Apprenticeship

Techtonica is an exceptional program for women and non-binary individuals looking to break into the tech industry. 
Pros:

Affordable: Techtonica is affordable, with the added benefit of monthly stipends and equipment for those who qualify.

Internships: High probability to secure a 6-month internship. 

Excellent Mentorship: Mentors with industry experience provide invaluable guidance.

Strong Network and Support: The network of fellow cohort members, supportive staff, and industry professionals who give talks create a robust support system that extends beyond graduation.

Overall Experience: Techtonica’s program is fast-paced and challenging, requiring dedication and self-learning skills. Participants are guided to learn web development fundamentals and build a portfolio of projects. It’s crucial to prepare before starting the program.
In summary, Techtonica is a life-changing program that offers immense value and opportunity for those willing to put in the effort. It stands out for its comprehensive support, excellent mentorship, and commitment to participant success.

Each day brings new concepts and terms to self-learn, followed by weekly assessments that test your understanding.

There are weekly projects that require pushing work to GitHub. This is more beneficial if you have prior experience, but if you are a beginner you will build simple projects.

To thrive in this program, being a strong self-learner is essential. Overall, Techtonica presents an opportunity for gaining project experience. Not everyone is guaranteed a placement.

Techtonica created a safe environment in which to learn and grow as a software developer. Staff is approachable and helpful. It is helpful to start learning ahead of time, both JS basics and Git commands. This program is not perfect some of the materials are a bit outdated, but participants made it work. 

Great opportunity to break into tech. They really care about the students, if there are any problems either personal or with the program curriculum they will try their best to set things right or help with personal issues. The team goes up and beyond to make sure the participants succeed in life.- Fully remote- Stipend - Laptop- Support

I had a great, positive experience with Techtonica. I joined Techtonica last year (2021), because of some family issues, I thought about quitting the program with a broken heart. But Techtonica gave me an opportunity to work as a curriculum developer(part-time). It really helped me to keep in touch with folks at Techtonica and resume the course the following year. The staff at Techtonica are awesome and available to help throughout and after graduation. Techtoncia has a good work culture, they are friendly,  transparent, motivating, collaborative and empathetic. They helped me to get a paid internship. I am alway grateful to Techtonica.Pros: 1. Techtonica is a free, software engineering program for women and non-binary adults.2. They will assign you  a mentor, who is going to help you learn programming, code debugging, and review your PRs.3. They will help in Interview preparation (Weekly knowledge check, mock interviews with volunteers)4. Placement with sponsor company

Techtonica was life-changing. I have never experienced a community so supportive, so knowledgeable, and so caring as the cohort and staff at Techtonica. The program includes 6 months of weekly 1:1’s with the Software Training Engineering Manager (STEM), and weekly pair programming sessions with the Technical Associate Program Manager (TAPM). In addition, during the first 13+ weeks, there are weekly knowledge checks and quizzes to make sure that participants are staying on track. Unlike other boot camps, Techtonica does not threaten cohort participants with removal after a failed quiz or knowledge check, they instead make sure that the participants have the resources they need to succeed. The success and well-being of cohort participants are prioritized over profit or reputation and the staff is transparent and supportive when life events come up in the lives of participants.The program is supportive and makes sure that participants gain the skills and tools needed to succeed as software engineers. Aside from 1:1’s, weekly check-ins, and daily rose/bud/thorn, Techtonica provides cohort participants with a personal mentor and access to a tech-help Slack channel. If a participant ever has questions during the program, they can ask in the tech-help Slack channel, and receive responses from professional software engineers, including senior software engineers (sometimes within five minutes or less). The program gives you the resources you need to succeed and allows you to build the skills necessary to learn how to learn: how to find answers to technical questions online, how to stay calm while debugging, how to accurately gauge what your knowledge level is and when to reach out to help. Although there is a surplus of support and many resources at Techtonica, there is an emphasis on making sure that ALL participants are prepared to succeed in software engineering interviews, which includes making sure that participants are at or above the critical skill level of their 4-year degree and technical boot camp counterparts. Participants are required to learn and speak comfortably with technical language and are taught to communicate complex ideas using technical terms. In addition to weekly projects, participants are also required to build a capstone project, which includes idea generation, database and UI planning, and MVP completion (requirements include two external APIs, multiple database tables, and complete implementation of the PERN stack). Participants are made aware that their tech journey may be more challenging than that of their college degree-educated peers but are given the skills and tools to succeed. Techtonica actively works to consistently improve and better the program and curriculum. The entire curriculum is open source and can be found on GitHub. The program includes weekly surveys with ratings in over 10 categories, to make sure that staff and the program are providing adequate support. The staff welcomes feedback and the feedback framework is taught to all participants in one of the first weeks of the cohort, and participants are encouraged to use it with staff, each other, and mentors. Although I haven’t attended other boot camps, I can confidently say that the Techtonica application process is better in multiple respects than that of other boot camps, and I would venture a guess that the support and curriculum are more comprehensive than other tech boot camps. Throughout the application process, Techtonica offered free support sessions, with 1:1 office hours with past grads and engineers. The staff at Techtonica held office hours during the application process and offered their time to go through questions about the program and coding in general. In addition, through each step of the application process, there was feedback given about how participants could have improved, and the applicants who were not selected are encouraged to continue to work on coding skills, and to reapply. I would venture a guess that Techtonica is better than other boot camps from a soft skills perspective. Techtonica provides soft skills weekly training on various topics which include but are not limited to personal branding, bias testing, burnout, imposter syndrome, microaggressions, building confidence/ talking to managers, career advice, and professionalism. The technical support, interview prep (in both soft skills, and technical language), and mentorship, coupled with caring staff, and a supportive and kind environment, leads me to say that Techtonica is the best upskilling option for women and non-binary people in tech.Techtonica is a software engineering program that aims to provide a supportive community for participants and prioritize their success and well-being. The program includes weekly 1:1 sessions, pair programming, knowledge checks, and quizzes, as well as access to a tech-help Slack channel and a personal mentor. The program also focuses on preparing participants for software engineering interviews and requires them to build a capstone project using the PERN stack. Techtonica is committed to improving and updating their curriculum, which is open source, and actively seeks feedback from participants through surveys and a feedback framework. The application process for Techtonica is also highly supportive, with free support sessions, office hours, and individualized feedback for applicants. Overall, Techtonica is a comprehensive and supportive program for those looking to enter the field of software engineering.

