Code Platoon

 Originally, I was completely unaware of Code Platoon as a coding bootcamp option.  It was appealing for a few reasons:  VET-TEC approved, follow veterans and spouses, full stack web development and a full-time remote option.  If you have no prior experience in programming, you will not be left behind.  However, you will need to put in several hours outside of lecture and beyond the homework.  The best thing to help your progression will be learning how you learn.  I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials prior to starting new languages, frameworks or libraries to get familiar.  Reading documentation is also extremely helpful and underrated.  You will more than likely be overwhelmed at the beginning and at additional points.  

Once you start learning, you get exposed to an exponential amount of computer science disciplines.  This isn’t new information if you have been reading up on attending a bootcamp, but I want to make it clear there will be stress involved.  The staff and teaching assistances will help you understand the material, not just complete it, and will answer all your questions.  The bootcamp is still working 100% remote due to COVID-19 restrictions and safety.  Therefore, you need to make sure you ask questions.  The program sets you up for success with an excellent curriculum, which is not limited to development.  It also includes internships, job placement assistance, resume assistance, budget management, investment strategies and one-on-one mentorship.  These are all great benefits if you take advantage of them.  Find your motivator and hold to it throughout the program.  If you do that, Code Platoon will help you with the rest to start a rewarding career in software development.  

It took me nearly six months to get placed after regular applications and interviews.  They will attempt to find a career for you in your area with the help of Rich and the Chicago staff.  They consistently work with you to work on interviews, resumes, networking and introductions to potential employers.  The bootcamp does not end when you graduate, and they support you to remain on task. I could not state enough how helpful it is to have someone keeping you on track and motivated, especially in this current economic climate.  The strategies we developed together, and the consistent communication were crucial for my successful placement at an excellent company in the Boston area. 

After doing network security for a number of years in the Navy, I was ready to rejoin civilian life and knew that I wanted to get into software engineering. I started researching various programs and bootcamps that I could take part in through the DoD Skillbridge program. Code Platoon was hands down the only choice for me after looking at probably 7 or 8 different programs. This program is 100% catered to veterans, by veterans and you can really tell from start to finish. I just want to highlight a couple of my experiences, starting with the initial application, to the the course content itself, and finally, to the post graduation support.

Every single person at Code Platoon goes out of their way to make you feel informed about what you are getting into. I never once felt like I was being sold a product or being duped into signing up. My first few phone calls were with the Executive Director and he went out of his way to answer all my questions and to be available even though we were multiple time zones away from each other. Code Platoon is not a program that is out to get your money. They offer a number of attendance and scholarship models and if you take part in the DoD Skillbridge program, they offer a full scholarship to the remote program. This ended up saving me a significant amount of money. One key highlight on this aspect is how they responded to the Covid situation. I was initially supposed to take part in the "in person" program (this confers certain benefits not available to "remote" students such as in person workshops, an internship program, etc) which is not 100% funded by Skillbridge scholarship. However, due to Covid we were forced to go remote for the duration of the course and this made travelling to Chicago impossible. Code Platoon could have easily continued to hold me in an "In Person" status and charge me the money that I would have had to pay, but they didnt and I didn't even have to ask. The Director called me, and said due to the situation I was welcome to change my status to "remote" if I wanted in order to save me some money. I was so impressed by this level of integrity from a business.

So on to the course content, is it any good? Upon starting Code Platoon, I already had a degree in Software Development and was primarily using the course for more hands on and practical experience. I can honestly say that this is some of the best instruction you can get and rivaled or topped many of my classes in college. The curriculum is designed to get you proficient with the most relevant and in demand technologies in Web Development and by the end, you are building full stack web applications with multiple programming languages and frameworks. One small thing to point out here is: the bootcamp is fast paced and there is a lot to cover (llike every bootcamp will be) so while you do get a ton of hands on practice building apps and will feel comfortable building by the end, not a ton of time is spent understanding theory and computer science concepts(this is not going to get you a degree in computer science). However, this is not a critique of Code Platoon specifically, but of the bootcamp model in general. You get a lot of the "how", but I wish students got a bit more of the "why" as well. That aside, by the end of the program you will absolutely be ready to accept a junior developer role. While the pace and intensity is very high, one thing I liked about the instructors was that they never made you feel like you were slowing them down or wasting their time. Even though there's a ton of content to get through, they always made sure to pause for questions, and would flesh out anything that wasn't making sense and if necessary, would spend time with you offline or after hours making sure you got through whatever you were stuck on. I really can't say enough about how great and patient all of the instructors were.

