for that matter) to create an account on Stackoverflow.com. It's an incredible place to ask questions and a community you'll benefit greatly from as a developer.

Python was my favorite course so far. The versatility of python is amazing. Using python to connect to databases and write other types of code (like HTML/CSS or SQL) is VERY powerful and I can only imagine the possibilities. Because of how versatile Python is, I anticipate using it in various personal and professional applications.

I gained a lot of 'thinking like a developer' from taking this course. For instance, the ability to plan out how to use Python to achieve certain goals/functionality within an application and then, piece by piece, making that happen. More importantly, I learned a lot about what it means to be committed to finding a solution. In one of my drills, I spent a lot (perhaps too much) time trying to figure out what was WRONG with my code. Learning to follow along with tracebacks/logs and make changes based on the errors given can save a lot of time and headache when you think critically about what those errors really mean. 

A lot has changed in my life from when I started Python at The Tech Academy until now so this was a big achievement for me. I'm proud of what I learned and I hope the critical thinking and problem solving skills I've exercised during this course will follow me into all aspects of my life.

I discovered WordPress and received a good overview of how it works. I also gained some knowledge in what current website designs look like, which is valuable even though it is likely in a state of flux. 

If so many large and well known websites were made using WordPress, then I would very likely be working with it in the future, if not directly through WordPress then with the coding that WordPress creates.  Additionally it creates a basic idea of what sort of layout design might be needed to make an idea work. (oh well wordpress does it like this, I know how to make that happen with the code, I can do that or something similar.)