Tech Talent & Strategy

I recently completed the full-time Tech Talent South program in Atlanta. First, I will say that the Tech Talent South website does not lie when it says that you will learn a lot. From starting with HTML/CSS we moved into bootstrap and then into ruby and finally spending the majority of the time focusing on Ruby on Rails. In rails, we built a simple blog, twitter app, ecommerce app and many other projects during the course. After 8 weeks of almost non-stop coding in HTML/CSS, Ruby and Ruby on Rails I can honestly say that I learned quite a lot of material. I am still going through and digesting everything that my brain took in. Overall the course was very good and I felt that the instructors were very helpful. I often stayed after each class to do some more coding and an instructor was always present to answer any of my questions. Another great aspect of the course were the field trips/ guest speakers that came and spoke to the class. These experiences provided invaluable insight to the world of being a developer. I would highly recommend this course to anyone that was thinking about getting into the world of coding-for you will learn a lot! 

Before I started the Learn to Code course in Charlotte, I wondered if I'd really be coding in only 8 weeks. But after completing Tech Talent South's full-immersion Learn to Code course, I can tell you for sure that it's for real.

I think of it as an equation:
Learn to Code in 8 weeks = discipline/dedication + resources/support system.

The first half of the equation was up to me. Just like anything else, learning how to do something new takes hard work. You must do the homework, come to class, play an active role, ask questions…that sort of stuff.

The second half of the equation was all Tech Talent South. They provided all the support, resources and tools needed to learn to code in 8 weeks. They provided an engaging classroom setting (you learn by doing…no lectures here), skilled and knowledgeable instructors (they have a genuine interest in your success), and extracurricular networking and education events with companies and leaders in your community (so you can get a job when you finish).

I can't enough good things about my experience with Tech Talent South and learning to code. I highly recommend them.

What first attracted me to TTS is that is affordable and they offer a part-time program. I wanted to learn to program to gain both technical and management skills. While it was an investment, it has already paid off in helping me get a new job as a Senior eCommerce Manager and to make informed business decisions while I work on my own business. Our instructor was a senior level Ruby programmer who adjusted the pace of the class to meet our needs and made himself available outside of class time. I am thankful TTS helped me get started in my endeavor to learn to code and they continue to be a resource to us even after the program ended.

I studied under Tech Talent South's Winter-2014 part-time cohort and was able to focus on exactly the stack I was interested in learning more about with no impact on a busy full-time work schedule. I've been working in information technology for 7 years in an academic medical context. As a Sr. Applications Support Developer with a specialization in robotics-based medical simulation, I was interested in learning more about the programming behind some of the web-based applications that help breathe life into the simulators I support. Though I had some HTML and CSS under my belt through undergrad/grad school, I began learning a little more about web-based app development on my own through web resources like Codecademy, etc. While these resources were helpful, I was finding a need for more meaningful contact with folks who had been in the trenches of professional app development. As I was beginning to create a thorough, self-directed study plan to pursue, a friend told me about TTS and I was ecstatic to discover that they offered a part-time immersion program in Atlanta. Having researched dev immersion programs in cities like San Francisco and Chicago, I found myself interested in what some of the programs were offering, but moving, albeit temporarily, would've been pretty tough both personally and professionally. For what I wanted to learn, TTS was practically tailor-made both in terms of class content and the part-time schedule. I was able to continue working full-time, enjoy the challenges of a part-time immersion program, and study with experienced programmers in a classroom that was only a 5-minute drive from home. Of course, occasionally grabbing a beer after class with our instructor and fellow students made the experience all the greater. TTS offered a challenging dive into the stack of programming languages shared on their site and I was impressed not only with the experience and expertise of our instructor, but particularly his commitment to go the extra mile during and outside of class to really mentor us and ensure that we understood what was being covered. In addition to the exposure we got to the languages covered, I really valued the emphasis on honing the crucial creative and critical thinking skills innate to good programming. While I wasn't able to attend anywhere near as many as I would've liked to given my work schedule, I was impressed by the number of opportunities to attend guest speaker engagements at TTS, not to mention how hard the TTS crew worked to ensure we knew about meet-ups around town, job opportunities, and alumni discounts for tech events. Since completing the part-time immersion program, I've grown considerably in my current position. I've had not only the opportunity to play an integral role in the development and support of web sites relating to the Center I support, but I'm able to speak more fluently and adroitly about web-based applications I co-support with vendors. TTS immersion has been an empowering and beneficial experience for me... It instilled a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning.

I just finished the part-time program with Tech Talent South last month and had a really positive experience. I was wanting to transition careers within the next year and thought that adding coding to my art/design background would allow me more options. Prior to attending Tech Talent South I had tried to teach myself coding and found it to be a frustrating process. I finally realized I needed a more supportive environment. The people at Tech Talent South are great. They are friendly and accessible. Betsy (co-founder) talked to me in-depth on the phone and through emails answering all my questions about the program. Richard (co-founder) also talked to me by phone/email and attended most of the classes and events. He checked up on the students constantly and was there to help each of us with anything that was needed. The level of support in this program is tremendous. The classes themselves were both fun and informative. Robby, the instructor, was really good at engaging the class in the difficult concepts. He was very patient and made sure to review often and to constantly assess where everyone was during the course.

