Origin Code Academy

About a year ago, I built my first computer and quickly realized that the only difficult part of the build was the software that went with it. From there I decided to take try taking some programming classes at a community college and loved it. The only problem was the downtime between classes made it seem like I was being taught such a small amount relative to the four months in completing a semester. I then looked for an alternative way to learn software development and found Origin.

Not only was I taught different languages and frameworks, but also how to go about researching and problem solving on my own. I'd highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for a fresh start in an exciting career path. 

Best thing I've done with my career.  I learned more in 3 months at Origin than I did in my previous 4 years in college. The staff is great and very helpful.  I truly feel like I gained a new family not only from the fellow students in my cohort, but also from the students from all the cohorts before and after me. Origin gave me all the right tools to become a great software developer and pursue my new career.  Great first step to take in pursuit of the tech life! 

I joined Origin Code Academy after almost a year of checking out different code schools and programs. I can confidently say it was the best decision that I have made. It was a huge decision since I was already in an established career making a decent salary and had many benefits including company car and phone etc. The problem was my day to day sanity and feeling of satisfaction was lacking or non existing. Software was something I could really get my hands dirty with and have the satisfaction at the end of the day that made me feel great and accomplished. Origin shaped my thinking and helped me understand basic and fundamental principles of software development in such a way that made it possible for me to learn more and succeed not only in a team environment but by myself. The support I received specifically after the course was constant and easily one of the most important parts of the program. I am happy to say that shortly after completeing the course I was offered and accepted a position at a well established and fantastic SaaS comapny local to San Diego.

This review is long overdue. 

Here I am a Junior Front End Developer at an awesome company in downtown San Diego, doing work that fits my personality way better than anything I had ever done before. But I could not have done it without Origin.

Who would have thought I was contemplating quitting 2-3 weeks in? So glad I didn't, and I can thank Jeff Winkler and Kelly Lovett for being persistant in pushing me to keep at it -- thanks guys!

I really can't complain about anything. My fellow cohorts were awesome, my teacher (Sean) was awesome, the curriculum was in line with what was most in demand in San Diego and the support I got when looking for work was exactly what I expected -- I was placed right after graduation!

I'm proof that you can make a career change in your mid to late thirties if you put the effort in and have the support in place. I never thought I'd make this leap, but I did and I'm so glad.

Thank you for the experience and memories Origin!

I do not have a single negative thing to say about Origin. From the cirriculum to the instructors themselves, from the facility/classrooms to the post-graduation services, this place is an incredible experience for anyone looking to make the jump into the world of development. 

The staff is very good about identifying the specific needs of each student, and adjusting to the various skill levels in each class. No matter where you are in your coding ability, Origin will be able to help you and push you. I had Cameron and Sean as the instructors in my class, and both were extremely knowledgable, but also had the right personalities for teaching.

When it came time to graduate and start looking for a job, Jeff and Kelly were bending over backwards to make sure that every student had a well put together resume and was getting interviews. They stayed engaged throughout the entire process. If you follow their guidance during applications and interviews, there is no doubt in my mind that you can land a developer job after graduating from Origin.

Do yourself a favor and get in contact with these guys as soon as possible.

Going into Origin Code academy I had no previous technical skills. Looking back at how much I learned within 12 weeks is crazy! I built some pretty cool projects along the way which I loved showing off to my friends and family. For the final project I was working for a local startup and building a product that was going to be used in the real world, specifically for firefighters. I felt it was a great way to transition and learn expectations for a future career in software. My teacher, Co-Founder Cameron Wilby, was amazing.  You could not ask for a better teacher, you could tell he really loved teaching the subject and was very patient. He went above and beyond what you expect from any teacher and I highly recommend signing up for one of his classes, he is extremely skilled. I felt very comfortable throughout my entire experience at Origin Code Academy. All of the staff was great! Kelly, Vice President of Business Development at Origin Code Academy, taught us some great techniques and showed us tips on how to land a job which I was able to accomplish in less than 3 weeks after finishing the course! To those reading this I should warn you my journey was not easy by any means, I often stayed late after class and came in on the weekends as well to study/code more. I am proud to say my hard work payed off and I couldn't thank everyone at Origin enough. I look forward to my new career that Origin laid the foundation for. If you are interested in becomming a software engineer Origin Code Academy is the best place to start. 

