Tech Elevator

My previous work experience was working in restaurants, working as a maintenance man and every crappy job in-between. I’ve never really made enough money in my life to do more than just survive.
I grew up with very little hope that I would rise above ‘just barely getting by’; and what little hope I had, left a long time ago. Like most of my generation, I was told that college was the only option if you wanted to achieve any success in life. I could barely afford one semester, let alone a degree. Undeterred by my financial restrictions, I went to college and hoped to, somehow, make enough money in my life to pay off a Bachelors’ of Political Science degree. I lasted about a year. What I found at a traditional college was the primary purpose was not to gain information that would help you secure employment after graduation. The purpose was to make social contacts and to foster a budding drinking problem.
After a year plus of college I dropped out with only a very high tolerance to distilled liquors. The next ten years I drifted from line cook, to factory worker, to restaurant server, and finally landed in Ithaca, NY and worked at a food Co-Op. An actual 7 degrees of separation led me to find out about Tech Elevator. At first, it really did sound like a con; trust me, I have heard a lot of them in my life. But, after some prodding from my always patient girlfriend I took the admissions test. Not thinking anything would come of it. Two phone interviews, driving to Cleveland for an in person interview and prying a cosigner signature from a family member; I was enrolled. All of the work was still ahead of me.
The first day of class came. The staff of Tech Elevator was beyond welcoming. The first thing a staff member said was, “Why don’t we go around the room and introduce ourselves and talk about our experience with technology”. My answer said a lot about the difficulties I would have later in the program; “Uhh, I technically own a computer. With that, I pass”.

My attitude the first week could be described as one of a “feral animal’. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I just wanted to be alone and work on my class work. Turns out, that’s not the most effective way to learn. Slowly I started to talk to classmates and my teacher. Slowly I started to muddle my way through the first module. It was only when my former boss offered me my job back in Ithaca that I realized the chance I had. I had a chance to never wait tables on Mother’s day. I had the chance to never fix a stranger’s clogged toilet again. I had the chance for a future, a real future.

The advice I got early on was “the more you give to this program; the more you get out of it”, and I really took it to heart. I knew my previous background was limited. So, I resolved to be the first one there every day and be the last one to leave. I went to meetups on a weekly basis. I went to every pathway program, every talk. I ate more pizza in 14 weeks than I had in the last 14 years. With hard work, determination, encouragement from the staff and my teacher, and an unbelievable amount of coffee; I was able to land a job. I got a pretty good job, at a pretty good company, making pretty good money; about twice the amount I had made the previous year. I started off as a junior developer. As a junior developer you’re the ‘low man on the totem pole’, so to speak. My cubicle is located right next to this huge bank of printers, fax machines, and copiers. So, every time something goes wrong with anything, the person trying to print turns right around and asks me if I know how to fix the machine. This brings me to my one gripe about Tech Elevator; they didn’t teach me how to change a printer’s toner. Beyond that, Tech Elevator was the best, most amazing experience I have ever had.

I graduated from the Java boot camp in Cleveland in Dec, 2017. I was previously working as a human resources specialist in the technology industry in Taiwan where I was born and lived my whole life. I always wanted to be a software engineer but it was unrealistic to give up my job and go back to school for another master’s degree. And honestly, I didn’t have the courage to change my career.

I learned about the program at Tech Elevator while planning my move to the U.S. I knew it was a great opportunity for me and I had to take a chance and take charge of my life. I joined the program right after I moved to the U.S. I have to tell you the course was hard, it will absolutely be harder than you think. But learning with motivated classmates who have the same goal as me was the most astonishing learning experience I have ever had. Also, all of the staff at Tech Elevator is incredibly knowledgeable and supportive. Everyone has the exact same goal as you do; to help you succeed! Tech elevator not only teaches you how to code. It teaches you how to think like a developer, and the Pathway Program helps you to get prepared to land your first job. A lot of the time I felt like they were more serious about my success than I was, and I was serious!

I got two job offers after I graduated and a whole new set of friends who are now in the same field that I am. I am now working with a group of passionate and intelligent people at a great company with a huge increase in my salary and awesome perks like unlimited PTO. I couldn’t be more satisfied with my life now, and most of it is due to the 14 weeks I spent changing my life at Tech Elevator. If you are interested in coding and want to elevate your life, go to an open house, give yourself a try, I did!

Tl;dr:

I can't recommend this program enough to anyone who is seeking a career change into software development / IT. It is the best of the bootcamps in the Columbus area; the staff, teachers, and fellow students are wonderful. If you can get into this program, commit your life to it for 14 weeks, and put in the full effort needed to succeed, do it. It will pay off.

Long review:

When I entered college at Ohio State in 2007, I had no idea what I was doing, or even what engineering was. Fast-forward a bit, and I graduated with a degree that often makes the "Lowest Paid Majors" charts: Anthropology. (Side note: I highly recommend studying this eye-opening subject, but probably not as your major unless you have a solid career plan.)

Since college, I've worked in corporate customer service and administrative jobs where I often felt overworked, and yet bored, and totally expendable. I knew I needed something more intellectually challenging, not to mention secure, and had an interest in IT. I learned some web development skills on my own and tried to work my way into some kind of entry level IT job - to no avail. I’ve heard of people getting development jobs after self-teaching, but this wasn’t working for me - I needed something structured to hold me accountable and help me gain the needed skills.

I considered going back to college until a friend told me about Tech Elevator. I did research online, went to an open house, and decided to submit the online application. What finally sold me was coming in for an interview with the campus director. The director & staff don't just try to sell this program to anyone and take your money. They stress that they only accept about 10% of applicants and this program is NOT for everyone - it is very challenging and requires a lot of your time. I learned about the curriculum, the Pathway Program, and the fact that all of their stats are indeed audited. I enjoyed meeting the staff and could tell they were passionate about what they do, and I was excited about the possibility of working with them. When I got my acceptance call, I decided to take a spot in the Fall 2017 Java cohort.

Although some other bootcamps in the area are cheaper and/or offer higher scholarships, I believe TE is the best choice and worth the price. You will work with the most passionate and talented teachers, staff, and students. The curriculum covers more than other bootcamps, and I believe being there full-time and in-person (rather than part-time and/or online) makes a big difference in your success. The location in the Rev1 startup incubator is awesome, their employer network seems to be the largest, they are heavily involved in the tech community, and the Pathway Program is solid.

