Technology Career Acceleration Program

For over 2 years I had been at a job that I was phenomenal in, but I was also underappreciated, bored, unhappy, and burnt out. I had been applying for several months to positions that I knew I would be good in, but not excited about. I wanted to totally change my career (education), but was so desperate that I would have settled for a job change. After making it to the final round of several interviews and still wasn't able to land anything - I felt like I was missing something somehow. After suffering a terrible loss, I found myself reevaluating a lot of things in my life and finally decided that it was time for me to make waves instead of ripples. For me, that meant believing in myself enough to invest more time, effort, and money to live the life of my dreams.I'm not quite sure how I came across School16 (LinkedIn or Google), but I was initially skeptical because this program was so different from the other bootcamps I had researched. I'm happy that I decided to give it a chance when I did. I was enrolled in School16's tech acceleration program which ran for 8 weeks at the time. I learned a ton about the tech industry, several roles I had been interested in exploring, and ways that I could optimize my LinkedIn to increase my chances of landing the role that I wanted. I took advantage of the career coaching and resume workshops when I could (typically on days I was off from work since they were only available during the work day hours) and those sessions helped me to recognize my strengths and identify transferrable skills for roles I never thought I'd do well in. By the end of the program, I felt I was better prepared to find and land the job that I wanted. I quit my job a week later (def don't recommend without a plan) and went hard, putting what I'd learned into practice and was able to land my best job to date a little over a month later. I now work on the customer enablement (success) team at a software company where I'm challenged to learn everyday and my skills as an educator, social worker, and CSM are valued.School16 may not guarantee you a job by the end of the program but if you are dedicated to the program and its requirements, you will develop skills and techniques that will help you find the job/career of your dreams in tech - which was more than worth the investment for me.

School16 came into my life at the most precise time. While I was very grateful for my previous experience in government I was curious about other career opportunities. When I decided to venture out I knew I would be more successful if I was part of a community. School16 provides exactly that, forming part of the February 2022 Cohort gave me the structure, support and community I needed to accelerate my progress. A few months after I completed the program I was hired by Kipsu, a Minneapolis based Software company. I absolutely love forming part of their Customer Success Team and I'm excited to know I'll have School16 as a resource throughout my career growth! 

This course provided me with tons of knowledge and practical experience. We covered a lot of information in our short time, but it was never too much to handle. I very much appreciated the small group sessions where we worked on real-world situations applying what we had just learned. Then afterwards each group had an opportunity to publicly present their collaborative work. From start to finish, everyone involved with presenting, instruction, counseling, and coordination was friendly, available, and always willing to help. If you are interested in making a career change, I would recommend this program. You'll be given all the tools you need to find a better job in tech. 

When I decided to take a leap and transition out of the food service field into the tech world, School16 offered me the overview I needed into the non-technical areas that I could fit in in the vast world of the "tech industry". It taught me that tech is not just coding and that there were many roles in different areas were I could apply the knowledge and skills that I possessed and ease myself into new career opportunities. The instructors, career coaches and mentors were super knowledgeable and encouraging, always providing tips and insights that would help build your confidence when it came time to go out there and apply for positions! Overall, I had a positive experience and with hard work managed to transition!

This was an amazing experience! Signing up for School16 became a notable time for me even during the interview process. They were very accommodating and helpful through every step of the process. The course material is very relevant and I have gained very meaningful connections due to joining. I do not regret it and highly recommend anyone to sign up!

The instructors, students, and career coaches have all helped me in my journey. So many tips not even college provided. I am forever grateful! 

I had a great experience with School16.  The instructors, fellow students, and advisors alone made it well worth it.  Everyone is an industry expert and can provide real-world scenarios and are always willing to help.  It is hard to find this sort of guidance and advice outside of a traditional college.  You get what you put in.  Be present, attentive, ask questions, utilize office hours (I wish I utilized office hours more) and it will all be well worth it.  The classes are not too large nor too small and the instructors keep you engaged. 

