We Can Code IT

I attended the Columbus campus in the Summer of 2019, shortly after deciding to leave a data science Bachelor's program at OSU.  This turned out to be a great decision.  This coding bootcamp delivered on everything it promised, and more.  I went in with a previous Bachelor's degree in computer science, so I wasn't new to programming.  However, I'd never programmed professionally before (spending 4 years in the Navy after college as an IT), so there was a ton to learn.  What impressed me most about this bootcamp only hit me after the fact, once I was employed.  The tools, techniques, and best practices (especially TDD and Agile/Scrum) were exactly what my employer was looking for, and so far the things I learned in bootcamp have had about a 90% overlap with what I've done on the actual job.  That's pretty amazing when you think about it.  What college can make that claim?

I'm a very result-oriented guy, so that's what I focus on.  But the staff were also extremely friendly and helpful, and a pleasure to learn from.  The career services they offered were invaluable, and it was through the school that I was an offered an interview that landed me a job.  If you're willing to put in the effort, We Can Code IT will teach you everything you need to know and help you find good work.  I'm sure experiences will vary depending on the person, but at least in my case I can say that this was worth every penny and then some.  Even though it's their job, I feel a debt of gratitude to all the WCCI staff.  It's obvious they actually care beyond getting paid, so if you can roll up your sleeves and push through the challenges, you can rest assured that they'll fully come through on their end and guide you to the finish line.

First of all, boot camp is only as good as you put into it.
That being said, I found an amazing community of learners here at We Can Code It. I learned Java in the flex code program while also working full time. Then they helped me get my first development position.
I realized that We Can Code It is a good basis for a developer position- I learned how to figure out logic and ways to work out technical problems along with the programming language its self.
Really, if you want to see if developer job is for you this is the route to go.

One of the best decisions I have made. I went to WCCI (fall 2019) and graduated December 2019. I was working as a software developer by February 2020 for an amazing startup in Columbus Ohio. I am so glad I made the change when I did. My previous industry was closed a majority of 2020 while, I was continuing to grow in my current role. I was able to work full time, during a pandemic, and have my children home with me. The education I received at WCCI was well rounded and gave me an amazing variety of real life tools.  The career support was perfect, well advised, and prepared me fully for the job search and interview process. I decided to go to WCCI based on their mission and what they want to achieve in the technology industry.

I started We Can Code IT knowing little to nothing about web development, coding, or networking. For me, jumping into the boot camp was a blind leap into the depths of the unknown. I made the decision to leave my safe and familiar customer service job to pursue a new path, and to date it has been the best decision I've ever made.

We Can Code IT is surprisingly thoughtful. I expected a high intensity and moderately intimidating environment where the instructors and students were all business and the weakest links would be left behind. This couldn't be farther from the truth. All students, regardless of their experience or how quickly they learn, are given a great deal of nurture and support by the instructors and staff. Every morning and every afternoon, the instructors check in with each student as a group to get a handle on how they're feeling, what they're enjoying about the program, and what things they need help with. As a heavy introvert with an innate fear of the spotlight, this scared me for about a week before my classmates became familiar faces and the fear of public speaking disappeared. We Can Code IT also provides an emotional roadmap for what students generally feel during the course, and the instructors try their best to let the students know that what they're feeling is natural and that they are capable of incredible things if they set their mind to it.

We Can Code IT also has a career services component that teaches you everything you need to know about applying for a job as a developer. A multitude of topics are covered, like interview etiquette, networking, how to search for jobs, how to write a good resume, and how to sell yourself (all things that I had absolutely no idea how to do beforehand). You learn the do's and don'ts, you build confidence, and by the time you graduate, you feel ready to take the next step in your career. Frankly, some aspects of the career services experience were uncomfortable and nerve-wracking (mock interviews and reaching out to strangers on LinkedIn to name a couple), and to my detriment I avoided them. Taking this next huge step in your life is meant to be scary, but I think I could have used a little more positive affirmation over being nudged off of a 10 meter diving board. That being said, finally making that jump isn't anywhere as bad as I made it out to be and I wish I took more advantage of the things WCCI had to offer, like the opportunity to schedule as many one on one meetings with career services as you think you need.

