Covalence

My Experience:

I can honestly say that I entered Covalence with very little to no experience in Software Development. I had learned some HTML when I was a teenager, but not much more than your average kid with a myspace page. They give you some pre-course work to do before starting, but I committed to knocking it out very quickly in just a couple days. The first week started with the basics, HTML,CSS on Monday, CSS Frameworks on Tuesday, Wednesday we got to JavaScript and ran through JavaScript drills fast. I remember feeling very stressed at the speed during the first week. I stuck it out and after a difficult lab on the weekend I felt like I was getting the hang of it.

You will constantly learn new things which can feel overwhelming, but it works because you get to implement the stuff you have already learned throughout the way. The curriculum was certainly well thought out, and they continue to add and improve it. A typical day starts with a lecture on what you will be covering that day, then you usually have some exercises/drills to work on that allow you to get some practice, and then a lab of some sort to continue further with practice. Some days you may take the work home with you, but somedays you may finish before class ends. The instructor in class is available to help you when you get stuck, and you have access to the Covalence community with other students, alumni, and instructors that are always willing to help. Our class learned HTML, CSS, CSS Frameworks, JavaScript, JQuery, React, React-Native, Node, Express, MySQL, SCRUM/AGILE, and GIT(with some team branching techniques). 

The class concluded after we completed a Final Group Project that is designed to duplicate what it would be like in a developer environment working with SCRUM and git branching. I think my entire group was proud and impressed about what we were able to do in our final project. I learned throughout the group project how to really research and teach myself to do something outside of the curriculum. In my situation this was how to schedule events on the server that would trigger at certain times of the day in Node. During the project I had certain things I wasn't very confident I could do, but by the end of it I realized I had learned more than I gave myself credit for. 

After Covalence:

I have only been finished with Covalence for a couple weeks, but I feel really good about working within the tech stack we learned. I have even got some meetings scheduled where I may be developing some pretty cool IOS and Android Apps for some people looking to start businesses. I started trying to build relationships with potential employers and recruiters during the Final Project. I even had a CTO of a local Start up that had received over 6 mill in funding come and visit with me during the Final Project in case he had a Jr Developer role come open. I feel pretty confident that I will gain employment soon, and the instructors have done a good job in helping me understand roles and what to prepare before talking to someone. They have even helped me think through some logic on some individual / freelance projects.

Covalence plans to release more curriculum such as a C# .NET course and I look forward to adding that to my tech stack. 

Advice for Prospective Students:

Try to learn some basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript before going in. The pre-course work is enough, but take your time and retain it. You should expect it to be hard and a lot of work. You will find out that there is not only one way to do things, so don't stress about the instructions on assignments that much. If your like me you probably spent most of your life asking a teacher for assistance when you got stuck, but try and figure it out first. You WILL google for answers to problems or ways to accomplish different things, and that is completely okay and encouraged. If you get your work done before you go home then great, but what else can you work on when you get home? Adding to my assignments at home and going above and beyond the instructions was how I learned additional things and it was very noticeable by the time I got to the final project. I worked every night and every weekend and the course seemed to get easier, but I was just getting better. Remember that learning isn't done when the class ends at 5 no more than it is done when the course is finished. 

My Background

I spent 4 years automating control systems and working on the front end graphics for HVAC systems but I wanted to step away from HVAC and move more towards Web Development. 

When I started looking into Web Development I went to YouTube and some other online resources but it was either too basic, lacked structure, or the content was not up to date. I was ready to throw in the towel and move forward in Buildings but then I discovered that Covalence was moving to Nashville and offered a Full Stack Bootcamp!!

What I learned

Covalence helped me gain confidence in my ability by creating an environment where I learned something new everyday and was held accountable to complete the labs. It was similar to my college experience but without all the extra General Ed classes to focus on. It was challenging and helped me acheive my goal. 

I also learned and then helped coach students as an Intructor in the following subjects: HTML/CSS, Angular/React/React Native, Object Oriented Programming, NodeJS, Deployment, SCRUM methodology, Databases, REST API, and Version Control (Github).

Curriculum

Covalence is dedicated to updating their content. So you can be sure that you are learning the latest material needed to be successful. And if you notice anything that should be updated they are receptive to feedback.

Culture

The culture at Covalence is very inclusive and community focused. You're encouraged to ask questions but be prepared to work hard too because you will be challenged. The goal is that as you approach your final project you will still have questions but will also become more indepenent because you have gained confidence in your ability and learned how to read through documentation to find answers. Which is something you'll be doing often in a Developer role. 

After Graduation

When you start applying you'll want to do a few things to have the best chance to landing an interview. 

1. You worked with Covalence to have a clean resume that tells your story and why you are qualified.

2. You created a personal website/portfolio. (Recruiters love these) 

3. You reviewed the basics and read the documentation for X. After 10 weeks you may be amazed to see what you can do but there is always more to learn and you might need to review some basics that were covered in week 1. 

4. Understand that you will need to be aggresive in your job search. Job searching is never easy and rejection is going to happened. Its a part of the process. But you will find a match! 

5. Ask questions and provide feedback as you run into challenges throughout your job search. Covalence is their to help!

This Bootcamp was a great kickstart for me. I had have trouble in the past with college courses and how slow they teach different elements of programming. This Bootcamp challenged me and forced me to stay on track. If you are considering this course, be ready for a full force 10-weeks where you are learning something new every day. 

The instructors for this course also make it their personal mission to make sure you learn this stuff and will work with you with any questions you have. There was never a time that I was left waiting for answers. If you have a question after hours or on the weekend, the instuctors are always available through the slack channel, taking time out of their personal days to help.