The program is very fast-paced and you need to do the homework and/or additional tutorials in order to learn what you need to know. I did not receive a full-time job offer after the program, however, I was not looking for one at this time. I am under contract with my current employer for at least another year. There are plenty of opportunities to get internships and/or to meet with prospective employers. I did obtain a part-time internship with a really cool start-up. This should allow me to gain more experience for when I am ready to transition over to a design or programming position. Tech Talent South is still in contact with me even after the program ended and still provides support, etc. I definitely recommend this program if you are wanting to learn coding and become more familiar with the programming and/or start-up community.

The thing I learned most from this class is how to code. I thought it was a great introductory and quick way to pick up this skill. The lessons were great, and I loved how the projects helped apply the skills we learned. I also loved how the other classmates were all here to learn and the fact that the class does not focus on the grades but instead creates an environment to learn, practice, and make mistakes. However, one thing I wish the class did better on was to spend more of class working on practice problems rather than being lecture heavy. I think that the best way to get better at coding is just practice.

The biggest challenge I overcame at TTS was the fact that I had no prior coding experience or knowledge. I think that the class can sometimes move quickly and be hard for people that come in not knowing anything. I was fortunate enough to have a lot of time on my hand to spend extra hours practicing and studying. I think the homework and projects are great, but I do not think it is enough to truly grasp and understand all the concepts you learn.  

As I continued to take the TTS class and beef up my resume, I was constantly looking for job opportunities. Luckily, I was given an offer at a company called Infor. Infor is a global leader in business cloud software products for companies in industry-specific markets. Infor builds complete industry suites in the cloud and efficiently deploys technology that puts the user experience first, leverages data science, and integrates easily into existing systems. TTS allowed me to have the skills needed to be in an analyst position using things like excel and how to manipulate and look at data. My position as a Renewal Operation Analyst allows me to provide processing, support, and data maintenance for the Maintenance and Subscription Renewal Process.  The Renewal Operations Analyst will have daily use of the IDB (Installations Database), which houses the Maintenance & Support products, current maintenance dates, pricing, and all other data pertaining to renewal billing for all of Infor’s customers.

I want to thank TTS and this whole program for equipping me and training me with the skill necessary to be successful in a tech role. With this new position, I hope to continue to use the skills I gained through TTS and move into a management role. I want to go back to school and get my MBA and hopefully start my own tech business. I believe that tech is the future. I am very thankful I was able to learn and grow through a company like TTS. I will continue to remember this company and continue to tell my up-and-coming college graduates to look into TTS if they want to learn and pick up coding skills. 

I just want to warn anyone thinking about joining a Bootcamp, don't do it. There are better sources online (like Free Code Camp) that can help you learn by yourself, I really wish I knew better.
In short, I attended the Ruby Fullstack program in 2017 alongside with 8 more people from different backgrounds. How many of them got a job after the Bootcamp? None, how many still code? Very few, I saw someone who went to college for a CS degree, besides that, all of their Github repos look like cemetery. 
I work as a developer, but not thanks to the Bootcamp. I took the long road, understanding that time needed is relative because we all have different backgrounds, so instead of looking for a "coder in 3 months" deal, I thought of it in mastery approach, I got Colt Steele's Fullstack course on Udemy and did it slowly from start to finish, not moving until I really understood everything, I complemented what I learned with FCC, doing their challenges and getting projects in my portfolio. I followed different courses, took it one step at the time until I was ready to get a job (and I say get because once you are in there, there is much more to learn!).
My honest advice is for you to take the longer road, build yourself slowly but with very strong foundations, not in a rush but without stopping. I wish someone had told be this before spending all that money, that is why I felt the need to write this review even when this happened three years ago.

After leaving my job I wanted to pursue a career in Coding, to flesh-out my skills in the I.T. field. I came across their FULSTACK development Course.

I researched around and decided to take the 12 week course. The bootcamp was a great introduction to the Basics of programming in HTML, CSS, JAVAscript, JAVA, some awareness of Atlassian, Jira, Project Development, and Cloud.

It really sets you up to learn different programming languages and frameworks. I met a lot of great people during my time at TTS.

My instructor did awesome at explaining the lessons and you could tell he really cared about teaching the class.

The only thing I would have liked to see more of in the 12 week bootcamp is covering a more through approach to the relevant technologies and start each section with the introductory  "Lingo" aka learn the vocabulary, defintions, and associative examples that would be used in this context to really solidfy the acquisition of the "Knowledge Base" that would in turn Level up my Skillsets.

Also, some applicable job interview prep or solid assistance in getting my foot in the door would be welcoming. It is definitely not an easy course so be prepared to give it your all or else you might not get as much out of it as others who do.

 

Overall, I would definitely recommend taking some TTS classes to anyone who is trying to get into the field or just trying to learn something new.

Just mediocre. The instructors were surprisingly recent TTS grads, and had no teaching experience. They really struggled to match the levels of the students. Some of us were totally new and others had been programming for a bit on their own. The promise of 8 weeks and a lower price than alternatives seemed great, but in the end, 8 weeks just wasn't enough.

The curriculum was solid on what it covered, but didn't go into enough depth to really get us ready to work. Some people worked very hard in the class, and learned more, others didn't, and learned less. We did some company tours, but otherwise found the job assistnace lacking after we graduated, and months later, most of my class didn't seem to be working as developers.