Finally, I wanted to say a couple of things about career prep and post graduation resources. Throughout the course, many many hours are spent not just teaching you the technical skills, but preparing you for all of the things outside of coding (resume building, LinkedIn presence/networking, interview practice, job hunting, etc.). You get a ton of practice answering typical interview questions as well as technical whiteboarding questions. You do this both privately and in front of the class which really helps shake off the nerves and performance anxiety that comes with interviews. They also bring in industry professionals to do both technical and non technical workshops to give you different perspectives on various aspects of the industry. This is long enough now so I'll just finish by saying that Code Platoon was an incredible experience and I have already landed my first job as a software engineer, largely thanks to the skills I gained through this course. 

If you are a veteran or a spouse of a veteran and looking to get into the software engineering field, applying to attend this program should be the only thing you consider.  I am a recent graduate and not only did they teach me the relevant skills to dive into a post-military job, they also taught me the soft-skills needed to land one (resume / linkedin reviews, mock interviews, etc...).  I am so happy I found this program.  I was a DoD SkillBridge remote attendee, so I didn't qualify for post-course internship opportunities, but that program is available for in-person students who decide to reside in Chicago.

If you are thinking of breaking into software development this program is a must. It offers a fantastic curriculum and great instruction. I had no coding experience at all prior to enrolling and the program, while challenging, was very rewarding. There was always help when I needed it. No student was left behind in my cohort, even students like myself that were starting from nothing. What surprised me the most about the course was the career development and post-course opportunities. Internships are offered after the course and if you don't get placed in one of those, there are plenty of networking opportunities that you can take advantage of to ensure timely employment in the tech industry. Along with the instruction, Code Platoon has excellent alumni support, daily TA volunteers from within the industry, and mentorship that lasts throughout the program and beyond. This program far exceeded my expectations and has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. 

To keep it short and sweet:
Value:

• CodePlatoon (CP) offers best value for money - no other bootcamp can match that.

Career Prospects:

• If you're thinking of applying through Job Boards or companies' career postings - you're doing it wrong. You will be among hundreds of applicants for entry-level positions (college grads with Computer Science degrees, other bootcamp grads, and other junior engineers).
• The best way of getting a job is through your network! A lot of times great positions in good companies are unadvertised and/or are filled through referrals.
• CP has a massive network of staff, alumni and volunteers who are professional software engineers. Once you graduate, they become a part of YOUR network. 

Instructors and Volunteers:

• Since CP is tailored for veterans and their spouses - it is a very exclusive bootcamp and class sizes are really small. 
• You can get attention and assistance from several full-time instructors, teaching assistants, volunteers.
• For example, during a normal day I could ask for help from 2 instructors and at least 5 TA's - all for a class of 20 students. Compare that with a bootcamp where you are a one of a 100 other students. 

Curriculum:

• No video tutorials, no BS, just the stuff you need for work.
• A lot of hands-on programming and exercises!
• The curriculum is always evolving - to adapt to job market requirements, and with the feedback from prior students.

Internship Program (for Chicago students):

• This is the secret sauce – you get to interview with the best companies in Chicago and get a shot of landing an internship with them immediately after graduation. 
• The best part is that they come to you! They come to Code Platoon and interview you!
• I have never ever heard of any other bootcamp or even CS grads getting such an opportunity.

The Code Platoon full-stack development boot camp is outstanding in every way.  The curriculum is up to date and relevant to the current job market.  The instructors are all consummate professionals with tremendous knowledge and insight to share regarding what is really happening in software development today.  The instructors, staff, and teaching assistants are all selfless to a fault in giving of their time and energy to ensure each student's needs are met all of the time.  The Code Platoon administrators have thought of every need a student might have and they provide resources and people to meet those needs.  For example, each student is assigned a mentor who currently works in the software development industry and an equally-qualified personal resume coach.  The mentor and coach have at least weekly interactions with each student throughout the course.  The curriculum also includes extensive instruction and practical exercises on interviewing skills and job search strategies.  Any veteran or spouse of a veteran could not find a better boot camp in all the world!  A first-rate organization run by first-rate people!!

Code Platoon is by far above and beyond anything I expected. Code Platoon is very passionate and dedicated to the success of all their students. They not only have a challenging and well structured cirriculum, but also they connect each student to a network of driven professionals to support the student's journey to success. The program from start to finish covers Javascript and Python algortihms, Functional and Object Oriented Programming, Test Based Development, Html web development, CSS for Html designing, SQL data base language, PostgresSQL relational database management system, Django Framework using Python and Postgres for backend and frontend development, and React.js for frontend development. The final outcome from the coding cirriculum is two projects. One project is your own personally design application and the second is a group produce application. During the program you will go through many presentations from professionals, that will help with understanding certian languages, github (service for storing, distribution, and version control, interview preparation, and much more. When you graduate from the program you will have an opprotunity to obtain an apprentiship with an assortment of great companies. The staff is friendly, patient, and extremely helpful. If you are interested in a dev boot camp, this is one you can put your faith in. 

