We Can Code IT

We Can Code IT is a fantastic program to help get a career in software started. You will learn many things about how to be a successful developer. The flexcode program also teaches you skills on how to manage your own work without someone looking over your shoulder all the time. You are responsible to make sure your work is done during each section of the course. The instructors are very knowledgable and friendly. The administrative staff is also involved and will help you in any way they can.

Post bootcamp is where to real work starts. Learning how to code is one thing, finding a job and applying yourself to the industry is another. The bootcamp will set you up with many opportunities to do well, but ultimately it is up to you to take the correct steps and go on the interviews and speak to that recruiter for the company you want to work for.

If you are a self motivated person and want to really learn a new skill and break into a new industry I strongly recommend this bootcamp. They will give you all the tools you need to succeed.

As a former journalist and editor, I've always wondered how company names are created.

When I first heard of this school, I was confused by the title: We Can Code IT, and I kept wondering why IT was all-caps. Did they forget a copyeditor? Did their caps lock get stuck in the down position? But then I realized it was a reference to the Information Techology industry.

And it's an industry that I'm now proud to be a part of, thanks to the learning tools and skills I gained in my 14-week cohort at the school. I left journalism and editing because I wasn't being challenged enough, so my accountant told me about coding schools in February 2018. One of his clients went to WCCI and successfully transitioned from a botany major to tech developer. 

That spring, I looked at rival bootcamps and while they were just as qualified as WCCI I felt like I was just a number. So I ultimately signed on with WCCI and went through the admissions process in August. I started the Fall Full-Time Cohort on Sept. 4. The school has locations in CLE and Columbus and I chose the Columbus campus, nestled in a lovely brick upstairs office in Old North Columbus.

Note: There are two options--the full-time cohort, which meets M-F from 930-330--or FlexCode, which meets on weekends twice a month, as well as in-person sessions with instructors during one weekday. Columbus classes use the Java language, while Cleveland classes use the .NET language.

The classwork was very challenging. The first few weeks were spent in a console app, Eclipse, and then we transitioned into building projects through Springboot MVC and the Gitbash command line system. Eight weeks were spent on core Java, and the remainder of the class was spent on React/Javascript, some HTML/CSS5 and a day on SQL. We focused on test-driven development and pair programming throughout as well.

The last three weeks of the class were spent on the final project. Our 14-person class was split into three teams and we worked on building practical, functional apps with cross-functionality. The app my team built was a cooking timer application, and we presented it to employers at Demonstration Day on 12/14.

Throughout the class, we also met with Lacey N., who was our Career Services manager. She was extremely helpful in our weekly sessions regarding job interview preparation, and I credit her with helping me land a job three days after graduation, making about 16% more in salary than my previous job. She taught us job skills that progressively built on each other--not unlike how we learned coding skills--such as basic interviewing, behavioral responses and body language, resume creation and cover letters. That culminated in mock interviews, and then actual interviews with real employers.

I can tell you that the cohort got along well, the instructors were excellent and took time to help us, and the program itself was cohesive (both tech and career services).

As a former journalist NOW TURNED tech developer and coder, it doesn't matter how the name was created. The only thing that matters now is getting the word out about how good WCCI is, and how it can change your life as well! YOU can code IT!

I completed the boot camp in the Fall of 2018 and started a Web Developer job January of 2019. You can definitely find success through this boot camp! You learn A TON of information. You get what you put into the program. All the resources are there, but it's up to you to use them to learn and understand the material. 

My advice is for anyone considering a software coding bootcamp:
1. SHOW UP. Don't be late to class and pay attention! Try writing down notes in class.
2. Ask questions! Teachers and classmates are willing to help you. (also Google!)
3. Do extra practice/research at home/out of class hours.. Take advantage of any tutoring, even if you feel you understand the material!
4. Lastly.. NETWORK! Do what the career coach tells you to do and you won't regret it.
 

My experience with We Can Code IT had some speed bumps with teacher changes, but at the end it taught me how to deal with unexpected changes which I'm sure I will face in ' the real world '. It's a fast pace course and you'll have to make adjustments. The teaching staff was always willing to help out and answer your questions or clarify any of your confusions. They really want you to succeed but it's up to you and your desire for your own success!

Went to We Can Code IT's full-time spring bootcamp from mid-January to late April 2018.  Enjoyed it far more than any previous academic experience, including both undergrad and grad school.  All three instructors were knowledgeable, relatable, and fun, and my entire cohort got along really well.   We all came together as a team to help everyone do their best and handle the huge amount of learning that needed to be done in only 14 weeks.  I was able to ask all the questions and get all the feedback necessary to suit my  learning style, and given how many questions I ask, that says a lot.

