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 it to me. I spent about a week looking into this program and about a dozen or so others.... Read More In the Cleveland area there were 4 other bootcamps 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.
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. In Cleveland, Craig, Josh, and Joe were 3 of the most personable and knowledgeable instructors I've ever met. They along with the rest of the staff are constantly available to answer questions about everything and anything. The entire staff helped look over resumes and review interview questions along with anything else.

The instructors and tutors are excellent at explaining concepts and are always available to help. The 24/7 access to the school is helpful for when you are there late or want to come in on the weekends to get work done. I know space is limited at the... Read More Cleveland location, but I would have loved a quite area with desks to work at. It can get a bit loud and you can be easily distracted by other students in the common area and I found myself leaving earlier than I would like to go to a library to get work done or waiting for people to leave before tackling things I knew I needed to concentrate on. I would say it would be helpful for them to add some photoshop and illustrator elements to the curriculum (this is based on seeing employers wanting applicants to have some working knowledge). Even if they were optional evening or Saturday sessions. Although, Cleveland is mainly a .net town in terms of programming languages, it would have been more helpful to have more Java companies come in for employer show cases. It can be disheartening in the job search while you are in school to hear "We sometimes" or "occasionally have hired Java developers". The job support is very helpful after you graduate but they do make it seem before and during your time while in school that getting a job easy (it is not). It also would be helpful to have a evening session explaining how health benefits, 401k, etc... work, I had to explain these things to some of the younger folks. Having talked to friends that went through other coding bootcamps in the Cleveland area, it seems like Tech Elevator does a much better job at teaching you and preparing you. I would give them over all 4.5 stars but you can only give whole stars.

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... Read More 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.

For seven years I was a high school French teacher. My brother knew I wasn’t happy in education and needed to make a change, so he suggested that I go through Tech Elevator’s bootcamp. He has been a developer for as long as I can remember, so I took his... Read More advice and I’m glad I did. The instructors in the Columbus campus are amazing! The ones I’ve met from Cleveland seem great as well, but I never took classes with them. Casey, John and Brian all three work tirelessly during those 14 weeks to make sure that you get your money’s worth out of every penny you pay in tuition. I learned more there during those few months than I had in the previous several years as a teacher. The hands-on approach and the amount of practical tasks they give you combine to make the learning rewarding and relevant.

The other side of the program, the Pathways Program is just as well-developed and staffed by the same calibre of people as the coding portion. You build all these new skills, but without the Pathways Program I would have had no idea how to find a job that would let me apply them. One of my questions was as basic as, “When I’m looking for job postings online, what job title do I look for?” Katie is infinitely helpful and willing to give solid, experience-backed advice on any aspect of your job search. The great thing about Tech Elevator is that everything they teach you applies to your first job out of the bootcamp just as well as your last job before you retire. They teach you skills that will serve you well throughout your life.

We all know that teachers make no money, but after 14 weeks of training and no experience whatsoever I started out making $17,000 more a year than I did as a teacher with years of experience, a college degree, and additional coursework to get my license. If you are interested in kick-starting your career or rebooting it like me, you can choose no better program than Tech Elevator.

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... Read More 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.

I had been in sales for 3 years and knew I wanted to do something else. At first I thought there was no way to get into the technology field without getting a second four-year degree and putting myself in a huge amount of debt. But luckily I was wrong!... Read More

Tech Elevator is definitely tough as the instructors/ staff will tell you. But if you have the aptitude and are willing to put in the time this program will prepare you for a successful career in technology (but make no mistake the learning doesn't stop at graduation!). The instructors are incredibly intelligent and patient and willing to do whatever it takes to help you along the way. Each day you will learn something new. It's a really incredible experience.

Plus, Tech Elevator does more to get you placed in a job than any program I've ever heard of. The bootcamp model can be a tough sell for some folks who aren't familiar with it. However, the staff at Tech Elevator have put in the time to show local companies the value and skill set this intensive course instills in students. They not only prepare you for interviews, but they get you in front of companies that are bought in on the program and are looking to hire. This pathway program is what sets Tech Elevator apart from other schools/ bootcamps. I had 3 amazing job offers before graduation and that is in large part thanks to the amazing Pathway Program Director Katie Detore (Thanks Katie!).

I really can't sell this program enough. If you have any interest in a career in technology I highly recommend Tech Elevator.

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... Read More 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 wire frames 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.

I did a lot of research before choosing to attend Tech Elevator. I met with at least four alumni of Tech Elevator, as well as alumni and staff from all the other local coding bootcamps. I decided to go with Tech Elevator because it was clear each and... Read More every member of the staff fully invests themselves in their students. Their priority is on the individual success of each student, not on their marketing or next move.

Two things sealed the deal: 1) they ask for feedback on a daily basis and actually make positive changes based on what students say (change you actually SEE), and 2) career coaching starts DAY ONE.

My expectations were exceeded, especially in the quality of education in my instructor. He picked up on my preferred teaching style from the get-go and tailored each interaction with me based on how I best learned. I felt challenged, but never overwhelmed.

More importantly, my confidence soared. I feel confident in my decision to change careers and pursue sofware development, and know I'll go on to do amazing things because of my education.

