Techtonica

I spent years trying to save up money to get into a program. When I first heard of Techtonica, it was the first time I saw a program that seemed to genuinely care about representation and equitable efforts to get underrepresented groups into Tech. It... Read More was hard to catch when applications were open, but when I finally caught it, I followed the requirements to apply. Looking back, I appreciate all of these requirements. Compared to other programs that were either too easy to get into (but expensive), or difficult to get into (and still expensive), Techtonica had requirements laid out for applicants--you had to join their studying workshops (thus get experience pair programming), fill out a long application, and then do a kind of "group" interview where you pair programmed with other applicants while being observed by Techtonica staff. It was all worth it because once we got started, there was no sense of condescension or competition among us--we were genuinely interested in the growth of one another. The curriculum wasn't perfect, but I eventually learned that Techtonica was actively trying to keep up with what would most likely help us in our first jobs. I once asked alums what essential thing they took away from the program (I expected they'd mention a specific part of the tech stack we were using). Their common answer was "learning how to learn, and how to learn fast." Staff couldn't promise the tech stack we were using would be used for our first jobs, but being a month and a half into my current internship, I now know what the alums meant. Programming as a career will involve a lot of learning, so I'm continually grateful for Techtonica's structure that taught us how to approach problems. There are some things I'd recommend improvement for, such as bringing in more guest speakers who can speak on what it's like to navigate in Tech as someone from an underrepresented group. But overall, my main takeaways from this program include: - technical skills to be a great programmer - professional skills to work well with others and be our best professional selves - a sense of camaraderie among other underrepresented folks in the Tech industry (I'm so grateful to have met and worked with the amazing folks in my cohort!) - support and networking opportunities (we had a lot of volunteers, our own mentors, as well as guest speakers) - my first internship! (THANK YOU, Techtonica!) I highly recommend this program to anyone considering it. My only recommendation would be to find support on your own if you can. Techtonica gave us a LOT of support. But what I know really helped me was having friends outside of Techtonica who were willing to help me during off-hours. It's a tough program, but it's oh so worth it!

There was a major overhaul and lots of improvements this spring. If I had to say one thing about the program, its that you can see your feedback make a difference. Even though we're in the virtual form, Techtonica feels like a very people/team culture.... Read More You can't be a loner in the program. In general, the program is incredibly supportive, on many levels, and to many kinds of people. You're gifted with so many opportunities and space to just learn and explore, to grow and thrive. You choose how you learn but you also don't learn alone, you get to collaborate with peers, with various mentors, with industry volunteers (ie Twitter), and so much more. You can focus more on the learning process, and not endlessly chase, "what skills/project would land me a job?", along with trying to network, ultimately stretching yourself thin. You're matched with a mentor and get 1:1 help from many folks, emotional + financial + general support, lots of collaboration practice, and end up with an apprenticeship so you can get your foot in the door. PROS: - You do weekly mock interviews (technical + behavioral) as a practical way to track your progress and get quick feedback. There used to be monthly assessments, but that was scrapped. - Even in the virtual setting (due to COVID), there's a lot of speakers that get invited to chat about their work in the tech field. They try to do a variety including Developer Advocates, Product Management, Security Engineer, DevOps, etc. - There's lots of collaboration practice, including daily code challenges and pair-programming. If you're introverted and timid, don't worry, you don't have to make those pairs on your own. - There are technically no "instructors", but there's still guidance, bundles of resources, and mentors + volunteers. Volunteers would hold "brown-bag" sessions about requested topics, there were plenty of volunteers always around, and the SEAM would walk through topics with us. It's not a classroom setting, but we still had access to "classroom-like" resources like CodeAcademy or Treehouse, and you can do whichever works for you. POSSIBLE CONS: - Often the material is fairly straightforward, but you have to be proactive when something isn't clear. Now is the time to practice asking good questions, during daily stand-up or wrap-up or other meetings. - You do still have to do a fair amount of self-teaching, and if they're open to it, study groups with your peers are helpful. If you're someone who needs that strict set classroom time and set assignments that get checked afterwards, this might not work. The curriculum does have practice problems in every lesson, but you have to choose to do them. - Sometimes things did unexpectedly change, especially in my cohort with curriculum overhauls, which can be unnerving to some neurodiverse folks. You are allowed to take breaks and mental health time, don't be afraid to do it if you need it, it's something I wish I didn't hold back on. That being said, you also have to make sure you're on top of things (it's okay if you miss some content, if unsure just ask!!), and again, be pro-active.

