Q: Tell us about yourself

My name is Jason. I’m from Columbus, Ohio, USA. I have been working as an automotive technician for the last 17 years and am now switching careers and joining the tech world. A friend of mine, who is currently a software developer, recommended that I go to a coding bootcamp and, after a little research, I chose Altcademy.

Q: How do you like programming so far?

I have really enjoyed it! The more you code, the more it makes sense.

I started off by taking some free classes on Udemy - I wanted to make sure that I enjoyed coding before fully diving in. I realized that I enjoy the challenges and that my thought process meshes well with programming.

I enrolled in Altcademy in 2019. Initially, I was working full-time and trying to study part-time but found that to be very difficult as my current job is physically laborious and I was always tired at the end of the day. In April 2020, I decided to switch my day job from full-time to part-time and dedicate the majority of my time to my studies on Altcademy.

Q: How’s your experience with Altcademy?

My experience has been great! I really enjoy the projects and building them into my portfolio. I have also enjoyed the additional resources like the Slack chats and mentoring that Altcademy offers.

Traditional in-person coding bootcamps can be very pricey. I was looking for an alternative, and my wife found Altcademy. It was much cheaper in comparison to traditional coding bootcamps and had great reviews. I already knew from Udemy that I enjoyed coding, so I signed up for the full-stack web development program.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

Columbus is a quickly growing tech city with a lot of startup opportunities, as well as, opportunities with established companies. Once I have completed the Altcademy program, I plan to look for an apprenticeship. I am really looking forward to working in this field and completely leaving my old job behind. I think, with coding, you are constantly learning as web development is constantly evolving. So, my plan for the future is to always be open to learning and growth opportunities.