Blaizing Academy

Eleven Fifty Academy in Indianapolis, Indiana gave me the tools and connections I needed to jumpstart my career in tech. I participated in the part time Javascript course because I was interested in learning how to build websites. That initial interest has evolved into a tech career. I graduated from a small liberal arts college in 2016, but was not 100% sure what career was right for me. I enjoyed a job working in marketing and media relations, but I wasn't fully satisfied. I was looking for more of a challenge and better financial security. Switching to a career in tech was exactly what I needed.

I credit Eleven Fifty with inspiring me to make the career switch. The instructors at Eleven Fifty are proficient and genuinely want to help students succeed. When I was choosing a coding bootcamp, it was important to me to find a place where I could get hands on instruction from talented professionals. Eleven Fifty was by far the best option in Indianapolis. The course was challenging, but rewarding.

After less than 6 months of learning part time at Eleven Fifty Academy, I used the professional resources there to jump straight into a  workforce training program with Salesforce. After the completion of the program I immediately landed a job in a Business Analyst role. I almost doubled my salary from what I was making in marketing and communications. All of this was achieved in under 1 year of learning. I highly recommend Eleven Fifty Academy to anyone looking to learn web development or start a career in technology.

I cannot say enough about my time at Eleven Fifty Academy. I went in with almost ZERO programming experience and ended being able to write a complete program from beginning to end. The EFA instructor team is amazing! Everyone was always very available for questions and gave effective feedback when needed.
 
But it's one thing to learn programming, it's a totally other  hurdle in getting a job after graduation. The Career Services team is stacked with total pros in the business and are motivated to help each student with their goals after graduation. They want you to get a job just as much as you do! That may seem like an exaggeration, but it's not! They are the best! They are accessible and respond to you super quickly and are always up for a zoom meeting to help you feel confident in entering the workforce. 

Looking back now after having gotten a job as a developer, I see the fruits of the way the curriculum is set up. It sets you up to learn in-demand, job-ready skills. It was really crucial to go into my first meeting already knowing exactly what's expected of me and feeling confident that I can do it.    

Eleven Fifty Academy doesn't only teach you the coding skills needed to land a job in tech. They also teach you the soft skills needed to succeed in a your future role. From how to build a resume, to how to properly google an error to find a relevant solution, to how to work on an AGILE team and nail an interview. You will also learn your language and tech stack with hands on experience from day one, taught by knowledgeable instructors and staff, applying solutions that apply in the real world. Combine all of that with an excellent career services and alumni support system and you've got a combination that will lead you to success in your new career in tech. 

I was working a job where my skills had expired and I knew if I ever wanted to do something new it would require some new skill set. Eleven Fifty was the perfect choice with their part time schedule for someone like myself that needed to continue to work. I was enrolled in the Cyber 24 week program and through the knowledgeable instructors and design of the program, I was able to get the foundational skills necessary to land me a job. The career services team work with you to strengthen your resume and help connect you with someone so you don’t just end up in a pile of resumes. I will say as a bootcamp the learning is fast! But with determination and commitment it is very possible to succeed. 

I enrolled in the Eleven Fifty Software Development Bootcamp Full time because I wanted to switch careers and get more involved with technology. This was the perfect school that helped not only build on my technical and functional skills, but had the necessary connections to leverage my profile within the Indiana tech network. Shortly after graduating I was hired on as an Associate Software Engineer for a very prominent company in Indianapolis, needless to say I wouldn't be where I was without their help!

I enrolled in Eleven Fifty Academy's part-time web development program back in August-- and, I'm so thankful that I did! I've had several people approach me to ask my thoughts on the program. Here's what I've shared: 

1.  The biggest thing I appreciated about this program is that it provided me with the foundational knowledge on how to go about building a full-stack application. When you're just starting out on your journey in becoming a developer, it can be overwhelming to decide where to get started with your learning. There are so many programming languages & frameworks out there-- how do you even decide where to start?  Eleven Fifty Academy's curriculum provided me with a roadmap for which technologies & concepts to prioritize. 

2.  As a student, I felt fully supported in my learning.  Whenever I needed clarification on a concept or help debugging code, there was always an instructor or learning assistant ready to assist.  As a part-time student who also worked a full-time job during the program, I really appreciated the opportunity to schedule meetings w/ instructors on evenings & weekends to seek extra help. 