I can't say enough good things about the curriculum, projects, teachers, and my fellow students. The curriculum is very thorough on its own, but they also give you extra practice problems and extra material to study if you have time (which you should definitely do). The teachers and staff point you in the right directions towards other languages and CS concepts you should learn on your own, meetups and events you should go to - and many events happen right in the Rev1 building. I even got hooked up with a cool volunteer opportunity mentoring high school students who were learning Java for robotics.

There are 3 mini-projects that you do as part of the program, and one final "capstone" project for the last two weeks. The final project I did was for a real company - a startup located in the Rev1 building. I think I learned almost as much doing the project in the last 2 weeks, as I learned in the first 12 weeks. You're able to build so much upon what you've learned.

Whether you are in the Java or the C#/.NET class, ALL of the teachers and tutors are there to help you with homework, concepts, projects, technical interview practice, and even side projects. And they will still be available to help you out after you graduate.

If you're like me and a lot of other millennials who have had trouble getting interviews / job offers, the Pathway Program is extremely valuable definitely sets TE apart from other bootcamps. It covers everything you need to know about resumes, networking, job apps, HR and technical interviews, and follow-up. And then there’s “Matchmaking”. I interviewed with 9 employers that they brought in for the speed-dating-style event. Once you graduate from the program, the Pathway staff are still there to help you anytime with more career advice, interview practice, and even helping you negotiate a job offer. They have a kick-ass attitude, know how to leverage their employer network, and fought for all of us to get the jobs we wanted. (Not that they will do all the work for you – YOU get out of it what you put in.) The program is far more valuable than the career services I utilized at Ohio State, which still left me feeling really unprepared.

My results:

I gained a new professional network, marketable skills, and a portfolio which all led to more interviews than I've ever gotten at one time before in my life (many of them through "Matchmaking"). I gained the skills to do well in those interviews. I also gained some awesome life experiences, life lessons, and new friendships.

I received two job offers within two weeks of graduation, and had to cancel some other pending interviews. The offer I accepted is a permanent, full-time, full-stack development job at a Fortune 100 company, in the perfect location. I’m using all of the skills learned at TE and more. I’m making almost $30,000 more than I did at my last job and better benefits. My work-life balance is already much improved over my last jobs, especially due to the work-from-home flexibility that comes with IT. I have a good work culture, a supportive manager, and fun coworkers who all work hard. Most of these things are firsts for me and I can’t believe I’m here.

My advice to anyone considering or enrolling in TE:

1. Study as much as you can before starting class. TE does give you pre-work to complete before class starts, but if you haven't gotten that yet, start now. Use websites like freecodecamp.org, codecademy.com, khanacademy.org. I would recommend looking at free courses for HTML, CSS, Javascript, SQL, Java and/or C#.

2. Do everything you can that the TE instructors give you, including extra practice problems.

3. DO EVERYTHING that the Pathway Program staff tell you to do. Follow their deadlines. Think of questions to ask them before your scheduled workshop or meeting. Help them help you, and get extra help if you need it. Keep in touch with them after graduation until you find a job.

4. Do something outside of Tech Elevator that you can add to your portfolio and talk about in interviews. This can be something small! I found an idea for a small project at rosettacode.org.  Another small thing I did was attending a 3-hour workshop at the Ohio Linux Fest where I was able to contribute to an open-source project on Github.

5. Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn if you have any questions for an alum!

After a 19 year career performing various roles in a factory I suddenly found myself without a job.  While looking at my options for what to do next I found the perfect training program for me at Tech Elevator. I attended an open house and I knew immediately that this was what I wanted to do with my life. I have always had a knack for puzzles and problem solving and Tech Elevator allowed me to add a technological aspect to those skills.

As much I liked learning Java, I liked learning Java with my classmates more.  The group environment and teamwork was critical to my success in the program.  Pair Programming with another student is where I learned the most about how to be a good programmer.  You have to be able to listen to other ideas and collaborate with your partner.  I often found myself understanding the topics and problems to a much better degree just by simply thinking out loud and telling my partner what I thought the solution might be.  I would have never thought that I would gain 15 new friends out of this boot camp and I will always cherish the memories of our shared experience.

Learning everything necessary to become a full stack developer was only half of it. Tech Elevator not only taught me the skills necessary to become a programmer, they also taught me how to network and interview to land a job as a programmer.  The Pathway Program was instrumental in helping me land my first job.  Practice interviews, Employer Showcases, and Matchmaking events all helped me come out of my shell and helped me shine when I went into an interview.

The training I received at Tech Elevator helped me secure a brighter future for my family.  I hope that the program can continue to give others the same opportunities that I received.

If you are reading all these five star reviews skeptically and asking "What's the catch? How much Kool-Aid did these people drink?" then I am writing this for you. I had absolutely no coding experience and no sentiment that technology was my passion prior to TechElevator, so don't let that deter you. 

Prior to this, I actively avoided getting a full time job. I've worked previously as a delivery driver, server, video editor, fashion assistant, english teacher, petting zoo operator, and experimental medical subject. So whatever your story, don't feel out of place. Even if you took five years off to live in the jungle and study exotic fruits, you are just as qualified as anyone to do this.

The real pre-requisite you need for TechElevator is the desire to make a change. Have that and the rest will follow.

Here is what you get from Tech Elevator:

--Dedicated, knowledgable, approachable teachers who want to see you succede and provide every possible resource to make sure you don't get left behind. Also they are pretty funny and cool.

--A job placement program that is as close as you are going to get to a real life "Step by Step Guide To Getting A Job for Dummies." 

--An immersive environment with 31 other lost souls from all walks of life going through a big scary transition. This is a crucial selling point -- you will not feel alone at any time in the process.  You will all be reduced to malleable goo and reformed into computer programmers together.

The stats are not padded. The job placement rate is very, very high. But to learn the skills you need, you really are going to have to work hard. There is no faking it, and no half-assing it in this program. You have to commit. You have to put the rest of your life on hold.  You will dream in code.  It will be frustrating and exhausting.  Interviewing sucks and nothing gets handed to you -- the people with hustle get jobs much much quicker.

The key is you get a lot of help along the way. The staff are what make the program, and at the core of all these reviews is the fact that everyone at TE cares about what they do. They are transparent, accountable, and open, and have managed to eliminate pretty much everything thats stupid about higher-education.

