The Tech Academy

What makes the Tech Academy great is their focus on two fundamentals of any job in tech: 1) Having an understanding of how computers work on a big picture level and how that relates to programming and software development. 2) Having the ability to work through problems on your own in order to become a problem solver. That second fundamental essentially sums up the responsibility of an IT professional; getting paid to solve problems. However, The Tech Academy's commitment to instilling a foundation in the first fundamental is what separates it from other programs. I graduated with a degree in Philosophy and wanted to pursue a career in Data Science. I knew that I needed to learn how to code, and tried to teach myself. I found myself struggling and realized it was because I didn't have that fundamental understanding of how computers work. The Tech Academy gave me that fundamental understanding that most software developers learn from a computer science degree. Instead I learned it in a couple of weeks for a fraction of the cost of a 4 yr CS degree. A great tennis player needs an experienced coach to teach them proper technique, and plenty of practice to master that technique. The same is true about programming. The truth is that no boot camp will make you into a software developer; only you can by practicing how to solve problems on your own. However, The Tech Academy teaches you the fundamentals of how to solve problems. I highly recommend this program to get you started in the Tech industry.

I recently got a job as a data analyst for a start-up and know that I would not have got the job had I not enrolled in the Tech Academy. Enroll in the Tech Academy and within a few months you will have separated yourself from other candidates for a job by learning how to code, and most importantly learning how to solve problems. 

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The TECH Academy is an outstanding program for people like me who are changing careers and need a quick start into the software development field. If you are devoted to that course of action and diligent about your time, you can pass through the coursework pretty quickly--it took me less than four months.
Toward the end of your studies, you'll want to avail yourself of the job placement course materials, as well as the helpful advice of the job placement manager. It takes a lot of persistent effort to find a job, and you need a thick skin to ignore the many folks who will turn you down. However, all of that will be soon forgotten after you land an excellent job. I actually received three job offers and had a difficult time choosing among them. The offer I selected far exceeds my wildest hopes. This was possible because I consistently impressed folks during the technical aptitude portion of various interviews--and this was possible because of the excellent teaching materials I received. The Tech Academy "delivered" far more than what I expected when I first arrived.

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I had taken a 200-level Introduction to Database Systems course from an accredited online school not too long ago. The course was 8-weeks-long and covered some design-related material without getting into too much scripting. Prior to taking the Tech Academy’s database/SQL course, I figured that I probably knew enough that this would be fairly redundant. In all honesty, the Tech Academy’s version actually covered more material in a shorter amount of time. I especially enjoyed the Joes2pros.com material, which forced you to visualize the data as objects and able to be manipulated as such.

As a dB developer, the primary job will involve not ever losing any data and turning it all into useful information. Learning Microsoft’s dB management system is extremely valuable since a good percentage of businesses use Microsoft’s systems to run most of their operation. Learning scripting that works alongside SQL would be the next step to make this into a holistic knowledge base.

Since I actually would eventually like to work as a database designer or manager, learning more SQL scripting and different management systems is going to be key (no pun intended). I am probably going to visit and revisit this information fairly regularly so that I don’t lose it from lack of use. The information that I’ve learned from this course is definitely a good starting point in the career, doing some fairly basic-level work. It will be up to me to learn more and master the skill.

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When I talk to developers at work, I often find that they start in the middle of an explanation and assume that everyone knows certain “basics”, which is not true. It was great to pick up several things in this course that I did not know before, and to clarify a few things that I didn't have quite correct in my head, so that I can follow these conversations more easily. I have always worked with the front end of software in the past, as a trainer and project manager. The computer basics course was a great way for me to start my transition to working with the back end of computer programs as a developer.

Although I am staying in the tech world, I am basically changing my career into one of software development, and this program is the first step. I think the transition would be much more difficult without a course like this that starts with some basics. I am very grateful to have gotten this basic information to work from, rather than jumping right into coding and assuming that students know all of these computer basics. It is one of the key factors that led me to enroll in The Tech Academy.

