Tech Elevator

I recently completed the Java Applications Development bootcamp from January 2016 - April 2016. Prior to the bootcamp, I had some exposure to the IT industry doing QA, support and project management. I had a vague idea of what to expect, but no experience writing code. During my job search in the fall of 2015, I heard an add for Tech Elevator on NPR. I was intrigued, and decided to attend an open house in the begining of December. After observing the passion and knowledge of the instructors: Josh and David, it became clear to me that this was the next step in my career.

The class moves quickly, but I never felt lost or left behind. The combination of lecture and hands on projects/exercises really works well at enforcing the material. Subject matter is filtered to what would wil be relevant in the workforce, and covers the full stack. In addition, we were given exposure to popular tools that are used in the industry. The class is broken down into modules, and each module is capped off with a capstone project, typcially completed in pairs.

The Java instructor, David Wintrich, is patient, and easy to get along with. He presents the material in an engaging way, and readily made himself available for one-on-one assistance, if necessary. He was very encouraging, which was needed, as learning to code from the ground up was frustrating at times. He also drew on his work experience as a developer, giving us tips and insights that were helpful not only in applying the material, but later on during the job search/technical interviews. 

 The Pathway Program starts on day one, and runs parallel to the coursework. It included mock HR/technical interviews with real-world professionals, resume/LinkedIn assistance, employer matchmaking and networking advice. Once I stareted attending interviews, I felt prepared and confident.

I wasn't initially sold on the job search portion of the bootcamp, as the idea of landing a job as a developer after 14-weeks seemed both daunting and unrealistic, but boy did Tech Elevator deliver. I received multiple job offers from companies I met within the Tech Elevator hiring network within two weeks of graduation. I agree with some of the other reviewers in that you get the sense that the staff truly care about your sucess. Also the ping pong table is pretty rad. I would absolutely recommend this bootcamp to anyone interested in a career change.

 

 

I truly cannot say enough good things about my Tech Elevator experience.  After feeling stagnant in my marketing career for quite some time, I became intrigued by the tech industry and the bootcamp model of learning.  I attended an open house at Tech Elevator and listened to their team talk about the program and from there I was sold.  Their passion and knowledge was clear, and I ultimately decided to quit my job and sign up.  At the time it felt like a scary and risky move, but I was very quickly rewarded with the feeling that it was one of the best decisions I had ever made.

The cohort covered the full technology stack, from database to front-end development.  Josh Tucholski, the .Net instructor, is incredibly knowledgeable and has a teaching style that makes it easy and enjoyable to learn from him.  He's patient, thorough, and understanding, and is genuinely invested in you and your future. The same can be said about every member of the TE team.  Everyone there actually cares about you as an individual and wants to see you leave TE for bigger and better things. And they help you do it!  The Pathway Program that runs in conjunction with the day-to-day instruction was invaluable.  It provided job and interview prep, employer matchmaking and networking opportunities, and the ever important "soft-skills" that are essential to landing a great career in today's job market.  

Tech Elevator opened up a whole new world for me in regards to my career.  The skills I gained throughout the program allowed me to knowledgeably and confidently interview with a number of companies that I may not have otherwise had exposure to.  I had two job offers within two weeks of graduation, and am so excited about my new position and my future as a developer. 

 

I was enrolled in Tech Elevator's Java Applications Development course from January through April 2016. Before I started the program I had very little experience with programming and no practical experience at all with Java. My last job had absolutely nothing to do with programming. Within days of graduating, I already had job offers and am now employed full-time as a software developer.

The course was rigorous without being overwhelming. The day usually started off with a lecture on the programming concepts that were being introduced followed by demonstrations. Afterwards you can expect to be given individual and paired exercises to work to reinforce your understanding of the new material. The instructors are excellent and make themselves available to answer any questions you might have or review your completed code with you to help you improve upon it and make recommendations to assist you in writing more readable and professional code. They are also very receptive to feedback and will make changes to how they present the material to better suit the needs of their students.

The best part about the program is that at the end of each unit you will be assigned a full project to complete. You will be given specifications for an application and then you'll write the code for it. Writing programs really helps you absorb all of the material you've been learning and, by the time you will have completed the course, you'll have a number of programs you can compile into a portfolio and present to potential employers to prove that you really know what you're doing. This part really makes a difference and goes a lot further with employers than a resume alone.

The job support is also excellent. The school has its own hiring network of companies in need of junior developers and frequently hosts different kinds of events to bring their students together with recruiters from these companies. It was one of these in-network companies with which I ended up getting a job, so I can personally vouch that it is a worthwhile part of the program.