I also know I keep amazing company in the alumni network. Each and every fellow student contributed to each other's success, whether in doing homework or interviewing with potential employers. I'm going to miss all the interesting, fun, and philosophical conversations I had sitting around the kitchen island.

If you're on the fence, go to one of the open houses or learn-to-code meetups and get in there. Meet people, start a conversation, and get a taste for coding. If you decide to join, commit 100% and you'll get more than that in return.

Tech Elevator was right for me because of the high caliber of instructors as well as the nationally recognized professional development offered through the Pathway Program.

My instructors were experienced, brilliant, patient people who truly wanted every... Read More student to understand the concepts. They were dedicated to my success. Individual tutoring sessions were available when I needed extra help. Because of the small class size, you get a lot of one-on-one attention and learning opportunities.

A lot of bootcamps can provide a student with the necessary coursework, but some of those camps aren't dedicated to helping students land that first position in the field. The Pathway Program at Tech Elevator is dedicated to helping students find employment upon graduation. The program is very comprehensive for developing and perfecting soft skills needed for today's tech professional. Tech Elevator is committed to bringing top employers to meet and interact with students on site. In fact, the Match Making event toward the end of the program allows students to participate in on-site interviews with up to 10 employers in two days. A lot of those initial interviews result in call backs for many students. I was fortunate enough to have three additional interviews with highly respected companies because of the connections I made during the Match Making event. It was not only an incredible experience, but a highly valuable networking opportunity that wouldn’t have been available to me otherwise.

This program will drastically improve your life if you choose to fully commit.

TL/DR: The best decision of my life. The instructors are phenomenal and you’re surrounded by talented, smart individuals that promote a fantastic learning environment. I initially wasn’t sold on it all myself, but after speaking with past graduates about... Read More their success after graduation I knew this was a solid career decision. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort and adhere to their learning curriculum you’ll be a successful student at Tech Elevator.

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In-Depth Review

Short Personal Background : Again, as much as I hate clichés, Tech Elevator truly did change my life. I’ll provide you with a bit of context on my background and situation before Tech Elevator. I graduated college in 2015 with a degree in engineering and out of college the job outlook for my industry plummeted due to economic reasons that I won’t go in details about. The point is I was out of a job and I had college payments approaching quickly. For the next two years I worked odd jobs all over Ohio and Pennsylvania trying to find a position that would stick. From working in retail, to working in a steel mill, and countless application rejections, I eventually realized I had absolutely no idea what I wanted or where I was going with my career. It was a difficult truth to accept, but one I had to face. I spent the next several months reevaluating my passions and, after having a talk with my brother (a programmer), I was convinced that I should have been in the field of technology all along. He mentioned that his company had hired from Tech Elevator and I decided to attend an open house to get a feel for it all. After listening to Anthony and David passionately speak about their company I decided to take the next steps and enroll as a student.

The Course: It was by far the most intense 4 months of my academic career. From day one you’re diving straight into code and learning fundamentals. From that point on you are continually building off that foundation with daily exercises and quizzes. Lectures last about 4 hours depending on the amount of material you’ll be covering that day. After that the afternoon is yours to do as you please… but I recommend working on your exercises while the ideas are fresh in your mind. At the end of each module you have a large project, or capstone, that is a culmination of everything you’ve learned up to that point. You’ll be paired up with random classmates and have a couple days to complete the project and present your work in front of the instructor(s). This was an incredibly beneficial step in the learning process since they break down your code and offer a ton of useful feedback to write cleaner, more efficient code. I absolutely loved every day of class – Oh, I think I used another cliché. Finally, for the final two weeks of the cohort you’ll create an entire application from start to finish.

Job Assistance | Pathway Program : The Pathway program is great. At college, I didn’t have a program in place to prepare me for interviews and networking the way Tech Elevator did… and that’s huge. Tech Elevator is constantly inviting and hosting a variety of employees of reputable tech companies in the area. You’ll also have mock interviews, both behavioral and technical, all preparing you for the Match-making event. By the time the real interviews roll around you’ll be prepared… and, if you’re not prepared, the staff at Tech Elevator will always take time out of their schedule to help you practice.

Advice : I wouldn’t stress too much about picking either Java or .NET if you’re stuck on that decision. I attended the Java cohort at Tech Elevator, and upon graduation I am now working for a company in Hudson writing C#. Tech Elevator provided me with a strong understanding of core fundamentals allowing for an easy transition into a language I didn’t study directly. Once you’ve learned your first language it’s MUCH easier picking up another.

Final Thoughts : Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of myself for completing the course at Tech Elevator. On day one I didn’t even know what a Boolean was and 14 short weeks later I was creating entire web applications. That’s a powerful testament to not only myself, but to the other students who’ve attended and the ability of the instructors. The peace of mind I now have since I’ve obtained a full-time job doing work I enjoy is… I honestly can’t thank them enough. I’m excited for what my future holds, both professionally and personally – and I owe it all to Tech Elevator.

I’m proud to be part of the growing, loving family that is Tech Elevator and I look forward towards welcoming you to our family as well.