| | Betsy (Anne) Bailey | I came to Covalence knowing absolutely nothing about programming but eager to create a new opportunity for myself. I was initially anxious about my lack of experience (I had no idea what JavaScript was) but was relieved to find out many of my classmates were in the same position.
Covalence's instructors are undoubtedly what secures their program's reputation as a five-star boot camp experience and sets them apart from other programs. My instructors, Will and Jio, were enthusiastic about my learning experience and always ready to provide the help I required. They were willing to come in before class, stay after class, and even offered assistance on weekends if needed. This is not to mention that the entire Covalence community of instructors and students was only "a click away" 24/7 on Slack (a community messaging platform) to help with any problems or questions I had.
My classmates included beginning level programmers, as well as students who had considerable experience with code, and both experience levels were able to find what they needed with Covalence's curriculum. More experienced programmers were challenged and learned valuable new skills alongside classmates new to programming. The curriculum was fast paced and downright arduous at times, but it was designed to be so. Covalence was acutely aware of this and ready to step in to assist with or speed along my understanding when necessary. Our instructors genuinely valued the class's feedback and continuously made adjustments to the curriculum when appropriate. The last two weeks of class were dedicated to a final project, during which the instructors began to step back and challenged us to find solutions to our problems with less assistance from them. This time proved to be especially valuable as I became significantly more confident in my coding skills and my ability to perform on my own once in a job setting. Preparing for an entry-level programming job in ten weeks was a demanding process that required me to put in work outside of class in order to keep up with the concepts. If you are willing to dedicate personal time to your learning, this curriculum is designed for your success.
Initially, after graduating Covalence, I began the job search process and was pleased with the effort and enthusiasm Covalence's Director of Student Success, Kimberly, provided me with. She helped edit my resume and cover letters, would send us job listings, and reached out to potential employers on students' behalf.
I eventually decided to continue my programming education instead of directly entering the workforce. I'll soon be moving from Tennessee to California to pursue a degree in computer science. I'm attending a program I surely wouldn't have gotten into without the education and portfolio Covalence equipped me with. I do, however, believe I would have been ready to begin my career as a Full Stack Engineer after attending Covalence had I chosen to.
Well, there you have it! Should you decide to attend Covalence I hope you are able to thrive with them just as I have. Good Luck! |
