Suncoast Developers Guild Academy

I first learned about SDG from my brother, who had graduated from the Iron Yard a couple of years ago. I knew very little about coding coming into Cohort X and I can say that I truly learned a whole lot. The overall experience was good but it's also a very fast paced program and at times I felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

Mark Dewey was our main instructor and he was just awesome from day 1. Over the course of the 12 weeks I know I asked a lot of dumb questions along the way and Mark patiently answered all of them in a professional manner. I can’t express how grateful I am in having Mark teach us React.

Jason Perry was my instructor for Ruby on Rails. Jason is such an experienced coder that I don’t think once I asked him a question in which he didn’t know the answer for.

On Friday we have career support with Toni and Katherine. They are both excellent in helping out setting up LinkedIn account, resumes and cover letters.  In addition, they are also involved in the community and always hosting different Meetups.

Overall I would recommend anyone who’s interested in learning how to solve problems and code.  All the people involved at SDG are extremely helpful.

I came to Suncoast Developers Guild without any coding experience, and very little knowledge of what was to come. In the begining the work was easy, but that didn't last very long. The course work was definitely full of challenges, but the instructors, like Gavin, were always there to guide us throught it. 

The career support from Toni and Katherine was also instrumental in preparing everyone there for what comes after the program is over. If you enjoy being challenged and solving puzzles, I highly recomend talking to Suncoast Developers Guild about their program.

Before attending Suncoast Developers Guild I had no coding experience. After graduating, I feel I have a great foundation to begin as a programmer. It is an immersive Bootcamp, you will be pushed to your limits. SDG has instructors that are very knowledgeable and enjoy teaching, they go above and beyond to help you succeed. Every Friday someone from career services will also help you brand yourself, they will give you the tools you need to find a job.

If I had it all to do again I would take some pre-courses in JavaScript just to get a better understanding of the syntax and logic, which were the two things I struggled with.

I would recommend SDG to anyone wanting to go to any Bootcamp. The course is very intense and will take up all of your free time for the entire 12 weeks. Don't take it lightly and do all the pre-work they assign before starting.

Happy Coding and Good Luck!!

The staff at SDG was a definite highlight for me.  Toni, Mark, Jason, Gavin, Katherine and co. are so attentive to the students that any apprehension, code-related or not can be quickly put at ease thanks to their support.  I can honestly say that while the cirriculum they have crafted has stuck with me and helped me achieve success throughout my cohort, it could easily fall apart in less capable hands.  Diving head-first into a new field can be terrifying, but the instructors will do everything in their power to make the transition as enjoyable and smooth as possible.  Mark Dewey may very well be the best instructor I've had throughout my 8 years of high school/college.  The facility, the care from the staff and their well-crafted lesson plans all made the experience sublime for my fellow graduates and I.  With the inclusion of post-grad career support, Toni and the staff have ensured that their students always have a place to work and a support system that is so critical and so rare to have guaranteed at this early in the students' career paths.  I am very grateful for the time and care that everyone at SDG provided me during my time learning there.  I cannot recommend the school enough for anybody who is interested in learning to code.  All of their concerns will be calmed by this extraordinary team of educators.

I enrolled in SDG with a background in healthcare billing and almost no programming experience. I was always hesitant about pulling the trigger on a bootcamp before; even though I loved tech and everything related to it for some reason I just thought that I wouldn’t be able to make it professionally in this fast paced industry. Around the time of my 29th birthday I stopped wondering what would be possible and I decided take action and just go for it. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. 
Firstly, understand that Suncoast Developers Guild is more than just a Code Bootcamp. As the name implies, it is a GUILD; an association of people for mutual aid or the pursuit of a common goal. That common goal is turning you into a full-stack developer in 12 weeks and there are none better suited to take on that task than the staff at SDG. I couldn’t have asked for a more knowledgable, friendly and supportive group of people to to help me attain my goals and that extends to my classmates as well. You form bonds in this course, you make connections with people all struggling to kickstart their careers and learn new technologies. 
And struggle you will! Don’t be fooled by the relatively short duration of the course. You are getting a top notch education which will require to really focus and work hard to grasp all of the material they throw your way, fortunately the staff are excellent and always there to help with anything that you need, and the collaborative learning environment really helps you get over some of those hurdles you’re bound to encounter. 
On top of all of that the career support was phenomenal. I never had a LinkedIn profile before but SDG taught me how to market myself as a professional developer and gave me the skills I needed to network and land myself a role as a web developer. Now, I have my dream job working in an industry that I love which was previously inconceivable to me. I still can’t believe how much my life has changed in such a short period of time. 
In summary, if you’ve been thinking about getting into tech and were on the fence like me, don’t be. I promise the grass is greener on this side. Suncoast Developers Guild is the best code school in the Tampa Bay Area and is more than worth the price of admission. 