Firstly, I would like to say this program was amazingly executed, and I would recommend anyone that is interested in switching careers to give it a shot. For the past 3 years I was employed in the Customer Service Industry and felt for a change in career. As someone that doesn’t have a degree this program was a perfect fit and the quality of information was exceeded my expectations for sure, you will have support on your journey. The instructors were amazing and made sure that you are heard and seen. 10/10 recommendation! I just wish it was a bit longer than 8 weeks 😊

Before school16, I was looking for ways to create tangible results for UX Research in form of projects. I also wanted to partner with people to create those projects. Being at School16 allowed me to do exactly that. The program had by the most diverse crew I had ever seen in Bootcamp and that's saying something because I've participated in a few, from coding Bootcamp to non-coding, college-alternative programs. I remember thinking on the call, "now this is what the tech industry ought to look like!" I love that the curriculum helped me understand the various moving pieces of a start-up -- operations, sales, customer service, marketing, product management with some design thinking attached. The group projects allowed me to get to know my peers and their strengths, and in the end, I found a co-founder with whom I am going to create a company! I would recommend School16 to those looking to break into tech with purpose and passion. 

Through School16, I learned that there were so many non-coding jobs available at tech companies. Coming from a non-tech background, I also learned new terms and tools that tech companies use. I got an intro of what the 4 major business roles do - marketing, sales, operations, and product management. I appreciated the assignments and in-class break-out sessions because those helped me put into practice what we learned during each session. The career-oriented assignments, such as pre-program analysis and the list of 10's, got me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to think strategically about my career goals and the target companies that I want to work for in the future. 

School16 is a great short program that allows you to get your feet wet in several different fields that are growing rapidly right now. Technology is here and not goin anywhere. Instructors provide you with in-depth information within the sectors of product management, sales, marketing and operations. These sectors are significant in the development of any company. The information is valuable and is in conjunction with any field from medical, business, law, entertainment, sports, finance and etc. Great investment for the knowledge and resources given. I recommend given it a try and using every opportunity to soak in the information, complete the tasks and for those looking to secure a job, use the tips given to speak update resumes, LinkedIn and ways to contact recruiters and catch their eyes. 

A couple of months ago, I got to know about School16's Technology Career Acceleration Program, and it was wonderful. It has been the most challenging process, academically speaking, that I took this year. Without a doubt, it is the best way to understand the world of technology and how to enter.My base career is communication and I have always worked on the social sciences side, so having the opportunity to go through an 8-week process to learn more about sales, marketing (From a Tech point of view), operations and the product was amazing. In addition,  during this process, they provide 1: 1 mentorship for professional growth, the instructors are from magnificent organizations and the diversity that exists in the group is incredible to be able to grow. 

School16 was definitely worth the investment for me. I learned a lot about product management which is the field that I am transitioning into. There were plenty resources for self study and coaching sessions so I was able to have one on one office hour sessions with the instructors. I believe the program and my accountability group gave me the support that I needed to really attack my goals this year.  I feel more confident in pursuing opportunities in tech. I learned more about how my background could translate into a product management role. Behind product management, the career development module was my second favorite part of the experience. My only thing is I wish I would have known how quickly S16 office hour sessions get booked. I would have taken advantage of having more face time with the instructors earlier on in the program. I was able to connect with most of them through LinkedIn afterwards though! 

Excellent program -- highly recommend! 

School16 has an amazing support system and the instructors are very knowledgeable in their fields. The best part is that with the 1 on 1 session the instructors get to use various delivery systems to make sure the students comprehend the materials, for example, walkthroughs of real-life case studies. The downside is you feel like there isn't enough time to grasp every part of it, they make up for it with lifetime access to the resources. 

This is a great program for those who want to learn about opportunities in tech. The curriculum teaches you about four specific roles and sessions are taught by people who currently work in them. Enroll if you are interested in mentorship, building your network, and understanding the tech landscape. 

When I started School16 I knew that career opportunities existed in tech, but the question in the back of my mind was, "How do I start a tech career without ever needing to code in my life?" School16 opened my eyes to how I could translate my skills to succeed in multiple roles, leaving me more confident as I move forward into an exciting new career.

School16 training program gives you a clear understanding of all major non-technical roles in tech companies. I was looking to fill out the blanks in my understanding of different roles to decide where do I want to grow. And I was surprised by the simplicity and cohesion of every module; it was clear that every instructor was very dedicated to helping the students actually understand his area and how this area works with other roles in tech companies.As a huge bonus, I expanded my network. I highly recommend this course.

 School16 was an amazing experience. School16 not only gave me an opportunity to expand my network, but I was able to learn from and interact with experts, as well as explore new career opportunities.   

I loved School16's program.  Walking out of the program, I felt that I was equipped with the tools I needed to find lasting success in my career.  Through the teaching and mentorship I got from the program, I gained a position with a company in my desired industry.  You really learn how to navigate your career from this School16.  From the classes I gained knowledge that I've always needed, but haven't been able to find on the internet or in person.  I would strongly recommend School16 to anyone looking for a role in tech.