When I applied, I honestly wasn't expecting much of this program and had little trust that it wasn't more than a scam, but I needed a change in structure. College moves at way too slow of a pace when you're a low-income, single mother living paycheck... Read More to paycheck. 6 months later, I'm so happy I applied. What I took for a gamble was actually one of the best decisions I've ever made. PROS: - Curriculum is flexible to your learning style. - There's a large pool of fantastic mentors and volunteers to help you learn, and they actually work in the industry. - Stipends help you support yourself so you can focus on your learning and skill development - Lots of opportunities to network and make connections in the industry. - They simulate a real work environment to prepare you for actual work experiences. - Tons of interview and soft skills practice. Really helps with your confidence. - Exposure to numerous kinds of jobs in the Tech industry. They have a variety of people come in and give presentations and answer questions about their specific career. It's a great way to learn about all the options out there for yourself so you can find your best fit. (Product managers, technical writers, security engineer, developer advocates, data analysts, the works.) - Cohorts are at max around 15 people. It's great because you're not lost in a sea of faces, and you'll get to ask YOUR questions. You're also more easily remembered after networking events. - They're very receptive to feedback and ask for it frequently. They won't let you fall through the cracks if they can help it. You don't need to be afraid to speak up, here. - They care about your mental health and stress management. - They understand the value that comes from having different backgrounds. - This program is 6 months long, rather than the usual 3. I feel this is a much better pace. You're learning a ton, but you're not cramming 120hrs of work into a single week and burning yourself out. There's more time to solidify and round out your skillset. CONS: Honestly, it's hard to list any. Anything I could have complained about at the start of the program, they put lots of effort into improving. Being part of their first remote cohort, there was a lot of adjustment needed during those first couple months, especially with the pandemic. Occasionally, certain documents and items in their curriculum could be out of date (because tech is just constantly changing) or not applicable anymore due to the remote situation, which caused some confusion. But mentors/volunteers greatly made up for that, and they were quick to update sources of information accordingly, so we never stopped learning. We started off doing assessments on a monthly basis, which was stressful because it felt like we really didn't know how we were doing for the whole month in between that feedback. They quickly adjusted that too, however. We started having shorter assessments and mock interviews on a weekly basis, with immediate feedback so we'd know exactly how we were doing and what we needed to work on and they were always aware too. Stress and anxiety went down drastically after that change. They also hired someone to lead weekly meditation sessions to help us manage stress, which I thought was very thoughtful. I have no doubts that they will continue to improve their program. I'm almost jealous of future cohorts. I think the only significant CONS come from whether or not a bootcamp suits your learning style, so... TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS PROGRAM: - Be comfortable in not knowing everything. That's the nature of working in this industry. There's simply too much to know, and there's constantly new things being added. The real skill of a software engineer is knowing how to pick up a new concept WHEN you need to. - Ask questions! - Be proactive in finding the answers you're looking for. (I can't stress this enough.) - Don't go down rabbit holes trying to read a coding book from front to back, you won't retain 1/5th of what you read. - Implement as you learn. The concepts stick more when you jump in and try them. Seeing it in action can provide an understanding where words just don't cut it. - Communicate. The staff at Techtonica really care. If you're struggling, need to take a mental health day, anything, don't leave them in the dark. They want to help you, they want you to succeed. - Your fellow participants are your friends. You all have different strengths and experiences to contribute. You can and should help each other grow. - Pace yourself. Take breaks, don't pull all-nighters. It makes a difference. - Trust in the process.

