Tech Elevator

As you go through life there are key moments that drastically change your course in life, and, for me, the decision to attend Tech Elevator was one of them. After more than fifteen years in retail I was treading water in a position that had become just... Read More a job to me, something I had to do to pay the bills. I had done some work on my own designing a website using HTML, CSS, PHP and a little Javascript, and I found it fascinating, but lacking direction and support I couldn't see myself getting a job doing it. What Tech Elevator offered was an opportunity to start a career that I had a passion for, something I wanted to do rather than something I had to do.

During the course, mornings were dedicated to lecture, and afternoons were dedicated to hands on coding exercises. This worked well for me because I find I retain knowledge best when I get to apply it, which in this case means writing code, and writing code is something we had ample opportunity to do. David, our instructor did a great job explaining the concepts and syntax of coding, and was always willing to answer questions before, during, or even after class in the evenings. We learned how to design and code Java web applications from start to finish, using the tools, frameworks, and processes that are in use in the field today. Overall it was a lot of work, I lived and breathed code for those three or so months, but it really prepared me to enter the workforce as a junior developer.

Another major component to the Tech Elevator course is the Pathway Program. This is a series of workshops and panels with industry insiders centered around giving you the skills you need to actually get a job using the coding skills you're learning. Coming from someone who had worked at the same company for 14 years and had little experience with interviewing and resume writing, this was invaluable to me. Practice interviews, resume building workshops, improving your Linked In profile, the whole team supports you from day one in getting you ready to land that first job. They even bring employers to the school so you can get that valuable in person connection. I felt like everyone wanted to see me succeed on a personal level and they were willing to go out of their way to help me make it happen.

Overall, I can say that I highly recommend Tech Elevator. As I mentioned, I had done some self study previously, but Tech Elevator offers benefits you can't get learning on your own. You get top notch technical training, from instructors with a ton of real world experience, and you get the support of a team dedicated to helping you start your new career. But the proof is in the pudding right? What was my outcome? Well, I accepted a job offer within a month of graduating with a starting salary that doubled what I made before the course, doing something that I truly have a passion for. Like I said, there are moments that change your course in life, and if you're looking to make a change, I'd say Tech Elevator is a great place to do it.

Overwhelmingly positive.

I've been working in import/export for several years and I wanted gain tech skills to open up new career paths. Tech Elevator's Java instructor, David, taught me daily for the duration of the course. He has such great career experience... Read More in software development and he was able to bring real life scenarios to the classroom which really helped me understand and contextualise the material we were learning. Another thing is that he was available out of school hours when I had problems and would respond to queries on homework etc. That was a huge plus for me.

The resume and interview workshops provided by Tech Elevator (to help students graduate into tech jobs) were extremely valuable, as was being introduced to Tech Elevator’s professional network of employers and recruiters- a massive plus point for studying at this school.

The school provides preparation study materials in the lead up to the course (very necessary as a lot is covered in the course), all textbooks and study material and new MacBook Air to use for the duration of the course. I made some great friends during the class whom I'll definitely stay in close touch with.

I am very happy to have done this course, I gained a mountain of new knowledge and a very valuable skill that is now opening doors for me - thank you to the team at Tech Elevator!