3.  ALL of the staff members at Eleven Fifty Academy go out of their way to support & encourage the students of the program.  Making the decision to pivot careers can be scary.  Yet, I found so much comfort in knowing that I had a team of individuals rooting for my success & ready to help in whatever way they could. 


Do I recommend Eleven Fifty Academy? -- Absolutely! 

Before joining Eleven Fifty Academy for their part time Web Development program I was working in the world of Television Broadcasting.  This job industry like others is becoming a victim of downsizing to cut costs. While witnessing this trend I decided to enroll in something that could change my future.

I heard about Eleven Fifty Academy online via random Facebook ads and have looked for free options as well as the price tag was the only factor that was keeping me back from applying. My previous college experience had me hesitant towards inheriting more student debt.  I enrolled just before the Cares Act funding was beginning and due to a delay I was able to take advantage of the massive discount. With a big financial burden lifted I could finally go ahead and dive into the world of tech.

Right away I realized this wouldn't be a walk in the the park as you are thrown into a world where simple typos and the wrong character could leave you in sheer panic and frustration for hours. That's until the great teaching staff at Eleven Fifty Academy throw you a life saver and guide to you to stay afloat. I can't say enough about the great structure the class had from working through the key fundamentals then before you know it you are working on your own projects. There were several moments of utter exhaustion that wanted me to quit and made a me feel like I couldn't do it. The learning assistants and teachers were always there to guide you to get you back on track. 

If you are considering this course or any other course at Eleven Fifty Academy I would recommend setting up a quiet place where you can focus and also use any means necessary to manage your time. Time management was was nemesis in my college years and it slowly crept into my teaching here. Also make yourself code something or do challenges everyday to keep yourself involved in this new world as much as possible.

But as the title suggests it was a great experience where I met some new allies that will help me along the way to getting my feet wet in the world of tech. Always remember you aren't alone even after graduation with friends and collogues always ready to throw in a life saver to keep you afloat.     

I went here just wanting to get a stable job in the field without any field experience, and only knowing the fundamentals of some languages. At first it was pretty intense, but if you pull through and stick with the course you learn the languages and stacks, as well as what to build when you start bridging to other languages. I loved the teachers, they were all awesome, and helped me every step of way through the course. They teach the fundamentals, then dive into the complex stuff you'd work on in the field. Halfway through the course they start helping you find jobs, and they're very dialed into the Indy Tech network, which was a lifesaver for the stress of job searching. I can't thank Eleven Fifty enough for all it's help, and I'd love to spread some love so they can be heard. It's been a year since I worked at Eleven Fifty, check out my LinkedIn or Github. I don't have much experience, but I've came a long way and learned a bunch that I wouldn't have without them. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieran-schwegman/ and https://github.com/roninMo . Anyways, take care guys, I learned more here than I did in college for stuff related to the field, and they helped me find a job! (; 

I attended the JavaScript bootcamp as a student and then was hired to part-time teach the next year. I can say these people are extremely devoted to what they're doing and truly know what they're talking about; seriously, they're exactly the type of individuals I want to be learning from and working alongside the rest of my career. I came in knowing more than most people do but I've learned so much and I credit that completely  to the staff and the environment they create for the students (as well as the faculty). You can really flourish here.

I took a course teaching iOS app development using Swift back when Eleven Fifty was just starting (Fall 2014).  I'm sure they have changed and improved a lot in the past six years, but I will speak a bit about my experience.  The philosophy is very much about immersive coding.  The days were long hours of learning and working on code projects, but at the end of the week, I felt my aptitude was at another level.

It's been six years since I've taken that class.  I haven't done much with mobile development, but I was able to apply the learning philosophy to learn Python and C++ effectively and efficiently in the same way that Eleven Fifty taught with swift.  To speak to the power of this learning approach, I start at one of the "Big Four" tech companies next week!  I am very grateful for the opportunities that have opened up with programming, and attribute much of that success to Eleven Fifty and their immersion philosophy.

