| | Anonymous | The Software Guild provided a very detail oriented boot camp, which was very intensive but incredibly informative. The course work was very labor intensive and requires about 60-70 hours of work a week. If you have no prior coding experience I strongly recommend reviewing basic Object Oriented Programming (OOP) terms before starting the class, as the first few weeks were very overwhelming. You are not guaranteed a job after the class, the Guild gives you tips on how to search for a job, help update your resume, and have companies come in for speed interviews towards the end of the class, but once the course is over you are pretty much on your own in the job search. They do provide a networking manager to check in every couple weeks with tips on connections, but again cannot land a job for you. |
| | Michael Johnson | I was fully prepared by Software Guild to tackle any number of challenges in the workplace. I got a job in Java after studying Java, but within a few months I was doing nothing but iOS development. It did take some time for me to transition and become conversant with Objective-C for iOS, but the training I got from Software Guild was top notch and prepared me to keep learning. I would do it again and recommend it in a heartbeat. |
| | Ken Gardiner, MSCIS, MA | Completed The Software Guild's Java Web Developer Boot Camp. Fantastic instructors, support and material. It was great to finally have a chance to practice and get better at Object Oriented programming with tutors available during class and after hours. |
| | Anonymous | Pros:
1. My teacher was very helpful with any question I had. Available around the clock and It was clear the educators were experts in the field.
2. Great culture within the guild. It was a blast going through the program getting to be a part of such a great cohort, staff, and alumni group.
3. Most people come out with Jobs. The Software Guild does a great job of pairing you up with an employer.
Cons:
1. Curriculum was fast moving. Most of the topics take years to master, so you are left feeling defeated when you are given a week or two to understand a huge topic.
2. Expensive. After going through it, I personally feel it was overpriced. Probably only worth half of what I paid. But with that being said, The Software Guild gave me my start to an exciting and meaningful career. So the price was worth it! |
| | Anonymous | Deciding to quit my job (that I disliked) and go back to school full time or more like double time was still the best decision I made. I originally applied for an earlier cohort but little did I know, the curriculum was very intense and very fast. There were just a few items that I did not fully comprehend but it was significant enough to not be able to move on. For a few weeks, I studied Java and finally understood the curriculum a bit better. I finished the program in the second attempt and now have a fantastic dream job.
When I tell people that I went to a coding bootcamp, they think it is just a simple online course with a printable certificate. When I told them how hard it was, they were in awe. After being employed and looking back at the curriculum, they are very much on par with what is necessary to have a job as a developer. Not just the languages made you feel prepared, but they also introduced us to certain ways of testing, text editors that are used in professional environments, JIRA, and using repositories. During my employee orientation, I was surrounded by new STEM grads and they did not know anything about coding and were going to have jobs in IT. Being in the program definitely made me realize how far I can push myself to get something accomplished and also just being able to learn something so foreign in a small timeframe. We were in a classroom for 40 hours a week and on top of that about 20-30+ hours of working on projects and learning the material that is going to be taught the next day. So yes, that is a well spent time commitment.
The instructors were very accommodating and quite approachable. Having a classroom be a max size of 18, it felt like the program was more individualized and they cared about each individual student and their progress. Even after graduating they are very helpful with resources. The employment manager has quite a large network of employers so he followed up with every student on their job search every 2 weeks after graduating. I checked out another bootcamp, called Prime Digital Academy but the Software Guild stood out to me. When I went to Prime’s open house, alumni did not emphasize on the curriculum. Instead they spoke about how they learn about communicating effectively. When I spoke to a recruiter at the Guild, she told me “we will teach you to code” and those few words sold me to the program and they sure did!
If I had to go back and do something again, I would have liked to have been told to at least look at the Java language before attending the program. Even though I was already admitted, there was a gap of time where I was waiting for class to start and I could have looked at terms or tutorials online. I do not think that it would have been so foreign if I studied beforehand.
If I had to recommend someone to attend a bootcamp, I would say that someone who just finished high school would not be a great fit. The program is very intense and if they are not motivated to attend college, then I do not think they would be motivated enough to finish the full-time program. It was even more difficult than finishing a bachelor’s degree. Most the students are in their 20s and above.
When getting employed, the statistics are correct for the program but when you are the one experiencing the difficulty of getting your first coding job, it gets frustrating. My cohort ended at the end of July 2017 and I got my offer call in mid to late September. Many people try to go through staffing agencies but entry level developer roles are very hard to come by. Even if the position says 1-2 years of experience, they will not submit your resume because you have no previous coding experience. The employment manager told me that it is not just your background but it also has to be a good match overall (culture fit and technical skills). Luckily, I managed to get hired directly through my employer.
So, to put it simply, I would 100% recommend attending a coding bootcamp and particularly, the Software Guild. Everyone just needs to understand and think about all the variables that could slow you down and if you |
| | Matthew Wilkinson | I've made many decisions in my life, none of them have been as life altering as the decision to learn C# at The Software Guild. It wasn't easy learning Object Oriented design, but when It clicked (around week 10) It ALL made sense, excluding that battleship exercise *shutters*. I recently completed a 3 month contract and am proud to say they hired me back full time. |
| | Anonymous | Our company contracted with the software guild for object oriented programming and data-driven web application development. I was skeptical about how much one could learn throughout the course, but after having been placed into a software development role and shadowing multiple web-app development teams, I can't believe how much the coursework prepared me for working on a development team. The foundations I learned in TSG allowed me to more quickly grasp Sprint Boot and other tools and frameworks that were built on the very same frameworks. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable, and they are able to provide insight, resources and guidance to get you well on your way to development success. |
| | Zachary Stone | In December of 2016, I applied for the first group of online students with the Software Guild. I went in with little to no programming experience, but a desire to learn more.