The coursework consisted entirely of real-world practical skills and knowledge, and I got the large amount of hands-on coding practice necessary to feel reasonably confident when trying to get a job in the field.  Repeatedly coding increasingly-complex projects from scratch every weekend was a valuable exercise that got me used to both writing code and managing my code with GitHub.  Ditto for the final team project, only doubly so.   It's turned out to be equally valuable that I got to learn both HTML/CSS/Javascript for front-end development and Java for back-end development, because I've actually needed all of that on the job so far.  I was originally a computer science major for my first two years of undergrad about 15 years ago before burning out on it, and I learned more in the first three weeks of this program than I did in two whole years of traditional computer science courses back then.  Those college courses consisted way too much of largely inapplicable theory; nearly everything I have learned at WCCI, I have already put to good use.  

It was also helpful to have job search support every week, so that I had a well-polished resume and was prepared to do interviews.   Having some idea of where to look for jobs, what employers were hiring, what they were looking for in applicants, and how to highlight my strengths were all very important.  WCCI inviting different companies to come in and talk to us directly on several occasions was likewise valuable, and being able to demo our team projects to an entire room of prospective employers was great.  Nothing makes a good impression like showing off something cool that you've just finished creating with your teammates.  Getting started building a network is difficult, especially if you're like me and you're not normally inclined toward that sort of thing.  WCCI's connections to local businesses made a lot of difference in that regard.

Specifically for me, though, the employer visit that mattered the most was when Nationwide sent a recruiter to come in halfway through the program, and I was very impressed by what I heard.  He encouraged us to apply for lots of positions there, which I did (I think about 8 of them), and offered to forward our applications to the appropriate hiring managers.  That worked out better than I could have hoped for, because I graduated from bootcamp on Friday, April 20th, went in for an interview at Nationwide the following Monday, they offered me a job on Tuesday, and I started work about two weeks after that, on May 7th.  Interestingly enough, the position I got was unrelated to the recruiter who talked to us, and none of the three members of my team who interviewed me had heard of WCCI.  I still got a job offer, anyway.  I didn't even have to rely upon the fact that Nationwide had hired half a dozen former WCCI grads before me.  That says that the quality of what I learned was high enough that I could stand entirely on my own.  I know that not everyone who goes through the program will get hired quite that fast, but I can at least serve as evidence that it's possible.

Long story short, We Can Code IT did exactly what they advertised - they taught me how to be a strong enough coder in only three and a half months that I was able go out and get a job right away.  I've now been at Nationwide for almost half a year, and I've enjoyed my new career very much.  It's a good job at a good company with coworkers I like and very solid pay and benefits.  This is the career I wanted to get into right out of high school, and I finally made it.  That's a five-star rating, right there.  Can't argue with results.

My experience at WeCanCodeITwas not atypical, I'm sure.  

Someone without a coding background is told that a coding is a solid, lucrative career change.  I walked in the doors of WeCanCodeIT unsure, yet with confidence that I could make a change to my life.  From end to end I engaged with friendly, thoughtful individuals who were ready to provide an education they believed in.  

From week to week, I learned new concepts from industry professionals, applied them in class, and produced a working product to show my budding mastery over them.  I truly believe that I have invested in a life long skill that will keep my brain working  morning, noon, and night.

WCCI's space, is perfect for exposing a nascent coder to the business of coding, and if they take advantage of it; an excellent networking tool.  I would and have recommended the boot-camp model to my friends(specifically WeCanCodeIT).  

As I continue to grow, I feel confident that I can call on the instructors there for advice.

I decided to go to We Can Code IT after attending an info session on campus. I met the instructor, Pete, and student success coach, Melissa, and they were both really transparent and friendly and made me want to to go there. 

Pete was our instructor for the whole cohort. He was extremely knowledgeable about all of the course materials, but his teaching style is what set him apart.  He is very invested in each student's success, and is always available to help, even on slack late at night and on the weekend.  He is always very energetic and excited about working with students, and he kept our class engaged and supported the entire 14 weeks.  I felt like he was able to adapt to all of the different learning styles in the room so that no one struggled, and he did everything in his power to accommodate everyone's needs.

Our student success coach, Melissa, was also with us throughout the entire class.  She came to check in every morning to help keep us on track with preparing for our job search, and made sure to spend a lot of individual time with each of us outside of the time she spent with us as a class teaching.  She answers us on slack all the time, and has been just as available since we graduated.  She brought employers in throughout the program to help us network, and had a large group attend our demo day when we graduated so that they could see our work.  She did a lot to find new employers to connect with, and to connect us to the right people to help us land a job, and introduced me to the person I'm working for now.  No matter how silly I thought a question or fear was, I always felt comfortable coming to talk to her and knew that she would help.  Her role wasn't just limited to career support, she (and Pete) were a great emotional support system for my whole class the entire time we were there.

Mel, who is the founder and CEO, was also a presence on campus, which I didn't expect.  She actually taught some of our classes, and always took time to answer coding questions, and even helped a few of us with extra tech skills that we wanted to learn outside of the normal curriculum.  This was a really great feature!

I didn't know anyone in my class when I started, but my closest friend and (now) business partner graduated with me.  I also made other really great friends during my cohort, and working with them over 14 weeks and especially final projects was a great experience.