 The Eleven Fifty program succeeded in taking me where I was at the time (two online CS courses*, a basic understanding of a few programming languages) and getting me to a place where I could confidently apply for jobs. The team project experience came up a lot in interviews. Three months after the program I landed a developer position at a great company, where I’m still using many of the skills I picked up here.
*CS50 and MIT’s Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python, both available for free on Edx.org 

Why a bootcamp?
I was career switching and had debated the traditional route of a masters or going back for another bachelors in computer science/tech  but ultimately I decided on a bootcamp. This was of course after several false starts of trying to teach myself via online tutorials only. Teaching myself proved difficult when managing not knowing what to study and where to start with so many free learning sources out their. A bootcamp was also more time and cost effective. Being a career switcher I needed something that fit into my work schedule and wasn’t going to monopolize my time(over years versus months) and money. After visiting the campus several times and several discussions I decided on the JavaScript 12 week bootcamp.


Why Eleven  Fifty?
So the previous question answers why a bootcamp but why the Eleven Fifty Academy bootcamp? I had done a free coding class at Eleven Fifty years prior to my official application. Eleven Fifty was still in its infancy and I couldn’t get a grasp on how as a beginner I would grow and develop. It wasn’t until years later I revisited their campus and saw how much they grew not only in their learning curriculum and goals but also their student services. They have a team of people dedicated who want to help you land a job. They provide feedback on resumes, mock interviews, provide introductions to companies and people who may be able to help land a job. They want you to succeed. Eleven Fifty is also a non-profit organization and that sat well with me. 

Why it was successful?
It’s one thing to restate all the points the school offers. You can get this and more on their website. The main question people have is, “does it work?” This of course like any desired goal is, what you put in is what you get out. What’s great about Eleven Fifty is that they test that desire by testing your grit. How they do this is teach you a base level of knowledge and then for subsequent assignments they challenge you to use this knowledge and then some. These challenges force you to research, pair program, test and retest ideas outside of the standard following replication steps. I learned more by struggling to get something to work than I did when replicating proven steps. Eleven Fifty provides you the opportunity to challenge yourself. If you’re willing to be uncomfortable and challenge yourself then this program could work for you.

In the end I landed several interviews and was super excited to take a position with a company that was on my radar for sometime. It was an entry level Software Support Engineer but I couldn’t be more happy with my decisions to get here and the Eleven Fifty community. 

One of the best decisions of my life was attending EFA. Went from no coding experience to my first job as a Jr. Software Engineer in less than 6 months making almost double what I made previously. It's a fast paced program and you really need to spend every moment of it that you possibly can learning but it is well worth it. The staff and corses are incredible and easy to follow if you put in the effort. Can't think of a better experience in my life than EFA, and proud to have been a student!

I decided on EFA after comparing them to Hack Reactor and App Academy because I thought they had the most caring people, and thankfully I was right. The instructors were extremely helpful because although they help up a standard, they were flexible as long as you were trying your hardest. I put in as many hours as I could put in and in return I succeeded and got a job 4 weeks before graduating. Career services will tell you exactly what to do and and how to do it in order to get a job. If you are able to do it and follow a plan, I don't think there's a way to mess it up. Also, the curriculum is good(4/5) but for learning .NET they definitely are the top place to be. Many schools only focus on javascript or a language specific to their area, but I liked how they had a well rounded full stack curriculum using a technology from one of the biggest companies on earth. Overall, I thought EFA is a school that is innovative in their teaching methods and that coupled with caring and useful instructors they provide one of the best pathways to success as a software developer. 

I am very happy with my decision to change careers and thank Eleven Fifty for all their help along the way. One of the most important lessons I've learned from them is no matter how long you are doing something the technology will change and you will have to learn a different and hopefully better way of doing whatever it is you do. I've transitioned from .NET to Java to a couple of different content management systems to JavaScript. I continue to use what they taught me every day to continue on my path to becoming a better software developer. Bottom line I took a big chance 3 years ago but things are so much better now and I couldn't be happier.

1150 Academy has changed my life. I owe them my career transition as a factory worker into technology. Some things you must know is: it's not easy, you must come into the academy fully committed, coding is not for everyone, if you do everything that is asked of you to the best of your ability there is no way you can't succeed. Any negative reviews that you see are more than likely prior students who didn't do what was asked or did not give their full effort. The one thing i disliked was that career services didn't help much after graduation. Its entirely up to you to go to meetups and make connections. I put in 50 applications before I got a job. I currently work at Agilify Automation and owe that to 1150 Academy. I was not the best coder but I was definitely one of the most determined. Attending the .NET cohort at 1150 Academy November of 2018 was the best decision I've ever made. It truly changed my life.