The curriculum is intelligently laid out. The different modules all build off of one another without putting too much stress on the students. Every step of the way, I was learning something new and fun. WCCI also provides extra instruction time Wednesday afternoons immediately after the instructional period, which helped me learn the things I was struggling with. By the last third of the cohort, I felt like I had a solid grip on web development fundamentals and had nothing but excitement for my future.

Then covid happened.

With a little bit more than a month left in the cohort, a somber and uncomfortable meeting was had on the last day that I would go to the WCCI campus explaining that classes would be indefinitely moved to virtual instruction. All interactions with WCCI staff and students, including lectures and team work sessions, would take place by video call from home. This caused a great deal of unrest and stress with some of the students, myself included. I personally learn much better in person, as my brain kind of turns off some switches when I'm staring at a computer screen. To that end, I'm thankful that we only had half of a module left to finish by the time we made the transition. Through no fault of the program itself, this period of time is where I remember the least amount of information, and my confidence in the material I learned is substantially lower. A silver lining to virtual instruction, however, is that while the pandemic is still going on, most places of employment, including the office where I currently work, are also virtual. Learning how to use the technologies to stay connected and productive with your fellow coders is an extremely valuable skill these days, and potential employers will see the potential behind hiring a developer who already knows the hoops you need to jump through to work from home. In retrospect, it was very helpful that we transitioned to virtual when we did, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Overall, I highly recommend We Can Code IT if you're ready to put in the effort. It's a program that requires a lot of learning and unlearning, but they give you all the resources and help you need. Coding-wise, I feel like WCCI covered all the bases I need for my career future. In addition, everything I learned outside of coding has made me more confident in my ability to make big changes in my life and take initiative, two things I desperately needed. We Can Code IT was a positive experience for me, and I hope it's a positive experience for you too.

Just a brief word of advice: don't forget your semicolons and make sure everything's capitalized correctly.

I've been on the other side of the line, hungrily googling, "should I attend a coding bootcamp?" and reading every review I could get my hands on, looking for a review that says, "Yes. You should do this thing now." I didn't find that review, but I did find the courage to quit a successful career and jump into tech. And it paid off. And We Can Code IT made it happen for me. The class times were convenient. The instructors didn't teach me all I know, because that isn't possible. And frankly, it's not how the real world works. They provided support, a broad base of learning, a safe space to be vulnerable and ask questions. I did the rest. The career planning staff is talented, and will be very clear about what you need to do to find a job you will love. Just getting a job isn't enough for them - they want you to be happy every Monday. The program works if you work it. They aren't going to hand you a career on a platter, but they will set you up for success if you give WCCI your energy, time and brainpower. The Columbus community for a new developer has been amazing, and I was fortunate to land a dream dev gig just 6 weeks after graduation. So, this is the review that is officially telling you: "Yes. You should do this thing now."

When I came to WeCanCodeIT, I was at a crossroads in my life. 
I'd been working in a low-level tech job for a couple years, but knew I wanted to get into development at some point. I started looking around at local bootcamps and really connected with WCCI's mission to help diversify tech. I went to one of their information sessions and met some of their staff and was struck immediately by how much they cared for their students (both present, and past). 
I seriously can't say enough to fully encapsulate how incredible the staff of this bootcamp is. They are smart, empathetic and care deeply about their jobs and the success of their students.  
I enrolled in the hybrid-bootcamp course, so I could continue working full-time. The curriculum was excellent and engaging and I was always excited to get to work on the weekly projects and learn something new. The instructor encouraged us to be as creative as we wanted, which kept the work interesting and led to vastly different-looking results among classmates, which was so fun to see. 
In addition to the development piece of the curriculum, we had sessions with a success advisor. These sessions were incredibly helpful in crafting a good developer resume, preparing for technical interviews and generally growing confidence. It was clear from the beginning of these sessions that they wanted each of us to figure out what we wanted from a job and make sure we landed at a company where we'd be happy. It was refreshing to never be pushed to interview at an enterprise company just to get the job placement numbers. 
I started my first developer job roughly a month and a half after graduating from the bootcamp and have never been happier at work. I wouldn't have gotten to where I am without WCCI, and I would urge anyone looking to get into development to seek them out. My experience with them is by far the best educational experience I've ever had and I'll never stop being grateful for it. 

