Student Spotlight: Gorka Magana, IronHack

In this Student Spotlight, we talk to IronHack graduate Gorka Magana about his experience at the bootcamp based in Spain. Read on to learn about his application process, the project he created during the course, and how IronHack helped him nail a job as an iOS developer at Rushmore.fm!

What were you doing before you started at IronHack?

I was a freelancer for a year, focused on web front-end development. I worked at an agency before, also for a year. In terms of education, I didn't study anything related to computer science before Ironhack.

Did you have a technical background before you applied? 

I’ve been developing since I was 14, and all that I know is self-taught, and not in any concrete platform, but having projects of my own where the need of learning more every time drove me to get them done.

Why did you choose IronHack? Did you apply to any other bootcamps? 

I chose IronHack basically because it took very good advantage of Google Adwords so I could not avoid reaching its website and getting interested on it. They offered me a merit scholarship so I finally made the decision. I have never applied to anything like IronHack.

What was the application process like? 

The application process was good. The interviews were more of culture-fit and they were not much separated in time with each other, so it took less than a month to have it all approved.

What was your cohort like? Did you find diversity in age, gender etc? 

It was quite good for me. There was clear diversity in age, but not in gender at all, as we were just men. About the level, it was not as fair is it should’ve been, but in general the class was able to follow the course’s process.

Who were your instructors? What was the teaching style like and how did it work with your learning style?

There were many instructors, so trying to give feedback about all of them would be endless. The teaching style was agile, asking for feedback continuously and adapting the course to it, so it made the experience really enriching. I’ve never had a teaching style like this before and it really fit with me.

Did you ever experience burnout? How did you push through it? 

I did not really experience burnout, but there was a week, when we learned about using Core Data, that I got really tired because it was boring to me. It was the “ugly” side of iOS development, but the professor was so good that I got it all and learned a lot those 5 days.

Can you tell us about a time when you were challenged in the class? How did you succeed?
For me the challenge was not in a concrete situation, but in following the course’s speed. It was the first time for me to need to learn so fast and so much.

Tell us about a project you're proud of that you made during Ironhack. 

I’m currently working on an app, which is the one I started at IronHack as the final project, but I didn’t have time enough to finish it, so I’m still developing it in collaboration with my partner, who is a Graphic Designer and the one who designed the app. I will provide links as soon as it is released. It is called Snapreminder. Stay tuned! ;)

What are you up to today? Where are you working and what does your job entail? 

I’m working at Rushmore.fm as a Lead iOS developer, building the new application we’ll be releasing soon. I’m currently the only iOS developer, but I’ll lead the team when it grows. I got this job because they contacted me directly.

Did you feel like IronHack prepared you to get a job in the real world? 

It totally prepared me for a real world job. It was worth the money for me. I don’t regret at all.

Have you continued your education after you graduated? 

Not formally, but I keep learning every day and trying to enrich myself. 

Want to learn more about IronHack? Check out their School Page on Course Report or their website here!