I am so happy I found Techtonica at the time I did during the pandemic. It was so important that I had a learning community that was supportive and that was willing to help each other as Techtonica is open for anyone who identifies and as a woman or non-binary.... Read More We would regularly pair program and lead mini study sessions to go over topics that were particularly tricky. The curriculum is open source and available on GitHub. We learned full-stack JavaScript and used the PERN stack. We were able to build any final project we wanted as long as it showcased what we learned throughout the bootcamp. We had personal mentors that we met with weekly and on top of that we had volunteers thorough-out the week with open "office hours". There was never a shortage of help when I had questions or got stuck on a problem. We also a have a SEAM - daily program manager that gives an outline on what is important to learn and goes over difficult topics when needed. However, I will say that a lot of learning that occurs is self learning but Techtonica gives you a learning community, learning material, and structure which were all things I needed. When I was learning on my own it was hard to determine when I could "move on" to the next topic as I couldn't tell how deep I needed to learn any topic or technology. It was also hard to determine what to learn as there is so many possibilities! Overall I feel very happy and satisfied with what I have gained both technically and personal development wise at Techtonica. Our cohort was grateful to have internships with Techtonica's partner companies. We are super excited to be starting this next chapter of our software development journey. I feel so grateful to be able to be connected with a 6 month internship through Techtonica. It can be very difficult to get that first job/internship right after a bootcamp and Techtonica aims to break that barrier down.

Here is the formula: 
Put in the work + Maintain your growth mindset + Give it 6 months 
=== 
You will be gain the confidence and skills to be a software engineer. 

Before Techtonica, I was independently learning to program, applying to jobs with no... Read More ends in sight and found lots of rejection. This organization afforded me the opportunity of a stipend (to support myself), gave me a curriculum, gave me structure, introduced me to people in the field, and helped me prepare for my role as a software engineer. The whole program is 6 months and I had confidence and stronger technical skills to show at the end of it. This organization changed my life by helping me make a successful career transition into Tech and I cannot recommend this program enough. Thanks Michelle and the countless mentors that helped me get here today. Pros: Assigned mentors while attending Techtonica, 6 months of stipend, camaraderie with fellow women and nonbinary people, community, job placement, emotional support, post-placement support, and a new lease on life.

Cons: 1.) Depends on who you ask, "gating exams" were stated in the contracts but not something my cohort openly addressed and it caught a few folks off guard. You are asked to leave if you cannot pass the exams, so work hard! Nothing is free. I recently volunteered with the org and was happy to see the mention of "gating exams" mentions in the forefront. Kudos! 2.) No instructor(s) during my cohort, but I think that might have changed. 3.) It is not highly stressed, but I feel like it should be: you should have done your fair share of learning the fundamentals of web development before joining Techtonica. Fact. It will greatly benefit you if you're not doing everything for the first time during the program; having due diligence means going through a (free/open-source) beginner’s course on CodeAcademy; FreeCodeCamp; and discovering your personal interests in software development are all good things. 


Subpar curriculum. CEO has very little experience as an industry Software Developer and should not be in charge of the bootcamp.

The program is poorly run. The CEO kicks students out of the program for made-up reasons like cheating and not progressing... Read More fast enough even though the CEO has no quantifiable way to measure progress and the students have no onsite instructor (how are they supposed to learn and improve?). There is a severe lack of transparency from the top down.

The bootcamp has no onsite instructor and the open source curriculum is lacking and subpar when compared to FreeCodeCamp, App Academy and HackReactor's curriculum. The students attend a 6-month bootcamp where they follow free online tutorials and whatever they can find online to teach themselves software development.

Advice to companies:
Hire women/non-cisgender graduates from coding bootcamps with a higher barrier of entry like App Academy or HackReactor.
What your company can do: Sponsor scholarships for low-income women and non-cisgender people to attend better bootcamps and give them paid internships.

Advice to students:
Don't go to this bootcamp. You will become very frustrated with the CEO and you'll be very unhappy.