Overall, the program delivers as promised for everyone who puts in the work.  I am happy with where I ended up. I make 50k, get free healthcare, and work at a ridiculous Silicon-Valley esque start-up with bean bag lounges, free beer, and a barber who cuts my hair at work. At no point did I predict this is where I would end up. If you feel like you need to make a change and any of this resonates with you, attend an open house and feel it out yourself. Your path could surprise you too.

 

 

 

 

At the beginning of 2017, I had been a professional video editor for nearly 7 years and the burn out was starting to kick in. In search for a new challenge and the hope of changing my career to something I was more excited about, I started to do my research. Having dabbled in coding in my free time, I knew I enjoyed it and thought it would be something I could pursue. I knew of bootcamps and after a few minutes on Google, I found Tech Elevator along with some upcoming open house dates. I attended an open house unsure of what to expect and left excited to get home and start my application.

As far as the technical side goes, Tech Elevator provided me with a top notch education on how to build full stack web applications. We learned every single step that goes into making a functional, secure, and modern looking web application. My instructor was extremely intelligent and was always so dedicated to making sure we got the most out of our time together and that we understood the material. You get thrown into the deep end on day 1 and it only gets harder every day. The success rates that Tech Elevator has is really a testament to how intelligent and dedicated the staff are to helping the students succeed through this rigorous and demanding program.

The technical knowledge that is obtained while attending Tech Elevator is astonishing, but the shining feature of Tech Elevator is the Pathway Program®. Having never interviewed for a job, or having never built a resume, or discovering the wonders LinkedIn can do for your career, there were some soft skills that I was seriously lacking. The Pathway Program trains you to be comfortable talking about yourself to other people, build professional resumes that best represent you and your newly acquired skills, develop an online presence that attracts you to more companies, and shapes you into a viable candidate for the numerous job opportunities you’ll have come graduation time.

So, what does this all equate to? For me, it resulted in a job that I couldn’t be more excited about. A 22% increase in salary, full benefits, more PTO than I could use in a year, and all in an environment and culture I’m happy to be a part of.

Tech Elevator truly is a wonderful experience. It’s an opportunity to literally change your life in 14 weeks. You can set goals on week 1 and if you work hard the entirety of the program, you’ll meet those goals near graduation. Something you don’t see in to many reviews is the friendships you’ll make along the way. It’s a special thing to be in the same room with like minded people for 14 weeks who all gave up their past jobs and put their social lives on hold to pursue their passion for programming with the hopes of bettering themselves. I met people who I am honored to call my friends and am excited to continue those friendships with.

If you’re on the fence, do it! You won’t regret it

Tech Elevator is an amazing program.  Based on the research I did beforehand, it seemed like the obvious best choice among coding bootcamps in Columbus, and it lived up to my expectations.  My background is in education and prior to attending Tech Elevator I had almost no experience in coding.  I had spent some time just experimenting with free online resources to see if I could do it, that’s it.  The amount I’ve learned and the confidence I feel in my abilities after graduating is astronomical.  In addition, I received a job offer from an awesome company before I even graduated!  I honestly couldn’t believe it and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to go through the program. 

The quality of instruction you receive at Tech Elevator is fantastic.  The instructors care about what they do and are always happy to help you.  They communicate ideas clearly and are patient when you are struggling.  As my instructor said, they are not just teaching you to program, they are teaching you how to think like a programmer, and they are very effective at it if you are ready to learn.  It is a massive amount of work and you have to be prepared to commit to much more than what you would call “full time” at a normal job, but it pays off, and it helps that you are working with people who want you to succeed as much as you do.  My instructor for the Java class is actually leaving Tech Elevator and still gave out his personal email address to everyone in the cohort and has been available to all of us for help.  I saw him a couple weeks after graduating, instructing for a videogame workshop sponsored by Tech Elevator, and afterwards he was enthusiastically encouraging people who were curious about the program to apply and explaining to them what all it entails.  This is a guy who strongly believes in the program and everything it stands for and he isn’t even being paid by them anymore. 

That attitude is reflected in all of the staff.  The amount the Pathway Program staff works with you not just during the cohort but after you graduate is incredible.  The Pathway Program is the most obvious example of what sets Tech Elevator apart from other bootcamps.  It’s probably hard to overstate the value of actually sitting you down with many different employers all looking to hire junior developers.  They call this process Matchmaking and it led directly to me getting hired, something that wasn’t uncommon for the students in my class.  Even if these specific interviews don’t lead to that for you they are invaluable interview practice.  The Pathway staff do everything you can imagine to make you more “marketable” and prepared, from getting you in contact with recruiters, to helping you revise your resume, giving workshops on how to make the most of your LinkedIn and networking activities, offering career coaching sessions, and giving you all the interview practice you need.  They do this for you even after you graduate because they want to get every single one of their graduates jobs as developers.  They honestly seem to enjoy watching their students succeed.  If you are someone like me who has struggled getting call backs after applying for jobs in the past, the Pathway Program is part of what you are paying for and I advise you to make the most of it.  It’s worth every penny. 

Overall, if you have the drive and ambition, and if programming is something you are honestly passionate about, Tech Elevator is absolutely the way to go.  Choosing to attend feels like one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and you’ll be working with people genuinely invested in your success.  As the staff frequently reminded us, you’ll get out what you put in.  

To say that Tech Elevator changed my life would be an understatement. I increased my salary by 41% in just 14-weeks and now have a new career as a Software Engineer. The program itself was challenging to say the least. However, I felt prepared, coached, mentored and confident with myself after the program was completed. I wish I made this decision earlier in my life. No where else can a 30+ year old go back to school and change their life just in 14-weeks.     Prior to Tech Elevator, I was a freelance Sound Engineer on blockbuster movies, documentaries and commercials. As rewarding and fulfilling as that job was, it was a hard unpredictable business that financially kept me on my toes most of the time. I wanted something a little more stable for my family. I have always been interested in tech and coding but would never seem to grasp the concepts fully while I was self-learning. I was looking for something in which I could drastically change my career quickly without a ton of time. My wife suggested a bootcamp. We discovered Tech Elevator and went to an open-house. I knew right there after hearing about the program and the the graduation success rate and job placement rate that this was the program for me. The first day of class, they threw you right into coding. Not a gentle nudge but rather a throw off of a cliff. It was a hard and  intense program. For 14-weeks, all I did was code all day and at night, coded in my dreams. Alongside my studies, there is a program called the Pathway Program®. It’s soft interviewing and resume skills to make sure not only do you have the technical skills but also the interviewing skills to land a job. 