Overall, I'm really glad that I came to We Can Code IT.  I'm very grateful for everything I got out of this experience, especially the relationships I developed and the confidence that the program and staff helped me build.  It has changed my life for the better!

I needed a career change in my life and heard about WCCI on NPR.  I went to a meet n greet, enjoyed it,  and shortly after I was at my first day of class.  I was in the part-time cohort at the Cbus branch and loved every minute of it.  The instructors were very knowledgeable and patient with the new students learning an entire new skill.  The pace is fast but not impossible...you will work hard.  They start with the very basics and work up to full stack applications and by the end of it you can't believe what you have achieved.  Career services help you from day one setting up your professional portfolio and preparing you for networking and interviews. The founder, Mel McGee, stopped in numerous times just to see how we're doing, pick our brains, and help out with any questions.  The vibe that I got from day one was that WCCI doesn't care about the quantity of students they are providing to the IT workforce, it's the quality of students.  They truly care about how You are doing as an individual and want you to succeed. By the way I graduated this past Friday, I have been made an offer from a prominent company not even a week after graduation.  I could not have asked for a better output from this Bootcamp.  I will never forget the experience I had here, Thank You WCCI.

Attending a coding boot camp has launched my career in IT, in roughly 4 months total. If you work hard, are proactive in the job search, and use the resources provided you too will be successful after completing this program. It is very much "what you put in - is what you get out." 

I landed a web developer job about a month after graduation with two other offers on the table. I owe huge thanks to the career services at WCCI and the employer relationships they provide to their students. 

I had a very good experience with my instructors, who were patient to explain the curriculum which is very important when teaching students who have no background in development. One thing I would have liked to see more of from the instructors would have been better after class availability for one on one help. 

The curriculum certainly provided me with the basic knowledge to launch my career as a developer.  Although it moves fast at times, there is a schedule that the class needs to stick to and necessary material to cover, so I would say if you sign up for this course expect it to move FAST. My biggest downside in the curriculum would be the lack of SQL coverage and the after class study session that had little to no direction. I had high hopes of those study sessions to supplement the classroom time and that was not the case.

The career services are great. If you are proactive about job hunting and interviewing many opportunities will come your way. The most important thing is to have a positive and open mind about any opportunity that comes your way. In regards to the job guarantee, like with anything else, I would reccomend reading all of the fine print. But if you are performing well and are proactive about applying you will land a job! 

If you are looking for a career change I recommend WCCI!!

We Can Code IT is an excellent bootcamp for anyone who is serious about learning to code.  I was particularly impressed with my instructors as they were able to move at a pace that was manageable for people who were new to coding, but also challenge others who already had some experience.  The curriculum and projects were also well-designed to accommodate various levels of achievement.  The instructors were helpful and encouraging and made the class interesting and fun.  I was pleasantly surprised by the level of support the career development team (especially Cynthia Trotta) provided.  Not only do they provide help with resume preparation and interviewing, but they teach you how to network effectively and even expose you to some prospective employers.  Because of their training and committment, I was fortunate to receive an offer just prior to my graduation from the class.  One word of advice I would give a prospective student is to make sure that you clear your schedule so that you can fully devote yourself during the bootcamp.  It is time-intensive and, like most things in life, what you get out of it will be directly related to how much effort you put into it.  If you don't have any experience with coding, it might make sense to do some free online tutorials first to make sure that coding is something that you are excited to learn.

I'm so glad I attended the We Can Code IT boot camp. The instructors are very experienced, funny, and are good about paying attention to students' emotional needs as well as their technical understanding. Career services give the strategy and knowledge necessary to brand yourself as a business-of-one, and the confidence to ace the tech interview and pursue networking opportunities (which was what led to my job offer).

The instructors do a good job of teaching students to research and master new topics on their own (which is a very valuable skill, since tech is always evolving, and we won't be in training programs forever). They are always available and willing to help students who are struggling, offering tutoring and going above-and-beyond by staying after class and making the space available on weekends. Students are encouraged to collaborate and experience peer-programming, so no one is ever truly alone or lost for long.

I do hope that in the future the bootcamp might be extended a few weeks because sometimes it felt like there was too much to learn in the time allotted. I also hope that they get someone local for their Columbus career services because it doesn't seem ideal to have this person commute and be physically absent (though available via web conference and phone) most of the time. Despite these issues, I couldn't be happier with my decision to attend this program.

Caveat: it is intense. It's likely that at least once you may second-guess your decision to join, or doubt your abilities, but this is normal. You will need to do a lot of reading and studying outside of the classroom, but if you do, the teachers will help you gain the skills and knowledge necessary for your success. As a frame of reference, I studied 3-4 hours every night and spent most of my Saturdays on campus. By week 5 or 6, your confidence will be much higher than when you started: heaps of new information will seem exciting instead of impossible. I had a job offer on week 9 of the 12-week boot camp.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is serious about breaking into the industry.

Thanks, WCCI!