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First off I want to thank the Tech Academy for this course. I have never been so excited to learn about a subject and use the data I have learned. The Basic Computer course was tough in that there was a ton of new data that I did not know, but was laid out in a way that built on to the next thing. I was nervous at what appeared to be a daunting task, but as I went along I gained more understanding and confidence that I could do this and would do this. The way the terms are defined, in real words that a normal human can understand, was brilliant and helped my understanding of the subject immensely.

The main thing I got out of this course was the idea that computers seem complicated but are very simple when you understand how they work and what all those terms mean. This in my mind was the perfect step to the beginning of a new skill for me. I am confident that I can use all of this information in the next courses and will NEED it in order to truly be a good programmer. I also have the confidence that when I need to know more that I CAN gain that knowledge and apply it. I know without a doubt, that I can apply the knowledge learned on this course to BE a great programmer and that has me very excited to continue on this journey!
 

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The SQL course was extremely useful. I gained three valuable skills from the course. First, I downloaded and became familiar with the SQL Server Management Studio. This tool is instrumental in the development and deployment of SQL Server applications. Prior to the course I had not used the interface that is the very backbone of all our company applications. I am now able to open our projects in SQL Server and effectively query them, which leads to the second benefit. The course provided the fundamental underpinnings to begin building and querying databases. This includes opening a new solution; building the database tables with proper keys and columns; and performing the most essential queries against the database. Finally, the course provided a valuable introduction to more detailed database development work such as stored procedures, assigning variables and protecting the database from unwanted and potentially devastating intrusions. Equally important, it necessitated outside research to complete a few of the tasks - a basic tenant of software development.

I have already put the tools to use in my current career. Until now I have always relied on my colleagues to query our many database applications for even the most basic information - such as how many users are subscribed. Within the first few lessons I was able to access the solutions and run queries against the databases. By the end of the course my in-house developer was almost willing to have me updating rows. Almost. Moving forward, I plan to take over the development and debugging of one of our smaller applications. This course has provided the fundamentals to begin that process.
 

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I found all the information covered in this course very useful in terms of preparing myself for a software developer career in the IT industry. I can use all the information I learned on this course to make informed and smart decisions when designing a program for a computer.

Even after completing the CompTIA A+ certificate program, completing this course has given me a clearer and broader understanding of how the entire computer system works. I have also acquired a better understanding of all the complicated computer terminology and concepts that were difficult for me to understand. I really admire how all the information provided in this course was presented with such clarity and with the use of practical examples.
 

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I’ve learned SQL before (and I use it on a daily basis at work already), but going through this course cleared up so many questions I’ve had about SQL up until now. It was especially helpful in gaining a better mastery of joins, and trying out my hand at stored procedures for the first time. It also taught me how tedious manual inserting a hundred rows of data can be. I’m looking forward to more advanced coding tricks that will make this even easier, and can’t wait to finally connect the dots between how the UI connects to the DB!

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The topics covered in this course of Computer Basics (first course in the Software Developer Boot Camp at The Tech Academy) are arguably the most overlooked in IT. The importance of understanding the simplest elements of the computer can not be stressed enough in any technical position. I've learned that even with years of experience in the industry there are still things that I was not properly educated on. In this new trajectory of software development I realize the need to further my knowledge & continue to learn, to never take for granted that something I have a general understand of will be “good enough”.

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In a more detailed sense, I learned a new programming language (for me anyway). Learning the syntax was good and it was very beneficial to see how PHP and HTML/CSS interacted with each other. I haven't spent any significant time on my own (prior to TechAcademy) learning how web pages are requested/made/sent, so this was great to see the server-side of things while learning deep fundamentals of programming in general via a specific language. Things like conditional statements, loops, and programmer defined functions will be essential concepts of any programming language, and this course gave me a great foundation in understanding those.