I highly recommend this school to anyone looking to make a transition into software development. It is well worth it.

 

After making the decision to move from life science research into software development (without prior experience), I realized that a 4-year degree was out of reach; however, the bootcamp model of education taking less than 4 months appeared to gain traction nationwide, and I looked into the Cleveland area's options. Tech Elevator stood out as a spacious, friendly environment, run by an enormously qualified and engaged team who sincerely cared about moving their students' careers upwards.

I signed up and never looked back. 14 weeks of hard work during bootcamp included lectures, exercises and homework, but also the "Pathway Program", which makes you generate a proper resume, a professional LinkedIn presence, includes one-on-one interview practices and, importantly, involves a network of local employers who come in to showcase their company and to interview all students during matchmaking events. The latter events is what led to several follow-up interviews at companies for me, ultimately leading to my graduation on Friday and having a job offer on the following Monday, a pretty common outcome for our cohort.

The bootcamp provided us with a well-rounded set of skills needed to build a complete web application, using Java, SQL, HTML/CSS/JavaScript as main languages, and included unit testing and security aspects. In summary, I learned a lot about learning, in that I feel able to not only build web applications but also acquire additional programming skills as needed. What a great experience!

Before attending Tech Elevator I was working part-time in retail and playing music on the side. Though I didn't have a background in coding, I was into computers and technology. Once I heard about Tech Elevator, I started looking into programming and what I could do with it. I was fascinated and intrigued by the things a programmer can create with code. It didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to attend Tech Elevator.

The first 4 weeks were intense, but our instructor David was very helpful. He was understanding and patient with the students. We learned everything to develop a full-stack web application from scratch. I learned so much in 14 weeks and felt a great sense of accomplishment when we graduated. 

After graduating, I had several interviews lined up and felt confident going into them. It wasn’t long before I had an offer from several companies. The Pathways program was helpful in preparing us for our career change.

Tech Elevator made a major impact on my career and I couldn't be more happy with the experience. If you're on the fence about going, check out one of the student open houses and get a sense of what it's like. 

Prior to the class I had some experience building websites, and troubleshooting any computer and network difficulties. I had always had the desire to learn how to program, but I found it difficult to learn online, and the personal investment to attend a traditional university was unpractical for me. After completing the course I felt thoroughly prepared for the market place. I was quickly granted many interviews and was able to land my first choice.

After meeting with David and Anthony, I truly believed in their passion, ability, and confidence to provide the best possible path to achieve my goal of programming. David’s experience in the field was stunning, and Anthony’s network, boot camp knowledge, and plan to place graduates left me knowing that my future would be secure in their hands.

Throughout the class, what helped me the most was David’s teaching ability. His capacity to understand not only where the class as a whole was in terms of comprehension, but seeing where each of his students was individually was outstanding. He was able to magnificently tailor the curriculum to our own needs to help us progress. When I had questions, he continually was able to answer the questions in a way that allowed me to come to the conclusions myself. I have been in many classes before and have never had that sort of attention and support. Now, I feel exceeding confident that I am aptly prepared for my career in programming.

I feel very confident entering my first position as a junior developer. I know that I have developed my ability to code at an effective level for a beginner. Most importantly however, I know how to find the solutions to any complications I may encounter.

 

The opportunities I have available to me know seem endless. I can choose from nearly any industry, anywhere in the world to continue my career. As I progress in my career and continue to hone my skills, I look forward to seeing the opportunities that are sure to present themselves

 

The Pathway Program Tech Elevator provided us gave me great insight into the field and prepared me amazingly well in finding a beginning to my new career. The ability to hear from and ask questions to leading professionals in the Cleveland area, allowed me to understand what exactly I was getting myself into and how I could accomplish my goal. The value of a proper LinkedIn profile was aptly demonstrated and I was assisted in properly designing my own. Many different industry professionals continually critiqued my resume as I progressed through the course allowing me to state my abilities clearly and concisely. I found that the mock interviews were the most helpful process in guiding me to understand the questions that would be asked of me, and allow me to answer them properly.

As you go through life there are key moments that drastically change your course in life, and, for me, the decision to attend  Tech Elevator was one of them.  After more than fifteen years in retail I was treading water in a position that had become just  a job to me, something I had to do to pay the bills.  I had done some work on my own designing a website using HTML, CSS,  PHP and a little Javascript, and I found it fascinating, but lacking direction and support I couldn't see myself getting a job  doing it.  What Tech Elevator offered was an opportunity to start a career that I had a passion for, something I wanted to do  rather than something I had to do.  