Zero stars. Don't believe the "non-bias" and "inclusiveness" that they are boldly advertising. There is bias disguised unfortunately; I can confidently say that since I was non-latina, I felt discriminated against and was easily dismissed. So if you are a latina, congrats, this is the best opportunity for you, go get it!

Techtonica wants its participants to be successful. The staff is incredibly supportive and realistic, even when you have full-blown imposter syndrome. They are trying to #BridgeTheTechGap and help low-income women and nonbinary folks (everybody but cis-men) get into tech. Also, because the program lasts 6 months, you can still have a life outside of your computer (extra great for parents, people with other obligations, people who are trying to not burn out in tech before even getting started). In fact, they encourage you to have a work-life balance and to know what you deserve in your upcoming tech career. A year ago, I was doing something else entirely, not at all related to tech, and now I'm a Software Engineer at Sony. All you really need is to be ready and willing to work with others, to not be afraid of independent learning, and to be able to ask questions (especially when you're confused!).

Techtonica was an awesome experience! While it was very challenging and sometimes I had major impostor syndrome, it is set up in a way to really help participants work through challenges and be successful. The staff is awesome and always make themselves available (even to graduates) to help or just chat. Other ways in which participants are supported is through mentors. I had two mentors and I learned so much from them. Other mentors are also available during program hours. In regard to the curriculum, at first I felt like things were overwhelming but eventually learned to trust the process, later things started making sense and falling into place. What I learned allowed for me to feel confident in creating many projects (one final project). Another thing I found extremely useful was all the interview prep. I feel like that really helped prepare me for final interviews and have a more realistic expectation for what interviewing in the real world is like. Overall, I am very grateful for this experience and finally being a software engineer!!!

Attending Techtonica has been one of the most challenging, rewarding, and educational experiences I've ever had.  Prepare to spend 6 months absolutely IMMERSED in code.  Not only does Techtonica teach you how to be a full-stack developer, it also teaches you how to lead meetings, be accountable to your team, and in the end sets you up for success.  There were a few hiccups where a lot of us felt very overwhelmed and triggered, because many of us come from non-traditional, under-represented backgrounds with a lot of trauma.  Techtonica has stepped up and started taking that into account, and I think with every cohort they will get better.  Also, they don't just release you into the world with a polite "Good luck" like most bootcamps, they teach you how to interview, set you up with multiple interviews with sponsor companies, and assign you an apprenticeship.  You will likely leave with almost a full year of coding experience under your belt.  :) 