Overall, I learned so much and owe everything I have to the wonderful teachers and staff of Tech Elevator. I would not have landed a job 5 days after graduation without them. I would HIGHLY recommend Tech Elevator to anyone! 

I had been wanting a change in my career as an educator for years--I had researched boot camps back when I lived in New York City and wrote them off as a long-gone dream, given the prohibitive cost, time without salary, and lack of financing options for the ones in NYC. 

After an unbelievably difficult year professionally as a teacher here in Columbus, I explored Tech Elevator as a serious means to finally become the coder I dreamed of, making more money (and thereby escaping the exhaustion of working full-time as a classroom teacher and a bartender on the weekends).

After attending an open house of January 2016, I was impressed by their statistics around job placement, success rate, and the financing options available. I applied within a week or two and quickly after was accepted into the Fall 2017 cohort, too far into the future to really get amped but close enough to feel the school year wasn't going to kill all of me. And finally starting boocamp in August 2017 was a dream come true for me--I was finally getting to put to use my coding skills I'd been dabbling in since I was 9 years old. 

What's truly remarkable and distinctive about Tech Elevator is the way they weave the Pathway Program, the curriculum related to career development and job searching, into the bootcamp. The consistent advice we heard from alumni was, "Do the Pathway Program. Do what they tell you to do. Listen to the pathway director and do exactly what they say." THEY WERE NOT JOKING. Not only were the Pathway tasks easy to do but I noticed a pretty distinct correlation between people who followed the Pathway curriculum and job opportunities. It is often difficult to balance the challenging and complex coursework in the latter half of bootcamp with the demands of really hustling for a position BUT really pushing yourself to take advantage of all the advice and opportunities pays off in dividends. 

All of this is to say that I lined up a number of really exciting interviews and opportunites by the end of the program and on graduation day I signed for a position at a company of my dreams. Tech Elevator not only gave me the enormous boost into the tech field that I'd been wanting for years but it taught me how to function as a professional in the field, how to truly advocate for myself, and brought out the inner hustler in me I never knew I had. I begin my first week of work at a truly innovative and exciting company that is helping make a number of my goals and dreams come true. 

The instructors and staff members have a laser-focused goal of helping every single student out and to those to put in the work and hours and focus and drive, much is to be gained. My life has a renewed hope in it all thanks to Tech Elevator!

I spent over two years struggling. I was making about $28K a year and I was very unfulfilled with the work I was doing. A personal friend of my father’s recommended Tech Elevator to me. I spent about a week looking into this program and about a dozen or so others. In the Cleveland area there were 4 bootcamps with a physical location that I knew of at the time. I think what separates Tech Elevator is this: They care about your success. A lot of these places are run by colleges. My experience after graduating from college was that I was abandoned to search for jobs myself and I felt unprepared. Tech Elevator was with the students the entire way.

Tech Elevator focuses on technical skills as well as soft skills. They work to prepare you to do the job as well as train you how to look, apply, and interview for jobs. They have a program called the pathway program which helps get you ready for searching for jobs and making connections. There was a big emphasis on an event they have called matchmaking where they bring about 20 companies in for interviews. You get to have face to face meetings with about half of them.

The program is no cake walk. It was very challenging and I would suggest that you not work at all during the program. I spent roughly 12 hours a day everyday working on coursework as well as personal projects. About a third of students get hired through matchmaking. This was the best decision I have ever made. It was the most challenging and enjoyable thing I have ever been through. I am more proud of the certificate I received from Tech Elevator than I am of my college diploma. about

If you are tired of where you’re at in life I’d suggest you at least check the place out. They are a physical location for all your classes as opposed to online. They have a full staff of employees with industry experience which includes 3 instructors all of who have at least 10 years of experience in the industry. The staff is constantly available to answer questions about everything and anything. The entire staff helped look over resumes and review interview questions along with anything else.

Before Tech Elevator, I was working at a tech company (in a non-development role), slowly learning to code online on the side, and after interviewing with Tech Elevator and meeting several members of their staff, I decided to put my faith in their model and take the jump to become a full-stack software developer.

The technical curriculum hits on all of the skills needed to get started with a career in software development, and perhaps more importantly, the Pathway Program turns students into job interview masters and helps to create as many opportunities as possible, from matchmaking with hiring employers to best practices for getting involved in the community and creating the relationships that can lead to that first job.

Through the Pathway Program, I had several promising interviews with great companies, and had a job lined up by the time we started our final capstone project.

For me, Tech Elevator was an “upskill break” from a related career, but several students in our cohort made total 180-degree career changes too, and came away with similar results. Tech Elevator has high standards for acceptance, so just know this: If you get accepted, then you can totally make it in this field!

TLDR- Tech Elevator changed my life. The staff are amazing and it's a great way to jumpstart your career.

Before Tech Elevator I had a 50 mile commute and wrote plans for people with developmental disabilities. I loved my job and ok money. My boss was kind and I liked my coworkers. 

Writing plans creates a lot of paper. We created a committee to help reduce the amount of paper we were going through and try to find a more efficient and effective way for plan creation. Through this process I found that I really enjoyed working with ECM and was amazed at how many people you could help if you could build something useful. I decided that I wanted to learn more about programming so that I could continue to help people but in a different capacity. 

I started to consume as much information as possible on programming. I attended events, read reviews, and did anything I could to try and teach myself how to code. I wasn't super successful and often times felt like I was trying to learn a new language on a different planet. Immersing myself in self teaching wasn't going to cut it for me so I started to attend Tech Elevator open houses. At the open houses I talked to students and teachers to try to get a feel for what this program was going to be about. I liked the feel of it. It seemed like a place where they cared about their students and you could see the passion on the students’ faces when they talked about the classes.

I was accepted in July of 2016 but decided I was going to attend the Winter Cohort in January of 2017. I made this decision so that I could save money to help pay for my living expenses while I was in Tech Elevator. 