I attended We Can Code IT's FlexCode program after trying to teach myself to code (and then being unsatisfied with my progress). The FlexCode program let me learn at my own pace with modules done on my own time online, and meet with classmates and the instructor every other weekend. It really was the best of both worlds! Working on a team for our final project taught me teamwork and reinforced good source control practices, too. I studied and worked on projects while taking care of my kids, without any big changes to their routines, which was a big plus for me.

The instructor was patient and available for questions and problems pretty much all the time. He clearly loves teaching and helping students. The career services counselor had great advice and was so supportive, even after I graduated. The program helped me with my resume, interviewing, portfolio, and even set up some visits from local employers. This personal attention and mentorship really helped me succeed.

I landed a great job about a month after I graduated, as a direct result of networking organized by the school. We Can Code IT helped me move from stay-at-home-mom to developer! I highly recommend it.

I pondered attending a bootcamp for a very long time and after attending an orientation session at We Can Code IT, I made up my mind. I initially joined the part time program, which was switched to the FlexCode Hybrid Program. That switch was a lifesaver. The coursework was rigorous, and I have no idea how I would have been able to attend classes in the evenings during the work week while working full time and caring for a baby. The cohort was the first to go through the flexcode program and there were a few minor issues that were ironed out along the way. Everyone was very open to not just listening to feedback, but implementing it immediately.

The instructors were knowledgeable and encouraged us to figure out a problem ourselves. The curriculum touched on all the topics required to graduate as a full-stack developer and, most importantly, the curriculum was tailored to the way companies nowadays approach development. 

The career service was great as well, from resume reviews, to mock interviews, to constantly forwarding and announcing job openings, opportunities and events. 

I thought that after graduating, the attention would all be on the next cohort and I would not get the support that I had when I was at the bootcamp. I was wrong. I had reached out to We Can Code IT for very specific documentation required by my employer for tuition reimbursement. Not only did I get a response, but they worked with me to get said documentation which met all the criteria. 

After We Can Code IT, I have had more interviews than I had in all my time job-searching. I landed a job a month after graduating. If you are enthusiastic about code and are willing to put in the hard work, attending We Can Code IT is really worthwhile. 

My experience was positive overall, and I graduated with a full-time job as a Software Engineer. There were 20 people in my cohort when the program started and 19 graduated. It was diverse group of students in terms of professional backgrounds, but I was one of only four women when the program concluded. I chose We Can Code IT because its mission of “Equity through technology” aligned with my values. I think it would be nice to have a presentation about the need for diversity and inclusion in technology as part of the curriculum for students, especially for those who may not have chosen the program specifically for the inclusion aspect. That presentation would be beneficial in most workplaces and other bootcamps, as well.

The instructors were great – really informative, always available, and willing to help. The curriculum was relevant to what I have been doing in my career. I think the Java focus is good for the Columbus job market. I work with someone who graduated from another bootcamp in the area at the same time as me. Comparing our knowledge and instruction received, it seems almost equivalent. So, We Can Code IT definitely teaches competitively when stacked up against other bootcamps. Also, the scholarship offered to women in minorities made it the more affordable choice in the area.

My one suggestion would be in terms of the career development program. My professional background is as a Technical Recruiter. So, I have a decent amount of experience in the IT Job industry market, which may be why this was where I saw the most need for expansion. The current program is good, but the job pipeline seems to be heavily with a select few companies. I think having a career meet-up day prior to graduation with more companies could be useful networking for students. I know the Columbus campus hired a new full-time career coach since my experience. So, they are already making strides. I would definitely recommend We Can Code IT!