We Can Code IT

To keep this brief, I am a graduate of WCCI's Columbus campus. I recommend WCCI to anyone who asks and the biggest reason is that I landed a software engineering job that pays double what I made as a loan officer 3 days after I graduated. Could not have... Read More done it without the good people at WCCI.

I needed a career change in my life and heard about WCCI on NPR. I went to a meet n greet, enjoyed it, and shortly after I was at my first day of class. I was in the part-time cohort at the Cbus branch and loved every minute of it. The instructors were... Read More very knowledgeable and patient with the new students learning an entire new skill. The pace is fast but not impossible...you will work hard. They start with the very basics and work up to full stack applications and by the end of it you can't believe what you have achieved. Career services help you from day one setting up your professional portfolio and preparing you for networking and interviews. The founder, Mel McGee, stopped in numerous times just to see how we're doing, pick our brains, and help out with any questions. The vibe that I got from day one was that WCCI doesn't focus on the quantity of students they are providing to the IT workforce, it's the quality of students. They truly care about how You are doing as an individual and want you to succeed. By the way I graduated this past Friday, I have been made an offer from a prominent company not even a week after graduation. I could not have asked for a better output from this Bootcamp. I will never forget the experience I had here, Thank You WCCI.

I was looking for a local bootcamp and really did a lot of research, as it was a big investment. WCCI had stellar reviews, a beautiful location, and-at the time-had a money-back job placement guarantee. I was aware of the mistake I'd made by choosing... Read More this school the first evening of class. Our lead instructor clearly had no idea how to code (nor carry herself in a professional setting, for that matter). That very night upon arriving home, I checked into their refund policy and knew I was screwed because after the first day of class, the most you are only able to get a fraction of your money back.
The class seemed to have more people going for free through Ohio Means Jobs than paying students. I'm all for opportunities and inclusion, but when you shelled out 10k for something and classmates have no skin in the game, they tend to care and try less. Not only that, but some people just were NEVER going to get these concepts. Yes, they have an "assessment test", but everyone I asked miraculously got 100% on it! Also, they will not provide any prereqs, even if you ask for them. That is a mistake.
I don't remember many details (must've blocked them out), but do remember that the teacher truly did not know any answers to our questions. Some classes we just watched YouTube videos, which I could do for free at home. The instructor got nasty and rude when you asked her a question she didn't know. She also started getting increasingly aggressive towards our associate instructor-whom was not only a great guy, but also KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. That was really uncomfortable and unprofessional.The lead instructor didn't know how to use Github-which is something graduates should be comfortable with, because if they're lucky enough to be one of the few to get a job they will be using it everyday. Our lead instructor also tried to demo her version of our first project that she wrote and it crashed-we're talking about a simple console app. Also, when live coding she often was outspoken about using bad coding practices because "she didn't care." It was horrible. I only go on like this because upper management at WCCI knew what was going on and did nothing. It is despicable to charge people that kind of money and not have competent and knowledgeable teachers. The class moved at a snails pace, as some students (many of whom were going on the gov'ts dime) just weren't getting it.
That teacher FINALLY left the job due to personal reasons, which we were all relieved about, however she was never replaced. It was truly bizarre. No one missed her, but it wasn't easy having a different fill-in teacher every night (as everyone has different teaching styles), and after about 2 weeks, we just had the associate teacher for the last month of class.
In fairness, a classmate did switch to the full-time class a few months in and she said that the difference was night and day.
The career services woman started out so perfectly. She came in on Thursdays and was a very bubbly, professional go-getter. She seemed to get more and more overwhelmed as the class progressed, though and was less available. I can only imagine, though, as she's dealing with all the grads they're spitting out, and all the previous grads who are still desperately searching for the jobs they thought they would so easily find.
At the time I enrolled, not only did the website boast a money-back guarantee, but also claimed the tuition included professional resume writing services. That is a lie. We have access to a binder full of professionally written resumes that they graciously allow us to look at. Very unprofessional and offputting. It was a little ridiculous that towards the end of class, on top of everything else we were struggling to complete and learn, we were told that we had to have written and submitted our resumes for approval before they would be submitted to visiting potential employers.
With 6 or 7 bootcamps in NE Ohio churning out students, look elsewhere. There is a ton of competition for the jobs available coming out of school and this place just doesn't prepare you at all. Also, of the VERY FEW graduates that have found jobs, two are making mid 30's. I'm actually shocked that this place still has decent reviews, because I'm not the only one who knew this place is a joke. I did make some great friends here, but will forever regret not attending a real bootcamp.

Attending a coding boot camp has launched my career in IT, in roughly 4 months total. If you work hard, are proactive in the job search, and use the resources provided you too will be successful after completing this program. It is very much "what you... Read More put in - is what you get out."