Sidenote about finances: I tried to save up about 6 months of living expenses for myself which seemed to work for my situation. My wife was a big help while I was in the program and I really leaned on her financially during the program. My advice is to really sit down and plan out your expenses. Not having a good plan in place could be a huge stressor when you get towards the end of the program.  I did take out the loan from skillsfund which helped remove the stress of money tremendously. Find what will work for you and your family and roll with it. The program is great and you will get a lot more out of it if your finances are in order. 

Try to learn as much as you can before attending Tech Elevator. I found that other students who had some programming experience before class got to take their skills to the next level because they understood the concepts much quicker. I had used codecademy to teach myself some html/css and javascript but wish I had made more of an attempt to learn C#. Jump on youtube and you'll find lots of tutorials. Find one that you think is fun and just do it. You may not understand everything that they are talking about but it will give you a chance to evaluate where you are and to research those things that you didn't quite understand. 

There are a lot of reviews about what the program is like so I am going to skip the “during” part. Overall, the program was a great experience. I learned a ton of things that I could not have learned without the amazing Tech Elevator staff and the patience they had to explain concepts over and over. I went to a lot of review sessions, practiced a lot in small groups and one-on-one. Seek help early and often and don't be afraid to ask questions!

I received two job offers while at Tech Elevator - one before matchmaking and one during. Getting a job should be priority number two though. You have 14 weeks to concentrate on learning as much information as they can give you. With that being said don't neglect it. My advice is to get involved with LinkedIn early and start making connections with people you know in the industry. Invite people to coffee or lunch and talk to them about their experiences and any advice that they have to give.

I graduated in April of 2017, started my new career that same month and have been happily employed since. I celebrated my 6 months of work last month, my two year wedding anniversary, and my wife and I bought a house. 

After Tech Elevator I have a 6 mile commute and work as a junior developer. Tech Elevator truely elevated my career and changed my life. 

Thank you Tech Elevator!

 

Tech Elevator helped me pivot in my career to a more technical role, land a great web developer position at a major U.S. university, and fast track my way to a 35% annual income increase. 

That's not to say it was easy or for the faint of heart. There's a lot of complex material to learn very quickly - in and out of the classroom - all while gearing up for a job search in a new field. The good news is that Tech Elevator gives you the tools and resources to be successful. 

Perhaps just as importantly as learning to code, the curriculum also taught me how to think like a programmer. I found this to be one the most valuable takeaways and a skill I use everyday in my new job, even when I'm not writing code. 

Before entering the program, I had completed both undergraduate and graduate degrees in more conventional institutions, so I feel confident saying David Wintrich is one of the most talented instructors I've had in my educational career. Being able to communicate complex material to a room full of students with varying technical skill levels - and also hold the attention of a classroom for four-plus hours a day, five days a week for 14 weeks! - is a real talent. 

As a first-generation professional, the Pathway Program taught me skills that I'll continue to use throughout my career - from more effectively networking and confidently negotiating a starting salary to navigating technical interviews.  

One drawback (that I think was mostly unforeseen given my cohort was one of the first sets of Winter graduates) was the timing of our December graduation. The holiday season is generally a slow hiring period which left many students with an anxious energy and a slightly longer job search than our counterparts who graduated in the Spring and Summer. Anecdotally though, I'd say 90% of my fellow classmates were able to land tech jobs once things picked up in the new year.  

With all that said, coding bootcamps aren't for everyone. The learning is very fast-paced and it requires a certain tenacity to continue your learning outside of the classroom while also job hunting. I think Tech Elevator's high job placement rate attests to the strength of their program and admission screening process.

Overall, I had a great experience, made some friends along the way, and was able to successfully take the next step in my career. I think Tech Elevator is doing great things to put the state of Ohio - and particularly the Northeast Ohio region - on the map as a growing technology hub. 

[My Introduction]

Tech Elevator is a school that I did research on for a few months before taking the plunge to attend. While I've posted numerous videos about my coding journey on YouTube (Search ‘Daniel Volosov’, if interested), the summary is that I graduated from university in 2014 with a B.B.A. in marketing, and began a career in sales. I left my first company after a year due to a long feeling of isolation, and really missing the teamwork aspect of working on team projects in college. I moved onto a recruiting position which I felt was not a good fit for me. I felt like I wasn't being challenged enough in the technical sense, and I couldn't imagine building a career this way. I ultimately accepted another sales role in Miami, FL. The location seemed unique, and I packed my bags and made the move to a place where I didn't know anyone or anything about.

While I felt successful in my new role, it wasn't until 6 months in that I started writing code at coffee shops after work. I was learning and practicing with free online resources, and felt that I finally found something that challenged me and resonated with my tech interests. After 7 months of self-study, I finally decided that it was time to do something about my newly discovered fascination. I knew that it wasn't in my interest to go for another bachelor's degree, so instead; I started reading about coding bootcamps.

I knew that I wanted to attend a bootcamp that specialized in an object oriented language like Java, and also knew that I didn't want to stay in Miami for much longer. I started looking in my hometown of Cleveland, and discovered Tech Elevator through its Course Report reviews and website. I had an interview afterwards, and was committed from the get-go. Moved back to Cleveland to attend.

[Review Begins]

Tech Elevator was one of the best decisions I've made in my life. It was the catalyst to the start of my software development and tech career.

Curriculum - Tech Elevator gives you the choice to specialize in the Java programming language, or .NET. I've had people reach out to me and ask which one to begin with, but ultimately, it does not matter. The two are very similar and there are many jobs out there which ask for skills in one or the other. I picked Java simply because I gravitated to the open-source environment, and was already reading about it before the bootcamp. While you will specialize in one of the two, you'll also learn about databases, front-end development, MVC, security and many topics in between.

Daily Structure - My day would start at 9 a.m., although I'd try to arrive earlier to set up and grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen. The kitchen was stocked with unlimited coffee, as well as little snacks like pretzels, animal crackers and mints. We would be seated in the classroom at 9 a.m., and have lecture for approximately 3 hours. My instructor, Joe, was fun to learn from and was an all around great guy. Also very funny. After lecture we would typically grab lunch with friends or individually, and then begin on individual work or pair programming exercises. You also had the option to schedule appointments with Craig for additional support and guidance. Craig is one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and I was thankful for his patience and understanding. Some days would be structured differently based on if there were employer showcases or pathway program events.

Employer Showcases - These were scheduled events where different employers from the area would present their company to the group. They brought in lunch and gave us insight into the field and what their company was looking for. It was a great chance to ask questions and further expand our networks.