After the 12 weeks at Origin I left there with an incredible understanding of multiple programing languages, a ton of great friends, and a job doing what I love. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience from a coding bootcamp. The Instructors were very knowledgeable and helpful. They have been in the industry for a long time, gave great advice on how to problem solve, and prepared me for my career. It was very easy to contact them outside of classroom hours and get help with anything I was working on. I gained a great understanding of programing fundimentals, while having a blast doing so. Being hired just 2 weeks after completing the course, I felt confident going into my new job. 

I had worked for a while as a jr dev in San Diego and wanted to jump start getting into roles that were more advanced. My old job didn't use any frameworks and I was having a little trouble learning on my own.

Cameron Wilby (my teacher at Origin; there's two, soon to be three) was able to guide a class of all levels (no coding experience to a little experience) and within 12 weeks were able to create full stack apps for the demo day. While the curriculum could have been a little tighter (I thought there was no need to teach jquery, and wanted more time learning unit tests) it was a pretty thorough course for 12 weeks.

Our class size was on the larger end of their range at 17 students. It never felt like too many people, and those of us who picked up on things quicker helped out other students who had questions. It was a very collaborative atmosphere.

There were no expectations of crazy salaries after graduating, with the staff being realistic that we'd mostly be evaluated as jr level developers which can be anywhere from $40-60k in San Diego. Due to my experience I was able to get $75k, up from $50k at my old job.

The job help is on a few different angles. They prep you for interview questions, both technical/whiteboard and HR. For my class there were at least two resume reviews. They help you identify who to contact on LinkedIn to bypass the dreaded resume black hole. If they know someone at the company you want to work at, they'll work that connection in your favor. They setup a trello board with labels for you to fill your status with every company you apply for. They'll even take a professional-looking photo for your LinkedIn so you don't look like a schlub programmer.

I had fun, I worked hard, I almost didn't have my project done by the Demo Day, pulled through at the last minute, learned things I didn't know I didn't know, and got the job I wanted. It was a great investment for me.

Origin Code academy provides a fantastic curriculm that mirrors a real world stack.  Not only is the technology stack great for job seekers, the Main Instructor and Co-Founder Cameron Wilby is superb.  You could not ask for a better teacher.  His instruction and guidance will help you grasp concepts much faster compared to reading books and self practice.  Not only is he a good teacher, he also has many years of real world development experience. He can quickly pick up topics and become well-versed in new areas which makes him an amazing teacher for new programmers.  His instruction will accelerate your learning ten-fold.  

Origin code academy will give you all the tools you need to succeed.  Its up to you to put it to work.

My 12-week cohort at Origin Code Academy was awesome! Growing up, I was always interested in computers. I was building them for friends and family before I even turned 13. Knowing a good amount about computer hardware was great but I couldn't really make a career of it. I tried the whole college thing and it just wasn’t for me. I ended up working in real estate for a few years after dropping out of the university I was attending. This was great and I enjoyed real estate for the most part but I still wanted something more.  

I had been hearing a lot about coding boot camps and wanted to see what they were all about. I talked to a family member of mine who works in San Francisco for Dropbox as a developer. He gave me a few good starting points and books to check out. The sites I used to learn were ok, they were definitely lacking though. If you want to get any sort of real world job you’re going to need more experience than what a few websites can offer you. 

Frustrated by the lack of depth I got from trying to learn online, I started looking at code schools. The previous conversation with my cousin brought to my attention some of the powerhouses in the boot camp world. After looking over what they had to offer I just wasn't sold. Sometime later I came across Origin Code Academy. I looked over the curriculum, talked with the founder, and met with the instructor. They really helped reassure me and helped plan a path for my success. 

During my time at the boot camp I learned an incredible amount. I went from honestly not fully understanding what a string was, to writing and designing full stack applications. My instructor Cameron was incredible. I cannot say enough good things about him. He is smart, understanding, and patient, which says a lot when working with a group of new coders. The way he explains things and breaks them down for you really is what made this class so enjoyable. Cameron would go above and beyond to make sure all of us understood what was being taught. He was available anytime I needed him via Slack which was awesome when getting stuck on classwork from home. 

After graduating from Origin I started freelancing full-time from, get this... wherever I want! As of writing this review, I currently have four happy clients that I do Web development for and it's growing fast. Being entrepreneurial, freelancing, and being my own boss was what I wanted for myself. Origin has helped me achieve those goals and I could not be more grateful for that.

If you are in the market for a code school, then look no further. I cannot recommend Origin enough. Be prepared to put a lot of hard hours in though, after all you only have 12 weeks. But, if you are up for a challenge and are ready to improve your life…. Apply!