And that is not all! Even after the course is finished, the team is dedicated to finding you a career in this new field. They work with you during to course to find the best way to structure your resume and linkedin profile to best catch potential employers eyes, and after you complete your training they work as a networking connection for you.

Truly there has never been a better way to learn how to become a full stack developer.

This was the perfect class for all types of learners. We were given access to video lectures instead of a in person lecture from an instructor. So if there was a concept that didn't click with one student and it did with the other, then we would be able to go at our own pace to fully grasp the concepts from lecture. The instructor for our class was still very involved, especially when questions would arise and problems persisted. He was knowledable, understanding, patient and wanted all of us to suceed.

The video lectures were also updated when we gave feedback. They were very responsive to all students and their requests to make the content of lectures, labs, etc. better.  

Overall, this program prepared me for a new career and to continually imporve my skills and knowledge in the development world. 

I just finished Covalence, and it's incredible to think about everything that I've learned over the past 10 weeks. Coming into the course, I knew (very) basic HTML, I know what CSS was, and had taken a couple of JavaScript courses. Leaving the class, I know the basics of building and deploying a fully functional web application with a supporting database. Pretty crazy.

The instructors are top-notch - knowledgeable and always (seriously, always) willing to help. I'm very thankful for them.

If you'd like to see an example of my group's final project, head over to www.filmstack.co and take a look!

I thought that this class was effectively set up and that our instructors did a great job of teaching the material. I understand that through the course of our ten weeks that Covalence lost a couple members of the team, but there seemed to be a seamless transition between the old and new team. 

If there is anything that I would say to approve on in the future, it would be to make sure that the students are up to date on the speakers coming in. When Daxco came to speak to our class (the day after I applied for a job with them), none of us had any idea that they were coming until the morning of. There were a couple other times when we were given really short notice about speakers.

Beyond that one gripe, I would give the program high marks. Grayson did a great job, Jeff did a great job, and the rest of the team did a great job. 

Two things to really consider before applying:

1. If you're a beginner and even if you've done the pre-coursework, think again.  After four days of the bootcamp, I soon realized that I wasn't "up to par".  I had done the pre-coursework and more, and, as much as I was willing and eager to learn, this coding bootcamp was not for the beginner that I was, and I needed more time to fully digest the material and work on my programming skills.  That said, I withdrew after four days by sending an email, and I didn't hear anything back.  

2. Think twice about the pro-rated fund.  After withdrawing, I began to get worried since I was now jobless and in need of those funds.  After calling several times, I finally got the person in charge (after A WEEK had gone by), and she sent me an email back that said the prorated fund was according to Tennessee's standards and not prorated by Covalence themselves.  This was not clearly stated in anything that Covalence had sent out previously, and my four days ended up costing $2,000 or more (still undetermined since I still haven't received a refund).  Needless to say, I was quite disappointed and frustrated by the lack of communication on their end and up front for who the program was truly geared for and how the pro-rated system worked.  

Covalence provides all the tools necessary for you to effectively reach a new level of expertise as a programmer. It takes a lot of effort from the student in return. There's no secret to replace the hours of hard work. Make sure you're able to fully commit to the time necessary if you're planning on doing any sort of coding bootcamp. The instructors are very, very knowledgeable and approachable to help you get past problems you're stuck on. Part of getting better though is finding the answer yourself too. 

If you trust yourself to be disciplined and mildly intelligent, you can do it. Don't be intimidated. Make sure you're building a portfolio of projects on GitHub cause it will help you drastically when interviewing. For those looking to a career change, do it. You'll also enjoy it more the better you get at it, because you'll start to be able to see the progress you're making and the applications you can create. 

Last year, I made the tough decision to quit my full time job to pursue a career in software development.  I was fortunate enought to be a part of the first full stack development class at Covalence, which in the end proved to be the greatest facilitator through the journey to make the change.  I was able to learn above and beyond the basics of front/back end javascript development, knowledge which I use every day in my new job.  I would highly recommend the program for anyone that is serious about becoming a software developer. 

Though, as with all forms of education, what you get out of the program is directly proportional to the amount of work that you are willing to put into it. What the program offers is a great framework to learn, along with astute instructors that will be able to answer any questions and solve (most) problems that come their way. What the program does not offer is free jobs upon graduation. The impetus is on those within the program to use the available resources to perfect their craft, both within the bounds of the curriculum and on any outside personal projects. Often, the work done outside of class is what will land the job.

Overall, I am a huge fan of what Covalence has to offer. If given the opportunity to go back and decide on taking the course again, I would choose to be a part of it 100% of the time.

I was part of the first full stack development course and, as with any new product or offering, there are always some kinks to work out the first time around. At the time that I took the course, I decided to quit my fulltime position and to also take complimentary college classes in conjunction with the Depot/U course.  As busy as I was, in hindsight, I believe more could have been added to the curriculum to better prepare students for actual development jobs.  Specifically, learning the basics of unit testing, debugging tools, practical exposure to development methodologies, interview scenarios completing whiteboard problems, and spending some more time on object oriented languages, instead of just JavaScript, would have better prepared students for employment post-graduation.  

I was very fortunate that several local companies were very interested in me as a prospective employee during the time that I was taking the course and I ultimately ended up accepting a position and starting the same week we graduated. I would caution prospective students to not be complacent in any manner with regards to potential employers or jobs. Make sure to update your resume and LinkedIn profile at the start of the course, join networking groups, put yourself out there speaking to recruiters and fellow tech enthusiast; anything to widen your circle of contacts and to grow your support network as you undertake this challenge.

Overall, I am very happy that I chose to invest my time and money in the Full Stack Development course and if I could go back and make the decision again, I would absolutely choose to take the course again.  Last year was a year of change for me and the Depot/U Full Stack Development course was a huge facilitator of the career change I chose to make.