| | Anonymous | I have a background in computer science, but hadn't worked in the field for a long time, so I needed to refresh my tech skills before re-joining the workforce. Initially I studied on my own through online courses, but realized an in person learning environment would be better. Thankfully I heard Michael Roberts speak at a Javascript meetup and within a day or two I met with Margaret and Michael and realized SDCS was just what I needed. I signed up immediately and dove in.
I appreciated that the course was self-paced which meant from the start I could quickly review what I was familiar with, like basic programming concepts, database design, and Javascript, but take more time to learn material new to me, like Redux, Express, Node, and APIs. I appreciated the blend of learning and coding projects so that I could immediately practice what I learned. You also end up with a portfolio of project work that is great during the job hunt. The 4 week group project gave me real-life experience that was invaluable in transitioning into my job - our team of four experienced an Agile project, with daily standups, grooming sessions, sprints, Git workflow, PR reviews, etc...that are critical to my current success as a software engineer.
The other students were great and the environment encourages collaboration and learning from one another. On Day 1 you might be asking tons of questions, but pretty soon you start answering others' questions, which just helps solidify what you are learning. We pair programmed every Saturday morning, which is amazing practice for whiteboarding/coding interviews. We also mob programmed every Sunday, which helps you learn to work with a variety of people who have different competencies and also pushes you to communicate technically effectively.
I landed a job while I was still at SDCS, so I didn't take part in the post-course job services, but I know that Michael will support anyone's career search fully, as long as you are putting in the effort. And Margaret makes sure everything runs smoothly and that students stay on track. Michael and Margaret are people I hope to stay in contact with indefinitely.
All in all, my time at SDCS absolutely helped me launch myself back into software engineering. I highly recommend it. |