Career Support - Tech Elevator's Pathway Program was fantastic. They would help students with everything from resumes, to interviewing skills. They would prepare students for technical interviews through instructors and software developers in the field. This was all very valuable to me, but it was especially remarkable to watch some of the more introverted students blossom and fulfill their true potential by the end of the program.

Matchmaking - This was a unique event that allowed us to have speed-dating esque interviews with employers in the area. If you click with an employer, they may invite you for a second interview. I actually met my current employer through this event. Even if you don't end up working for one of the employers at the matchmaking event, you will still gain invaluable interviewing skills through the sheer amount of interviews you have during those two days.

Conclusion - Tech Elevator was a life-changing experience for me. I expanded my tech-network significantly, learned the fundamentals of programming, built on my soft skills and even walked away with my first job in software development. With that being said, I think the most important part of being successful at Tech Elevator is to trust what the instructors and staff are telling you to do. They have the experience, and are not going to steer you in the wrong direction. Students that commit to ALL aspects of the program will be the ones who walk away with the most success.

A big thank you to the Cleveland Tech Elevator staff, and I can't wait to see what the future will bring!

 

Before I attended Tech Elevator I was working a boring, tedious job as a 3rd shift quality control chemist in South Carolina. I felt trapped in a dead-end career where I was completing the same tasks over and over again, and filling out (by hand) lab paperwork that could have been done electronically over and over again. I knew I needed a change in career, but didn't want to go back to college. One day, after telling my mother for the upteenth time about how I loathed going to work every night, I mentioned how I was interested in software, but didn't know how to start. She mentioned that a friend of her's was talking about a coding bootcamp in my hometown of Cleveland called Tech Elevator, which piqued my interest. Long story short: I applied, got in, and graduated in December 2016 from the Java cohort.

The instructors are top notch, and definitely know there stuff. I spent countless hours with Craig after class, who was extremely helpful, and stayed well after 5 P.M. to explain concepts to me. While we attended class and worked on projects, Tiffany was setting up interviews with local companies for the us.

I learned a ton, and enjoyed almost every minute of it (except when I had the flu for a few days and still attended class). I now have a job with a rather large regional bank. I'm paid well, valued as someone who does good work, and most importantly: I'm happy.

That all being said, there were a few cons I feel the need to point out. First, was that the lead Java instructor at the time had just had a baby, so he was out to take care of things at home a lot. I understand that it's not something anybody can do much about, but I did feel that the Java students weren't fairly compensated in instruction during that period. Secondly, I graduated in December when many companies just aren't hiring much. I didn't start a new job until April. I felt that the lack of jobs during that time of the year was downplayed some by the Tech Elevator staff. Many students graduating in the cohort after mine (Spring) were accepting job offers before graduation.

Overall, I think attending Tech Elevator was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Before learning about Tech Elevator, I spent around 6 months learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while working on a blog for my work as a private guitar instructor. I found I really enjoyed the challenge and creativity of programming, and began considering a career change to web development. Though I was making progress through self-study, I knew I needed help building my skills if I wanted to become employable.

It was around that same time that Tech Elevator announced it would be opening a campus in Columbus. I took the online assessment, attended an orientation, took part in an interview, and eventually accepting a spot in the Spring 2017 Java Development cohort. Everything I saw and read about the organization suggested it was the real deal, so I took a bet on myself and went for it.

Though the program is challenging - the equivalent of 14 straight weeks of college finals, with an extensive job search thrown on top - the personnel and structure ensure that anyone with the proper aptitude and drive will succeed. The instructors were amazing - knowledgeable, patient, and continuously offering their time and support. The Pathways Program was just as important; they worked to get us in front of dozens of top companies, and prepared us to shine in those meetings.

In the end, the hard work paid off. I had multiple job offers before graduation, and eventually accepted an software development position with JPMorgan Chase & Co. I’m learning a ton every day, working with many of the same technologies taught during the program.

Thanks to Tech Elevator, I’ve completely changed the trajectory of my life. If you’re a hard worker, an avid learner, and interested in a career in technology, I highly recommend you consider this program

Attended: Cohort[5], May - August 2017

For those seeking to upgrade their skill set or pivot into a new career as a software developer, business analyst, or quality assurance specialist, Tech Elevator (TE) is a solid investment.  If you had told me three months ago that I would end up working as an IT consultant for Fortune 1000 companies, I would have called your bluff…and yet here I am today!  The company’s CEO, Mr. Anthony Hughes, likens the 14-week course to an “inflection point” for many of its students, and I think his description is accurate.  Truthfully, I don’t think I will grasp the total significance of my decision to enroll in the boot camp for several years to come.

Why Tech Elevator?

Dedicated, Experienced Instructors – I was in the C#/.NET class, which originally wasn’t my first choice.  However, I am now very glad I decided to join that group because sometimes your instructor can make or break your experience, and Josh Tucholski is one of the best instructors that I’ve ever had, period.  He’s patient and humble with a good sense of humor and a passion for seeing students succeed. He’s also a vegetarian and long-distance runner, which makes him cool in my book.  :D  You can tell that he puts in way more than a 40- or 50-hour week just because he cares.  He arrives at the building early every day and alternates between teaching, interviewing new students and faculty, developing the curriculum, assisting students and other instructors, and meeting with students one-on-one for check-in sessions.  If you check the time of his emails and messages, some of them read 9:00 or 10:00 p.m.  When I went to the open house and spoke with him, I could envision myself learning under him.  I highly recommend going to an open house if you can just to interact with the instructors and ask them questions about what you’ll be learning.

I also had the privilege of working with Craig, an instructor available to help students individually and in small groups.  Craig explains concepts very well and is an invaluable resource for those trying to master OOP.  He is also a secret sketch artist and makes beautiful wireframes for our capstone projects.

Full-Stack Curriculum – I had never built a dynamic web application before the class, but I now have a better understanding of how the many components of a website fit together in the context of the browser-server relationship.  I left the course excited for how I could apply my new skills and develop projects.  It would have taken me many, many months to get to that point on my own.

Good Location – parking is free, and the lot is gated.  I always felt safe.  You receive a key fob that lets you open and close the gate and get in the building 24/7. There are several other companies in the building, which made the environment more fun.  Across the hallway we had a window into a lab where technicians experimented with fruit flies and mixed chemicals with pipettes.

