Guild of Software Architects

The coding bootcamp at the Guild of Software Architects was exactly what I needed to change career paths. In 12 weeks I went from knowing very little about mobile development to having an app in the Apple App Store and many new job opportunities to choose from. I appreciate the in-person and hands-on approach that it provided and Kevin is one of the best instructors I have ever had. Before the class started I was able to meet with him in person to talk which a lot of other bootcamps wouldn't do. Best decision I have ever made!

The instructor was very knowledgeable and effective in explaining difficult concepts to the class. The lectures were well organized and planned accordingly to the overall class structure during the course of the program. I was able to receive a lot of help and recommendations while working on my projects and learned a lot of useful skills that helped me further push my career choice. Overall, I highly recommend this program to anyone who is willing to put in the effort in learning a new lanuage that is in high demand in today's job market. 

I am a current student of the iOS bootcamp at GuildSA. It is a traditional 12 week full time boot camp which gives me the structure, camaraderie and accountability I need. Currently they offer iOS as well as a separate course for Android development. I chose GuildSA because it is very affordable as they have scholarships for women as well as veterans and spouses. On top op that, Frisco is a much more affordable city than SF or NYC or even Austin. You can rent a room here for $500 a month and the cost of living is amazing. It’s a wonderful place to live my opinion. The tech scene in Dallas is growing rapidly and there is less competition for junior Dev jobs here in this area than other cities. It is a new bootcamp and I am in the first cohort, however they have had two apprentices (part time students who primarily study independently) get developer jobs in the past few months.

The curriculum is pretty thorough and the time commitment is considerable both in and out of class. This intensity is needed if you really want a career change after completing the program. You can take it as far as you want to and the instructor, Kevin Harris, is both a seasoned engineer and instructor who definitely can help you get wherever you might want to go in your studies. While there’s definitive assignments you must complete, there is also time in the course to go more in depth in special topics you are interested in and of course ample opportunity to develop your own app idea that will get in the app store.

I came into this course with some self-taught knowledge in front end web development as well as the introductory swift courses on Treehouse. I would definitely recommend preparing for the program with at least having a beginner level understanding of programming as it moves very fast and you will have to comprehend some rather advanced concepts in a very short amount of time. If you're interested in attending, I would highly recommend you join the GuildSA group on meetup.com and come to some of the events here. You'll meet other graduates and tech professionals and get a sense of whether you feel it would be a good fit for you.

Update: I received numerous interviews and a job offer within a few weeks of graduating the iOS bootcamp.

Kevin is an awesome instructor. Learning to code is hard, but he makes it very understandable and breaks it down in everyday life examples, which makes it easier. He is very approachable and you can tell he has a passion for teaching. I had a couple of local options when I considered picking an in person boot camp and I'm extremely happy I picked The Guild.

I haven't finished my course yet, but I'm positive that I will come out of this with enough knowledge to be able to complete my goals.

Guild SA offers two main tracks: the mobile bootcamp (iOS or Android) or the apprenticeship program. This is a review of the apprenticeship.

Guild SA's Android Apprenticeship program is tailored for those who've grasped the fundamentals of Java but need guidance and mentorship to take their skills to the next level. That fit my situation well. My goal was to release an Android app to the Google Play Store and that the app be designed and built as if a professional developer created it. This standard likely won't be achieved by watching YouTube tutorials or taking college courses, which is what I did for about 6 months prior to joining. When I became a Guild SA Android apprentice, I saw my skill jump up right away. The greatest benefit of having Kevin, the lead architect and instructor, as a mentor is that 1) you literally have an architect answering your questions and reviewing your code and 2) he explains why the code does what it does. Not knowing why a piece of obscure code is written can be frustrating but Kevin can be relentless in researching the answer and then explaining how it works. That's so much better than waiting hours, days or even weeks for an answer on StackOverflow. 

Already after a month, I have an Android app under my belt and my confidence as a mobile developer grows every day knowing that I'm learning the right way under Guild SA's mentorship.

If you're over being a novice and have the drive and initiative to build a portfolio of apps to show off to the world but need guidance to do it the right way, check out Guilda SA's apprenticeship program. 

Kevin Harris served as my Adjunct Lecturer at the SMU Guildhall for an Art and Scripting Course. He did a fantastic job of exposing us to mobile development and, more specifically, Lua and Corona SDK. From the outset of the course, we built upon the basics, reviewing concepts for those who were unfamiliar with coding languages. By combining lecture and practical applicaiton, each student, regardless of skill, successfully created their own version of a mobile game project. If I had the opportunity, I would jump at the chance to participate in this program!