During the course, mornings were dedicated to lecture, and afternoons were dedicated to hands on coding exercises.  This  worked well for me because I find I retain knowledge best when I get to apply it, which in this case means writing code, and  writing code is something we had ample opportunity to do.  David, our instructor did a great job explaining the concepts and  syntax of coding, and was always willing to answer questions before, during, or even after class in the evenings.  We learned  how to design and code Java web applications from start to finish, using the tools, frameworks, and processes that are in use  in the field today.  Overall it was a lot of work, I lived and breathed code for those three or so months, but it really prepared me to enter the workforce as a junior developer.

Another major component to the Tech Elevator course is the Pathway Program.  This is a series of workshops and panels  with industry insiders centered around giving you the skills you need to actually get a job using the coding skills you're  learning.  Coming from someone who had worked at the same company for 14 years and had little experience with  interviewing and resume writing, this was invaluable to me.  Practice interviews, resume building workshops, improving your  Linked In profile, the whole team supports you from day one in getting you ready to land that first job. They even bring employers to the school so you can get that valuable in person connection. I felt like everyone wanted to see me succeed on a personal level and they were willing to go out of their way to help me make it happen.

Overall, I can say that I highly recommend Tech Elevator.  As I mentioned, I had done some self study previously, but Tech  Elevator offers benefits you can't get learning on your own.  You get top notch technical training, from instructors with a ton of  real world experience, and you get the support of a team dedicated to helping you start your new career.  But the proof is in  the pudding right?   What was my outcome?  Well, I accepted a job offer within a month of graduating with a starting salary that  doubled what I made before the course, doing something that I truly have a passion for.  Like I said, there are moments that  change your course in life, and if you're looking to make a change, I'd say Tech Elevator is a great place to do it.

After several years working in industry (international trade) I wanted to study coding both to add to my skill set and to open up new career paths. Tech Elevator's lead Java instructor, David, brough his extensive career experience into the classroom - he proved to be a great teacher, really devoted, and I felt he truly cared about the progress of our class, often responding to email queries on homework assignments late into the night and early mornings, and also working one on one to bring me forward on topics where I struggled.

The bootcamp covers full stack web development from back to front end, which means a lot of material in the time period. So workload is high, and pre-reading / pre-preparation definitely important… The school provides all this.

The resume and interview workshops targeting tech jobs were extremely valuable, as was being plugged into Tech Elevator’s professional network of employers and recruiters- a huge bonus of studying at this school, particularly if you’re network is not in this field.

After gaining these skills, I feel confident to go into software development positions, and intend to keep learning more skills as I go forward, which will open more and more doors for my career.

I should also mention that the people (both classmates and the school staff) were really friendly and I built some great new friendships over the course.

I recently completed the Full Stack Java-based National Live Remote Program from Tech Elevator. I am a career changer coming from a lengthy STEM career into the Software / Web Development world. This is a review of what I experienced and how I feel after completing the bootcamp.

The Good:

• Most Instructors are very good. Understand that they are trying to squeeze as much material as possible in a short amount of time. They are willing to help answer as many questions as possible and will give you time if you request office hours.
• Java content and Database content are great. The daily assignments provide the rhythm and rigor needed to absorb the content taught.
• Alumni Curriculum support provides constant refreshers of the material taught during the bootcamp and can provide a learning experience with smaller groups. 

The Mediocre:

• The HTML, CSS, and JavaScript portion of the curriculum is rushed. Vue.JS is an easier-to-learn framework but React has the most market share and would have been the better choice for increasing employability.
• The curriculum covers the fundamentals and practical skills with basic web applications but many employers ask theoretical questions that involve an understanding of Data Structures & Algorithms. You will need to acquire this information on your own. Putting in the time to study and do problems like LeetCode, HackerRank, Code Signal, Code Wars, etc. is something you will have to do.
• The professional development portion of the bootcamp (called "Pathway") is mostly geared to those with no professional experience. If you have any successful interviewing and resume experience, then this part of the bootcamp won't provide much value other than a few required mock interviews and working on your elevator pitch. This extends into the Alumni Pathway support as well since it is just a repeat of the content discussed during the bootcamp.