Talented, Kind, and Interesting Classmates – In our cohort alone, we had a magician, a PeaceCorps worker, a farmer, a high school valedictorian, an English teacher, an EPA worker, and a yoga teacher.  I enjoyed getting to know everyone and hope to stay in touch after the program.  There was no drama, competition, or mean-spiritedness in our .NET class; everyone got along well and frequently took breaks to talk over lunch, walk outside to food spots, or play ping pong.

Consistent Career Development Practice – At times I became frustrated because it was challenging to balance both the Pathway (career development) and class sides of the program, but I gained a lot of useful practice with behavioral and technical interviews.  TE staff members practice interviewing with students, but also bring in professionals to conduct mock one-on-one interviews and provide detailed feedback.  The Employer Matchmaking session, which is essentially speed-dating with eight or nine different companies over a two-day period to determine if both parties want to move ahead in the interview process, also helped me to become comfortable interviewing through its sheer repetition.

Varied Employer Network – Most of the prominent software companies and IT shops are in TE’s network, from financial services and insurance to healthcare to custom apps and consulting.  Students have opportunities to network with representatives throughout the course of the program and receive assistance if they are interested in a company outside the network.

Strong Program Outcomes – In our cohort alone, I can count at least ten people including myself (we had around 25-30 people total) who had jobs before the end of the program.  At the open houses, program representatives say there is a 98 percent job placement rate so many days after graduation.  I was impressed when I heard that number and based on how many people have been hired already, I am hopeful that our cohort will match that statistic.

Tips for Success​

• Really go in with some practice under your belt; you will get much more out of the course and be able to scaffold your learning better.  I recommend taking Udacity’s “Introduction to Computer Science” course (Python) with Dave Evans from UVA or any other MOOC that has structured assignments and a blog community that discusses answers to questions.  While you experiment with different courses, see if you like coding and can imagine yourself doing it for several hours at a time every day.  If you enjoy puzzle-solving and creativity, you probably will! :)

 

• Have one or more side projects that you can discuss with employers.  Every time an employer came to visit us, they talked about the importance of standing out and showing your passion with projects.  You also learn a lot by doing side projects.

 

• You’ll also get more out of the Pathway (career prep) side of the program if you help the staff help you and have a list of companies you might want to apply for and what roles you might want to pursue.  This doesn’t have to be set in stone, but a working list is helpful.  Also, if you want to work outside of Ohio, move to apply quickly because once the Employer Matchmaking session hits, application timelines move extremely quickly—sometimes you may receive an offer within the span of a week.

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While browsing course reports earlier this year, I struggled to determine whether I was ready to invest my time and money in a boot camp and if so, how to go about selecting one.  Here is a little window into my decision-making process and how I landed at Tech Elevator, in case that might be helpful to anyone:

Choosing a Coding Boot Camp

Why choose a coding boot camp compared to other forms of education like online certificates, associates programs, or second bachelor degrees?  I started with "learn-to-code" websites originally, but eventually I decided to opt for an in-person experience because I knew I could accelerate my learning through:

(1)  Access to experienced mentors who provide feedback, guidance, and instruction on “what you don’t know you don’t know”

(2)  Larger and more complex assignments and projects

(3) A community of peers with whom I could share ideas and encouragement

(4)  Total immersion

From there, I had to choose between a formal degree program and the boot camp model.  I eventually settled on the latter for financial reasons.  If you actually compare the total number of credit hours at a university with the total number of hours of class instruction and career support at a boot camp, you get a lot more “bang for your buck” with the boot camp.  Furthermore, even though boot camps have a high flat cost, securing jobs through them can be easier because they specialize in building employment networks and are incentivized to help students find jobs in order to maintain their employment outcomes.  As a consequence, you may be able to pay off your debts more quickly than going through a university.

My last step was to find the boot camp that best met my needs.  I didn’t want to relocate for the program, so I looked only in the greater Cleveland area.  I HIGHLY RECOMMEND doing research on different options available and asking as many questions as you can when speaking with representatives.  One boot camp I investigated seemed very disorganized.  Different recruiters contacted me and didn’t seem to communicate with each other or follow up with my messages.  The recruiters also couldn’t tell me who the lead instructor of the course was, what employers were in their network, or what their program outcomes were.  It was only through persistent questioning that I learned that I would be applying for the camp’s inaugural class.  I backpedaled on that option and ultimately chose to apply for TE because it had established a solid reputation in the community, was open about its employer network and program outcomes, and had a transparent and rigorous application process (a sign of high-quality, in my view).

Assessing Your Interest and Readiness for the Boot Camp

Unlike other boot camps with part-time options, TE only offers full-time, intensive study.  Lectures take place from 9 a.m. to noon with a mid-morning break, and then following lunch, students are expected to work on their afternoon programming assignments from 1-4:30 p.m.  Career preparation events take place either over the 12-1 lunch hour or in the evening after class and have included activities like networking with recruiters and employers, formatting LinkedIn profiles and resumes, answering behavioral and technical interview questions, and participating in panel discussions with school alumni or industry professionals.  (Besides the mandatory career preparation events, you have the flexibility to determine when to take your lunch break and whether you need to leave early on any given day.)

How did I gauge my level of interest and readiness for the course?  Normally, I’m the type of person who agonizes over making any sort of life decision—especially one that is time-consuming and costly.  Eventually, however, you have to come to the place where you feel comfortable making a calculated risk.  I came to TE after graduating in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Religion and spending 2.5 years at a nonprofit teaching GED, financial literacy, and life skills courses for youth facing barriers to employment.  While the work was enjoyable and very meaningful, I found myself delving more and more into programming and computer science through books, Udacity courses, and side projects during the evenings and weekends.  I had an itch to further develop my programming skills and grow professionally, but I was hesitant to make the time and financial commitment.  I was finally able to escape my decision paralysis and apply for the program after:

• Attending an Open House.  Seriously, doing so makes the idea of attending the school much more concrete.  The C#/.NET instructor, Java instructor, CEO, and Pathway program representatives are usually there, and you’ll have the ability to interact with them, ask questions, tour the facility, and listen to presentations about the curriculum.  If you are able to go, I highly recommend it.