Suncoast Developers Guild changed my life. As a student fresh out of highschool with a passion for technology and learning it is a game changer to be able to go through this course and hop into the tech industry without having to make myself go in debt by going through 4 years of college. I am so thankful for my amazing teachers Mark and Jason who allowed me to open my mind and think in code in order to push myself and succeed in this challenging but rewarding environment. Not only am I thankful for my teacher but also for the other staff members who feel more like family than anything. Katherine Trammel who never hesitates to try to help us in any way she can because she genuinely cares about her students. Kento Kawakami who was always a helpful friend and someone who could make me laugh and help me relieve stress or get me focused. Last but not least Lauren Mabra, the marketing director who became a good friend and inspiration. She truly is the definition of the grind as she is always working on something new and making sure her presence is well known and spoken for. I am always thankful for her advice and wisdom she gives me. My fellow graduates and I have developed a deep sense of comradery and still hangout and meetup as much as we can because they have become family aswell. I highly highly recommend Suncoast to anyone who is on the fence. MAKE THE LEAP!

I have been working in the same career for over 15 years and wanted a change in my life. The problem was that I felt that maybe it was too late in my life to make such a drastic career move. I knew as a kid, programming was something I have always wanted to learn but was too afraid to try.  Nine months ago, I got laid off because of the company that I was working for downsized, and that same day I decided to enroll at the Suncoast Guild. Enrolling to Suncoast was one of the best decisions that I have ever made for myself. 

The staff treated me like family, and the teachers were there to guide me whenever I felt lost in class.  Not only does Suncoast prepare you for what the workforce demands of junior developers today, but they also teach you advance coding that puts you in front of the line when it comes to job placement.  One of my favorite parts of Suncoast was the field trips to IT companies. It allowed us to see how developers worked, and the IT companies also helped with mocked interviews for students.  This is a testimony of how IT companies here in St Peterburg, Florida, support The Suncoast Guild. I am proud to say that I am a working Junior Developer now, and it was all because of how Suncoast Guild prepared me. 

I literally cannot stress enough how much this bootcamp has changed my life for the better. Prior to SDG I tried BLOC (2015. Wasn't a great experience) and Launch Code (2018. Great for beginners but did not place most of the class and it did not teach enough to get most of us hired).

The team is supportive throughout the process. Both in class and post graduation. I could always talk with Katherine or one of the staff members to get tips or direction. I would recommend SDG to ANYONE who is looking to change careers into tech. I went through the course thinking I would get a job as a developer but I found my true calling as a QA engineer. It allows me to continue developing and use my organizational/detail skills.

 

What sets Suncoast Developers Guild Academy apart from other code camps is the program's willingness and ability to adapt to each cohort's learning style and pace. I found this particularly helpful in moments of struggle, and I know my classmates did as well. You are only as advanced as your most behind peer. 

We made an effort to keep each other afloat during a very intense, fast-paced learning environment. The faculty care--really care--about the well-being and future of their students. You can see this as far up as the top with the school's president, Toni Warren, to each member of their community. When we say, SDG Family, we mean it. I felt like a member of the family before I enrolled because that's the vibe. 

You will often find alumni working remotely from the campus, and they are generous to help if you're stuck on a concept or a code line in your project. What's more, people are smart but remain humble and humorous. The projects are unique, challenging and engaging. Mark Dewey, the main instructor, is nominated for the best web developer in Tampa Bay 2019 because he's that good. 

Katherine Tremmel works all hours to get you employed. Fridays are dedicated to job skills, networking, and setting yourself up for success. Plus, Friday's are half-days arranged for afternoon socials. 

SDG was a great experience. An experience that keeps going long after one receives her certificate as a full-stack web developer.  

Suncoast Developers Guild has a positive environment, a diversity cohort, an incredible staff, and attentive teachers. The Full-Stack web development program was a wonderful experience with successful results. However, it was not easy. You should study and do the pre-work as much as possible before the program begins. Every day you will be challenged with warm-ups and homework and will work nights and weekends if you want to get effective results. If you follow the instructions of the Suncoast Developers Guild staff, you will have a high probability of entering the world of development.​ ​