I landed a web developer job about a month after graduation with two other offers on the table. I owe huge thanks to the career services at WCCI and the employer relationships they provide to their students.

I had a very good experience with my instructors, who were patient to explain the curriculum which is very important when teaching students who have no background in development. One thing I would have liked to see more of from the instructors would have been better after class availability for one on one help.

The curriculum certainly provided me with the basic knowledge to launch my career as a developer. Although it moves fast at times, there is a schedule that the class needs to stick to and necessary material to cover, so I would say if you sign up for this course expect it to move FAST. My biggest downside in the curriculum would be the lack of SQL coverage and the after class study session that had little to no direction. I had high hopes of those study sessions to supplement the classroom time and that was not the case.

The career services are great. If you are proactive about job hunting and interviewing many opportunities will come your way. The most important thing is to have a positive and open mind about any opportunity that comes your way. In regards to the job guarantee, like with anything else, I would reccomend reading all of the fine print. But if you are performing well and are proactive about applying you will land a job!

If you are looking for a career change I recommend WCCI!!

We Can Code IT is an excellent bootcamp for anyone who is serious about learning to code. I was particularly impressed with my instructors as they were able to move at a pace that was manageable for people who were new to coding, but also challenge others... Read More who already had some experience. The curriculum and projects were also well-designed to accommodate various levels of achievement. The instructors were helpful and encouraging and made the class interesting and fun. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of support the career development team (especially Cynthia Trotta) provided. Not only do they provide help with resume preparation and interviewing, but they teach you how to network effectively and even expose you to some prospective employers. Because of their training and committment, I was fortunate to receive an offer just prior to my graduation from the class. One word of advice I would give a prospective student is to make sure that you clear your schedule so that you can fully devote yourself during the bootcamp. It is time-intensive and, like most things in life, what you get out of it will be directly related to how much effort you put into it. If you don't have any experience with coding, it might make sense to do some free online tutorials first to make sure that coding is something that you are excited to learn.

I'm so glad I attended the We Can Code IT boot camp. The instructors are very experienced, funny, and are good about paying attention to students' emotional needs as well as their technical understanding. Career services give the strategy and knowledge... Read More necessary to brand yourself as a business-of-one, and the confidence to ace the tech interview and pursue networking opportunities (which was what led to my job offer).

The instructors do a good job of teaching students to research and master new topics on their own (which is a very valuable skill, since tech is always evolving, and we won't be in training programs forever). They are always available and willing to help students who are struggling, offering tutoring and going above-and-beyond by staying after class and making the space available on weekends. Students are encouraged to collaborate and experience peer-programming, so no one is ever truly alone or lost for long.

I do hope that in the future the bootcamp might be extended a few weeks, because sometimes it felt like there was too much to learn in the time allotted. I also hope that they get someone local for their Columbus career services because it doesn't seem ideal to have this person commute and be physically absent (though available via web conference and phone) most of the time. Despite these issues, I couldn't be happier with my decision to attend this program.

Caveat: it is intense. It's likely that at least once you may second-guess your decision to join, or doubt your abilities, but this is normal. You will need to do a lot of reading and studying outside of the classroom, but if you do, the teachers will help you gain the skills and knowledge necessary for your success. As a frame of reference, I studied 3-4 hours every night and spent most of my Saturdays on campus. By week 5 or 6 your confidence will be much higher than when you started: heaps of new information will seem exciting instead of impossible. I had a job offer on week 9 of the 12-week boot camp.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is serious about breaking into the industry.

Thanks, WCCI!

I know that this is a cheesy and cliche way to start, but We Can Code IT changed my life. Prior to starting the program, I was working a full-time job that did not offer me the opportunity to grow as a professional. I was also on a career path that I... Read More did not find fulfilling.

After considering going back to college for a CS degree, I decided to try a bootcamp instead since it would give me more hands-on experience working with code. I am SO glad I made the decision to attend We Can Code IT. I experienced a cohort that inspired me to learn and challenge myself. The entire staff was so helpful and supportive.

Thanks to the amazing career coaching I received during the program, I received an offer prior to graduation. I'm now making more money, I'm excited to go to work every day, and I have the opportunity to advance my career.

If you're ready to put in the work, then I highly recommend this program. Well worth the investment.

My experience was quite valuable with WCCI. I started out with absolutely no experience, and walked away knowing a tremendous amount. It was a challange that I will cherish because I learned an enormous amount. These skills were a result of the wonderful... Read More staff that were willing to take the time to help you work through any problem. The instructor was extremly knowledgable and was always willing to help. He made it professional, challenging and gave us skills we will use through out our careers. I would recomend WCCI to anyone.