| | Edd Williams | I came to WeGotCoders after nearly a year of unemployment, trying to break into the tech world. I had just finished university (a degree in Politics, hilariously enough) and was feeling incredibly disheartened.
I found WeGotCoders while searching for opportunities in and around London and it was the perfect place for me to get going. After contacting Carrie (Recruitment) and discussing what I wanted out of the course and moving forward, I was invited to try and complete the coding challenge; A great way to dip your toes and see what you're made of. We organised an interview and I was away.
I had a really good conversation with both Dan and Carrie and then had the opportunity to sit with Dan and discuss what I had done for the challenge, how I found it and where I struggled. Before I knew it I was signing on the dotted line and I was getting ready to start at the beautiful house just outside of London.
WeGotCoders is structured really well as the first half of the course (about a month and a half) are geared to giving you all the tools you need to get stuck into web development. I felt that it was delivered at such a pace that you really needed to be on your toes, which kept the whole experience really exciting. The vast amounts of information you take in, make the middle week so perfect as you have time to relax into a project and really start putting your skills to good use. You then present and compare this when you go back. Presenting is a skill that Dan and Carrie really help you nail down. Being able to explain your code concisely and effectively is so important in a fast moving team.
The second half of the course is focussed more on you using those skills and using them in "real world" examples. I.E. Here's a brief...here's how I want it to look...here's what I want it to do, now off you go. Constant feedback throughout this process means you're never more than a question away from the answer. Dan's never far away.
The final project was another really good experience. Presenting your 2-week project in front of prospective employers (one of whom went on to take me and a fellow student on). It gives you a chance to show the passion you feel for what you've created.
Dan was great at giving a really informative lecture in the morning and giving you the freedom to fail in the afternoon when we were set challenges. One of the highlights for me was in the later stages of the course when my cohort had to work as a team to deliver a product in a week. Now working in a commercial environment the skills I learned during those afternoon sessions were invaluable. Communication and planning are key.
Lorin, the database guy, was an absolute delight and seeing him around the house during the following weeks and months was lovely. Always happy to have a conversation about code, life and the universe (Honestly. Catch him in the right mood. He's off...)
Zoe was an amazing cook and her treats (particularly the cookies) are second to none. Great to have her around to chat to in the breaks.
It's a great course and experience that I'd really recommend to anyone whos been struggling to crack into this industry or even someone who wants to try something totally different; Everyone I met on the course (my cohort and others) had come at it from totally different walks of life (and ages). The course quite literally takes you from Zero to Hero in 3 months. You'll be totally amazed at how much you take in and how much you can start using, instantly. Even though I did a politics degree, technology and creating things has always been my passion. WeGotCoders has given me that opportunity. To do something I love as my job. |
