What was Daniel Seong's experience at LearningFuze?

We're pleased to announce one of the winners of SwitchUp's gift card giveaway, Daniel Seong!

Danile is a graduate of LearningFuze, with a background in health services, and past plans to practice physical therapy. After determining that the day-to-day of a physical therapist wasn’t his dream, Daniel decided to pursue an interest in tech. With help from LearningFuze, Daniel is currently seeking a position as a software engineer!

We sat down with Daniel to learn more about his experience at LearningFuze, his advice for students considering enrolling in a bootcamp, and more!

1. Tell me about your background. What was your educational experience before joining LearningFuze?

I graduated from the University of the Pacific with a major in Biological Health Sciences. Although I enjoyed studying the field a lot, the same could not be said when I observed the work of professionals in physical therapy. The day-to-day didn’t seem as exciting so I looked into a career path that requires more creativity and problem-solving in nature.

2. What made you decide to pursue a career in tech?

Right out of college I worked at a start-up that built auto-body parts for electric vehicles in Quality Control. My responsibility was to maintain and improve its database as well as managing quality inspectors. That’s when I explored different tools and technologies I could use to simplify data management. At this point, I began to teach myself how to code watching videos and reading articles online until I signed up for a full-time programming course at Learningfuze.

3. Why did you decide to attend LearningFuze? What were your goals for the program?

I chose Learningfuze after an info session that I went to. I was immediately sold when I felt a unique environment that I did not see at any other info sessions at different bootcamps. My goal was to get a job as a web/software engineer by the end of the program.

4. There are an increasing number of available Bootcamps. Why did you decide to choose this program over others?

Learningfuze focuses not only on the technical side of programming but also on soft skills and personality. They emphasize teamwork and communication a lot and as a result, classmates become like family and that comradery is a major driving factor for students to stay sane through the rigorous program.

5. For you, what were the pros and cons of attending a Bootcamp?

Pros were definitely the connections I’ve made with all the classmates who come from such diverse backgrounds. Also, I went from not knowing what declaring a variable is to building an entire application from scratch. A con is that after the course, job search assistance is limited because finding a job and getting hired is 99% up to the graduate. The Bootcamp will do their best to provide a student with resources and advice but ultimately it is up to the jobseeker.

6. Tell me a little bit about the course structure. What did you like best about the environment and teaching style?

The first third of the course, you spend over 10hours a day daily to get yourself familiar with Javascript, HTML, CSS, API’s and Object-Oriented Programming and build very basic applications such as guessing games and board games. In the second third of the program, you start building more complex applications more similar to what you would see in real life using modern frameworks such as React and Express. In the final three weeks, you will be put in a group of five to build a full-stack application using all the tools you’ve learned and mastered so far to create a deployable application that could become a startup business idea.

7. How did this program prepare you for a career in tech?

Throughout the program, there were mock interviews, whiteboard practices, and lectures on how best to connect with employers and market yourself as a junior developer.

8. What challenges did you overcome to get where you are?

Because I wasn’t as prepared entering the first week of the program (which required completion of a four-week part-time prep course), I struggled the first two weeks. I overcame the knowledge gap by not sleeping much (probably less than 4 hours daily) until I realized I was doing pretty well in the class.

9. Tell us about what’s next. How do you plan to use your newfound skills as you build your career?

I am actively interviewing with companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, Orange County, and LA area. I plan to use the skills I’ve learned at Learningfuze to increase my chances of getting hired and start working as a software engineer.

10. What advice do you have for people who are interested in attending a bootcamp?

Learningfuze is a great, great return of investment. What I paid and asked for was the knowledge of how to code. What I learned was so much more than just my technical abilities. For many of my fellow Bootcamp grads, the experience at Learningfuze was truly life-changing.

Are you a bootcamp student or alum? You could be our next giveaway winner! Write a review of your program, and you'll be entered to win an Amazon gift card.