I chose Techtonica because it met my needs and goals. It is a boot camp that puts women and nonbinary people at the forefront and supports diversity in the tech place and the fact that this boot camp is free and offers almost a guarantee for an internship at the end was a no-brainer for me to join. But do not think that the competition or the chance to get in is that easy either. You really do have to put in the work: fill in a short application, long application, complete some code curriculum, have two 3 hours pair programming sessions (it can be intimidating if you have never pair programmed before but they will explain how it works and it is pretty straightforward!), and a few interviews with Techtonica staff. Although it was intimidating as a beginner and self-taught coder for a few months prior to joining the program, if you make it through the interview, you are definitely more than capable than you think of completing the program. In terms of my time at Techtonica, I felt really supported by my cohort mates and staff there. The space felt safe, welcoming, and very involved in making sure people felt heard and feedback was always taken seriously. The general program format was projects due every week alongside learning new topics such as APIs, JSON, HTML and CSS, JavaScript, Express, React, Docker, and a bunch of front and backend concepts to prepare you to be a full-stack engineer. You also have a technical mentor that you get to meet with weekly and 1:1 with the technical manager for check-in like you would in a normal tech job. You also have mock interviews every week covering the material of the week you learned prior. On Wednesday, we had a soft skills day where we worked and focused more on the behavioral aspect of being in a work environment. I found the overall curriculum to be a general overview of full-stack concepts and knowledge we needed to know that gave everyone a breadth versus depth approach which I appreciated. I would highly recommend Techtonica to anyone who has been wanting to get into the Tech industry but has had a hard time jumping through gates and steps to get there. I believe Techtonica does a good job of holding your hand throughout the whole process of learning, getting your first tech job, and supporting you after you finish your internship. Just know if you want this, prepare to dedicate a lot of your time like any full-time job to it, really focus and be present if you are in this boot camp to make the most out of it!

I started coding just half a year before joining Techtonica. My coding experience was limited to writing loops, creating functions, and solving some algorithms. I had never created any applications and didn't know what front-end, back-end, API and databases are. The competition to get into the program was big. There were multiple steps: completing a long application, finishing a small JavaScript tutorial, two 3-hour pair programming sessions with other applicants, where we were observed by volunteers, and the last step - a 1:1 with a Techtonica staff (writing a code) . Luckily, I was accepted.The program was very intense. Almost every week we would cover a new topic and we would practice the new skills by completing weekly projects. At the end of each week we had knowledge assessment. The best part of the program is that each student gets matched with a personal technical mentor, who helps with the weekly projects, answer technical questions and help to debug.  Techtonica staff was also very supportive, and students could address any problems/issues they had. Another great thing about Techtonica, is that the program does not only teach coding but also trains students for behavioral interviews and develop soft skills. Every week we had mock interviews with Techtonica staff, and we had a lot of opportunities to practice interviewing with volunteers from tech companies. Techtonica doesn't have instructors, so I put 4 stars for instructors in my rating, just because it's not applicable. It's a self learning program. Students pair program, can teach and learn from each other as well as ask questions from mentors.I am so happy that I got to know about this amazing program and decided to join. Next week, I am going to graduate from Techtonica, and I got a paid internship for a back-end role in one of the Techtonica sponsor companies!

Here is the formula:  Put in the work + Maintain your growth mindset + Give it 6 months  ===  You will be gain the confidence and skills to be a software engineer.   Before Techtonica, I was independently learning to program, applying to jobs with no ends in sight and found lots of rejection. This organization afforded me the opportunity of a stipend (to support myself), gave me a curriculum, gave me structure, introduced me to people in the field, and helped me prepare for my role as a software engineer. The whole program is 6 months and I had confidence and stronger technical skills to show at the end of it. This organization changed my life by helping me make a successful career transition into Tech and I cannot recommend this program enough. Thanks Michelle and the countless mentors that helped me get here today.  Pros: Assigned mentors while attending Techtonica, 6 months of stipend, camaraderie with fellow women and nonbinary people, community, job placement, emotional support, post-placement support, and a new lease on life.  Cons: 1.) Depends on who you ask, "gating exams" were stated in the contracts but not something my cohort openly addressed and it caught a few folks off guard. You are asked to leave if you cannot pass the exams, so work hard! Nothing is free. I recently volunteered with the org and was happy to see the mention of "gating exams" mentions in the forefront. Kudos! 2.) No instructor(s) during my cohort, but I think that might have changed. 3.) It is not highly stressed, but I feel like it should be: you should have done your fair share of learning the fundamentals of web development before joining Techtonica. Fact. It will greatly benefit you if you're not doing everything for the first time during the program; having due diligence means going through a (free/open-source) beginner’s course on CodeAcademy; FreeCodeCamp; and discovering your personal interests in software development are all good things.