 

• Considering the Purpose of the “Defining Decade.”  This tip is for fellow twentysomethings, who also, coincidentally, represented the majority of the students in the program when I attended.   Although there is undoubtedly substantial opportunity for growth and change beyond one’s twenties, I agree with clinical psychologist Meg Jay’s argument that actions taken during this decade can set our long-term trajectory in terms of income, health and family.  It is easier to take risks now when you have fewer obligations and expectations made of you, and the payoff could be enormous.

 

• Rethinking the "Career as Identity" Philosophy.  A graduate student once advised me to approach my career more like a scientist and less like a lover seeking her soul mate.  Rather than trying to find the “perfect job” or “perfect next step,” he recommended that I run quick, iterative tests to determine what I liked and didn’t like and then adjust accordingly.  Today I feel much more empowered to try new things by simply reframing my thoughts from “What am I born/meant to do?” to “What would I like to try next that would be enjoyable and important to me?”  Reframing your thoughts like this is also helpful when bumping into industry stereotypes about who is “technical” and who is not.  Don’t believe that just because you don’t match popular depictions of tech workers—if you don’t have a CS degree, are female, a minority, etc—that you don’t “belong” somehow.  There are many people succeeding, and more companies are realizing that such stereotypes are a problem, as was recently illustrated by the firing at Google.

 

• Researching the Occupational Outlook for Software Developers.  Programming is ubiquitous. During the program, you’ll hear time and again that “every company is a technology company.”  With the skill set you begin building in TE, you can eventually hold a technical role in virtually any industry—from healthcare to finance to manufacturing to higher education—and move anywhere you want to for work.  That flexibility and freedom was appealing to me.

Tech Elevator actually lives up to the hype and delivers on their promises, if you are willing to put in the work. The program itself is not easy. There is a ton of complex material to learn in a very short amount of time, but the teachers and staff are very helpful and committed to your success. I have to say I was skeptical of the school. It seemed too good to be true. But I now have a much better job, making much better money, with much more upward mobility for the future. Well worth the cost and time. Would recommend to anyone interested in programming.

Imagine realizing your dreams are finally coming to fruition, yet looking back and finding it challenging to believe there could be better days and better people ahead. Tech Elevator will leave you exactly there, if you let it.

In my particular case, I’m 31, I have an associates degree in electronics. I had been working as a technician of sorts for years, a role it would seem i was self-relegated to be for life. I would stay up into the wee hours of the night vacillating amongst dreams of creating the future, and the unyielding afterthoughts that i’d missed said opportunity. Four more years at ohio state? My credits don’t transfer?  How can I possibly explain to people I’m falling off the earth for 4 months?

Like roots gradually upheaving the sidewalk, hope eventually eroded the barriers in my way. I dropped off my deposit and my quixotic adventure was enroute to materializing. I wanted to develop, just the word itself a living illustration of my desires. The pre-work was a nice introduction to what was in store down the road, further feeding my insatiable drive to learn. I submitted my two week notice then prepared, or so I thought, for the forthcoming journey.

The phrase “fake it till you make it” really takes precedence here. You are cast into a new, well, everything. Though all of the students have immensely diverse backgrounds and skill levels coming in, soon enough you’ll find you are all adrift in a bizarre comfort zone-less sea. Each day brings new material, new programs, new software, each building on the last. It’s kind of like building a brick house, you don’t know how to build a house(eh, maybe you do?), you don’t know where to start, but each day you just tote your bricks, one by one. You place it where they tell you, you morter it how you were instructed. You repeat. Over and over and over again having no clue how all these pieces fit together. Then at the end they say “look, you can build a house!”. You would disagree if you were not standing alongside the house you just built. You may have been faking it, but you most certainly find yourself making it.

Oh, and the whole  “carry your bricks” deal, don’t let them pile up. The workload is immense to be sure. Getting behind would be a much more grave issue were it not for the exceptional staff and students at your side. No matter which path (c# or java) you undertake, The staff is always there for you. I recall countless days staying late, and as my instructor was headed out the door, he would do one more round of checks to see if anyone was struggling with anything at all. I couldn’t ask for better instructors, they really do care that you succeed.

Just as crucial are the professional resources that Tech Elevator offered. Do not overlook the pathway program. If Tech Elevator is the doorway to a brighter future as a developer, the pathway program is the key. You can be a truly talented developer, but if you are unable to enunciate your strengths properly, employers may be convinced you have none. I personally had the chance to see why professionalism and communication are so important, even when i thought it didn't matter. Do not overlook the pathway program. For redundancy now. Do. Not. Overlook. The. Pathway. Program. Katie, Terry, and Kalyn were the motor oil here. You may not notice or understand the importance, but things come to a screeching halt without them.

My personal favorite though, are the peers. I can’t remember being in a crowd of people more genuine and modest, all of which possessed the same fervor for learning. Given, this may vary from cohort to cohort, but the people i spoke to daily became friends. I’m not sure about you, but it’s hard to make new friends when you are 31, let alone 28+ of them. Who would have known spending 60 hours a week vociferating obscenities at compiler errors would lead to quality friendships? Seeing the individuality was just amazing, from settlers of catan to smoked meats, people brought themselves in their entirety, and it was a privilege to connect with people at their most honest and exposed level. I will say, tech elevator did an astounding job of finding others who authentically embraced problem solving, proof that they really do filter the passion from the pride.

And now, with the cohort several months past, I’ve found myself truly happy. That quixotic adventure? My reality. I’m developing robots, staging quantum computers for next generation logic gates, Digging my teeth into AI and data modeling, and learning how to take projects from ideas to plans, and plans to products. That’s really what you learn here, how to attack problems without giving up. That’s all a problem is right? a number of unknown steps you can take to get what you want? You know what companies want? People who can tackle their most insurmountable problems without giving up. I chose the java path, and I’m currently utilizing pretty much everything but java, so don’t sweat the path you choose.

I guess the takeaway here is to believe in yourself. Tech elevator isn’t the destination, it’s not your answer, it’s a tool, an elevator. You jump in, work harder than you ever have before, and it takes you up a few floors. Life is made of those things, those floors. It’s always a challenge to go up another. You have every reason, every comforting convenience to incline you to stay where you are. But nothing I’ve ever known elicits stronger emotion than feeling the progress rendered through hard work.

On a final note. when I accepted the job offer designing robotic applications, months ago a certain impossibility, they didn’t even ask for a copy of my tech elevator certificate.

That’s when i knew tech elevator was worth every cent.