The Bad:

• Understand that the current market (this review being written in Q1 2024) is extremely tough. Talking with the admissions team, they made suggestions that there was a large set of employer partners or company contacts they had access to, and leaving the bootcamp employed was very likely. The reality is far from that. There is no job guarantee. 
• During my cohort, the few companies that came to this matchmaking experience were either companies or institutions that weren't hiring at all, companies centered around Tech Elevator's physical campus locations,  or contracting companies that were taking extreme advantage of market conditions to offer new developers low wages, with harsh contracts that require your to uproot yourself at a moment's notice. The matchmaking experience seems to have been better for those who went to a campus-based program.
• The quality and experience of pair programming projects like the mini-capstones and Final Project are dependent on who your partners are.  If you have a team of passionate/dedicated people then your projects can turn out to be amazing. It is very possible to get matched with people who have no desire to do the work or learn. You will then have to complete the project on your own. I encountered this myself and know of others who also had a poor experience due to individuals who for one reason or another didn't care. Some of them have no business being in the bootcamp as they are not willing to put in the work to learn. If their time during the bootcamp is evidence of their work habit, they will not succeed. ChatGPT and other AI tools can only take you so far. 

To summarize, the technical portion of the bootcamp is great for covering the basic concepts and being able to produce web applications. You will have to expand on the topics and do deeper learning to be able to have a chance at finding work. The professional development portion of the bootcamp is only OK. The likelihood of leaving with a job other than a predatory contract position is extremely low in current market conditions. The key to finding work is to find programs at companies that accept bootcamp graduates for apprenticeships or entry-level positions, or become self-employed via freelancing, or network as much as possible and hope you make a connection with someone who can make hiring decisions or at least influence them enough to get you an interview. If you can't pay for the bootcamp outright, get the income sharing agreement over the loan as the current market makes the prospect of finding employment during the grace period of a loan extremely challenging. I was fortunate enough to find employment through an entry-level program within my loan grace period after graduating.

Initially skeptical about the effectiveness of software engineering bootcamps, I conducted thorough research, interviewing alumni and reviewing various programs. Despite common concerns about inadequate career coaching and outdated curriculums in many bootcamps, my experience with Tech Elevator (TE) was remarkably different.



At TE, I found the curriculum to be an excellent foundation for an entry-level engineer. The instructors and staff were consistently accessible, offering substantial support with coursework and real-world coding projects. The Pathway Program was a highlight, enabling me to secure my first job through TE's Matchmaking partners. TE's commitment extended beyond the curriculum, with consistent personal follow-ups and a surprising level of dedication, exemplified by my Pathway director's presence on my first day at my new job.

I really enjoyed the classroom structure and exercises.  I learned the most from the Capstones and really liked how available the teachers were for questions.  The pathway program provided great insight in how/where to apply to jobs and with resume structure.  I wish there was exercises/learning that leaned more into computer science areas and in breaking down more complex technical interview questions.  A decent amount of interview questions are on topics not covered in class (bits in particular).

During the summer of my senior year pursuing a Computer Engineering Degree (May 2023 - Aug 2023), I had the privilege of participating in a meticulously structured and enriching educational experience. Armed with a strong foundation in the field, I found the course to be both accommodating for beginners and challenging for those with more seasoned expertise.

I am uniquely positioned to address the perennial debate between traditional college education and the intensive bootcamp approach. While I hold my alma mater in high regard, it's important to debunk the notion that a bootcamp is equivalent in difficulty to a Computer Science or Engineering degree. My summer course, although intensive, provided me with significantly more flexibility to maintain a well-rounded life – a luxury I often found scarce during my university years.

Drawing a distinct comparison, my academic semester encompassed a demanding load of subjects, including Cal 3, Embedded Systems, Algorithms, and a Capstone project that required mastering a new backend framework on the spot. This workload underscores the stark contrast between the two paths. The college experience placed a higher onus on independent problem-solving and time management, fostering a comprehensive understanding of diverse programming languages and algorithms. In contrast, the bootcamp immersed me in an accelerated and all-encompassing learning environment, emphasizing a specific language and framework. However, success in a bootcamp is contingent upon one's dedication and effort, and the subsequent job search presents its own challenges.

In summation, both avenues have their merits. The traditional college route cultivates resilience, self-reliance, and a broad spectrum of technical proficiencies. Conversely, a bootcamp necessitates swift and intensive absorption of knowledge, focusing on specialized skills. Securing employment post-bootcamp demands personal commitment and perseverance. Ultimately, the journey you choose will shape your growth, and while not without its challenges, triumph is attainable in either scenario.