CodePlatoon covers everything to help you build your first web application.  You learn a lot of tools, JavaScript. Python, React, Django, SQL and are given a lot of guidance and support.  They also put the extra effort to form your resume, give you career coaching, help you make new connections in the community, and make sure you are set up for a new career.  It is intense, but in that amazing way where you never run out of things to work on, so you are growing at an exponential rate. The instructors are so involved and really care about what they are doing for their students.  The director and human resources person are the same, this program exists because of their real passion for helping veterans start new careers.  I love everything  they have done for me. I learned more than I imagined was possible in 3 months and feel like I am at the beginning of an awesome new journey in technology with unbelievable resources in the community because of this bootcamp.

I am so grateful that I as a military spouse was able to attend code platoon. My husband who is a veteran attended code platoon last year, and he had an amazing experience. He completed the 14-week program and was able to get an apprentice position through this bootcamp. Now he is working full time as a software engineer. After his experience, I too decided to attend code platoon because I was looking for a career change, and they accept military spouses! I had a great experience throughout this course. At the end of the course, I was able to build fully functional full-stack web application. I definitely recommend this bootcamp for veterans and spouses who are looking to get into web development and software engineering.

I decided to to attend Code Platoon after completing my Bachelors in Interdisplinary Studies and my Masters in Business Administration. I learned more throughout this Boot-Camp than my entire 6 year education prior to it. They teach allot more than programming. They bring in brilliant people to teach you about the learning process and it helps motivate and encourage you to struggle through the material. They also bring in tech-business experts to teach you about the industry and provide informal emotional intillegence training to help you get better at working with others.  They provide you with certifications, like SAFE and Amazon Web Services that will help you stand out during your job hunt. At the end of every week students have the ability to provide feedback on the Course Material to make each cohort better than the next. The teachers are outstanding and the TA's are awesome, patient and take time ourt of their own day to ensure you learn the material. The only hard part is swallowing your pride and asking for the additional help. Its their if you want it. 

My only quam about the program is not being able to apply for work if you decide to enter their apprenticeship program. Apprenticeships are not guranteed but they do their best to make sure they have enough apprenticeships for the entire class. My cohort had 7 Apprenticeship positions for 9 in person students so the odds of landing a job are much higher than applying on your own.  With that being said it is optional to participate in the apprenticeship program and your competition is less steep if you decide to  enter in it. It is just not guranteed you land an apprenticeship. 

So my advice to you is take your time with the pre-work make sure you learn everything, ask questions before you get in the program, the instructors are more than willing to help. It will only set you up for further success. 

All In all this is the only learning environment where I fealt loved and supported throughout the entire process. Even when I wanted to quit others around me encouraged me to struggle and grow. Forever grateful for the experience and happy I struggled through it.

I decided to go to Code Platoon after graduating with a Biomedical Engineering degree.  The director, Rod Levy, was welcoming from the beginning.  He was understanding and adaptable to my needs as a wheelchair-user, specifically taking in account my travel difficulties and health concerns.  Sometimes I would need to take the class as a remote student.  Additionally, both instructors, Jon and Josh, explained concepts clearly, encouraged questions, and would support frustrated students during individual coding exercises when the students were stuck.  Every Monday through Thursday, a couple of helpful TAs would assist us with coding after hours.  The general atmosphere was great because all the of the gladly students jump in to help each other.  Just like the military, we don't leave our battle-buddies behind.

Even with all the support, the course is very challenging.  Students are expected to do research, experiment with code,  and figure out how to solve our problems.  This is an absolute necessity in the world of programming.  Google is our best friend.  And there are many tricky concepts where Stack Overflow has suggestions to help us.  The school has plenty of outsiders come in and give us workshops on key concepts such as Git, Data Science, SQL, React, and job searches. Code Platoon also gives lots of help to finding a job by developing Linked-In profiles, resumes, white-boarding challenges, and giving interview practice.  Most of the students here will get a paid internship.  And for the several who do miss out, Code Platoon has lots of connections to other software companies in the Chicago area, many who seem to be scouting for talent.  I have full confidence that I will get an internship or a job very soon.  I feel like I've learned more in a few months here than in a few years attending college.

Anyway, I love the program and recommend it to anybody who is will to put forth 100% effort.  I suggest that newcomers not only do the pre-work, but also take online courses (YouTube, Udemy, etc.) on Git, Django, and REACT.  REACT was especially difficult with the asynchronous programming, and I think it will benefit students to try to understand it in advance.  Good luck everyone, and I hope to stop in and see my fellow Code Platoon cohorts in the future!