I am so glad I did! I went in with not much confidence in my abilities, not just in programming, but in my ability to use my skills in the workplace. The Software Guild gave me a lot of confidence. I have learned the industry standard, and also have been guided in avoiding the common pitfalls junior developers fall into.
Pros:
The curriculum is organized really well. We started with very basic front end development in HTML/CSS and a small amount of JavaScript. Then we dove into the C# language, finishing up the end of the course by bringing the front end and back end together into one large mastery project.
The community is healthy and strong. Utilizing the "Open Hours" where they had two TAs available for a significant portion of the day to help with any questions, often there were alumni present in Slack and other mentors who could give feedback, or lend a helping hand.
Not only do they teach you to code, they teach you to code well. I was amazed at how well they were able to achieve this level of learning in a boot camp style of teaching.
Online course lets you have a more "flexible" boot camp experience.
Cons:
With the boot camp being online, that brings the most "Cons". Communication is difficult when you are not there with your mentor, or in a class room setting.
You work alone with the online program. I understand why they had to do this, but it takes away the experience that I think is important, learning to work well with a team.
Overall:
My experience was overwhelmingly positive. Although it was a very difficult course (also my daughter was born at the end of my course.) the guild bent over backwards to ensure I was equipped to succeed, all while not holding my hand.
Shout out to Sarah & Randall for being AWESOME mentors! |
| | Richard Kuhn | I attended the very first cohort of The Software Guild's Java program in Minneapolis. It was a complete and total waste of TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS that I can never get back.
That class went for 12 weeks. 8 hours a day. 5 days a week. I learned basic JAVA, and absolutely no one cares.
In case you're bad at math, that's 480 hours of "instruction", sitting in a classroom with an instructor who also had no idea what he was doing. I would say that 30% of my time there was spent watching my instructor trying to figure out how to use the software that he was supposed to be teaching us with.
I have since learned more about Java online, for free, utilizing Code Academy and Udemy. All you have to do is apply those same hours to an online course, and you can save yourself TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
There was no instruction at all about Spring, or code review. Every interview I had after that class was an embarrassment. I had absolutely no idea how to be valuable in the workforce. I have since self-taught myself in multiple aspects of coding, but nothing that came from that class was woth one penny. Nothing from that class contained even a hint of value.
If you're reading this, do yourself a favor. Learn basic Java online. For free. And then put together a portfolio of projects that you can show what you did, and why you did it. No one who does any hiring cares one bit about this rip-off class. Show your skills and your thought process in an interview, and you can move forward. This class is like going to DeVry. Worthless.
And then take your TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, and invest it wisely. Your payoff will be much better. |
| | Nathan Klein | I went into the pre-work for the Software Guild without any experience in programming and I came out being able to design fully functional programs and websites. Simply put, the bootcamp worked! I learned how to write code and I learned how to learn additional languages as needed.
The pros of the bootcamp model include:
-The condensed timeline. It is such a fast turnaround in the in-person bootcamp that the apprentice comes out ready to apply for a job in just three months.
-The intensive learning. The apprentice must devote a lot of time to the program in order to pass, and all that study time pays off! The sheer amount of knowledge gained in that short time is pretty staggering.
-The individual time with an instructor. I was able to setup times to meet with the instructor, ask questions as needed, and have them go over harder concepts with me. I even had three practice technical interviews with three different instructors!
-The on-the-job feel. Spending 7-8 hours in class every day starting with an Agile Scrum made the bootcamp feel like a job. I believe it also simulated a developer job, thus helping prepare the student for what the job would be like.
-The employer network. In my experience applying for jobs, I have usually felt helpless throughout the application process unless I had a connection in the company. With the Software Guild, I automatically had connections and the chance to interview with multiple companies even before I graduated. I started to get a feel for what a technical interview is like right away and saw fellow apprentices receive job offers even before graduation.
The cons include:
-The work load. You must work hard - this is not a guaranteed pass or a guaranteed job. You must put in a great deal of effort for this acheivement.
-The cost. It is expensive and the apprentice can at most work a small part-time job.
-The initial job situation. If you have a good full-time job, you will need to give it up before starting the in-person bootcamp. There is also no guarantee that you will get a job immediately. You will need to work hard to apply and pursue the interview skills necessary in order to land a job.
With my own experience, I would highly recommend the in-person bootcamp of the Software Guild. It isn't for everyone, but if you are determined to be a developer, it is a great option. |
| | Mark | Amazing experience. Made great friends. They helped me get a well paying job right when it ended. The bootcamp made me well prepared for the job I have in downtown Cleveland and I couldn’t be more pleased by how everything turned out.
**It was not available but I attended the Software guild in Cleveland |
| | William Lopez | Great curriculum, learned a great deal about development. They prepare you well to enter the work force as a developer in a short period of time. The employer network is very strong and I was able to find work within 90 days of graduation. The Instructors are extremely hands on and helpful explaining problems and how you might solve them. I had a very positive experience with the Software Guild and feel it was well worth the investment.
I actually attended the Akron Location in may of 2017 but they have since closed that branch. |
| | Anonymous | I have nothing bad to say about my experience with The Software Guild. The curriculum and instruction was excellent. I found a full time position before even graduating. What more could I ask for? |