The core concepts of programming learned here in this course transcend the programming language being used. So most of what I have learned, even if I don't do a lot with PHP specifically in the future, is 100% transferable to knowledge that can be applied when thinking about the process of creating code (programming) in general and when utilizing a different programming language. For me the big take away in this course were the little "best practices" advice given throughout the videos. Learning about good shorthand syntax to use, being made aware of poor shorthand syntax to avoid, being shown little thing that help keep code organized and readable while developing, and seeing multiple ways to accomplish certain tasks are all part of this best practice section that I really took to heart.

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The program that Erik and Jack have created here at Tech Academy is truly one of a kind and simply brilliant in its execution and distribution of knowledge. Even though I will doubt myself along the way, I know that all the resources needed for success, (and then some), are all available to me. I have been a little shy about asking for help when I hit a wall in my first week, but I feel more confident with the knowledge that even the veterans of the industry still have questions similar to my own. And that there is a strong network of people that will catch me when I fall and guide me with instruction when I am struggling to grasp a concept or start treading water. 

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Ahhh Javascript! :) Before taking the course, I had a limited amount of familiarity with Javascript and its syntax. I feel like I gained a lot of practical knowledge about the jQuery library from taking this Javascript course. I really enjoyed going through the hands on tutorials in the videos and doing the exercises -many Aha moments for me! It let me see the bigger picture of how powerful the Javascript language is. The exercises also provided just the right amount of challenge to allow me to spend time reading through documentation and figuring out the intricacies of jQuery. Overall, I learned to appreciate jQuery more and look forward to working with it more as I want to specialize in front end engineering in software development. Can't wait to learn other Javascript frameworks in the future, and I think this course provided a strong foundation in doing so!

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When I first heard about the Tech Academy’s claim of 100% job placement, I thought that it must be some type of scam. I quickly emailed the school and scheduled a tour to check things out. Once I came through the door, I realized that my fears had been entirely misplaced. It was readily apparent from talking to Erik that this was not about getting him rich quick, but about teaching students the skills that they needed to get a job that fit them.

I learned a lot more in the five months that I’ve been at Tech Academy than I expected to. I was sure that there was no way that I would be able to cram in all of the information in the curriculum in such a short time, but I did. The way that the courses are structured, with each building on the content of the previous, keeps everything that you’ve learned active in your brain and easy to recall when the next thing that you’re learning requires you to know it.

Where the program really came to life was the Live Project. I didn’t think I was at-all ready when I started it (are you starting to notice a trend?), but after two weeks of working on the project, I knew JavaScript and jQuery inside and out. In addition, I got to be introduced to working in a team using the Scrum methodology, which has proven to be a very attractive skill to prospective employers.

The instructors have been very supportive in my education. They’re always there to answer any of my questions and to give me a nudge if I need motivation. The lab-like environment that the school operates in has been very beneficial to me, personally. It has enabled me to do things at my pace, sometimes breakneck speeds and others at a slow but steady crawl.

Lastly, the school has been phenomenal about helping students to find jobs. They conduct weekly interviews with the students to see where they are in their studies and in the job hunt, and always offer to help with anything that the student needs. Also, Danny, the job placement director, has been very proactive about sending out my résumé to companies that he thinks would be a good fit for me. I ended up getting a position with a great company the day before I finished the program.

My experience with Tech Academy has been extraordinary and I would highly recommend the school to anyone who wants to pursue a career in the software development field.

Thank you,

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I was very pleased to make it through this program and land a job shortly after, exactly as intended/advertised. The curriculum was easy to understand and well thought out. Every exercise built upon lessons learned in previous exercises so you always felt prepared with the knowledge to accomplish your goal. The instructors were professional, friendly, and knowledgable and really understood how to steer you toward the solution rather than hand it over freely. Overall, I had a great experience and definitely recommend the program to others. FYI, I went in with no professional computer background. Read less

When I joined The Tech Academy a little over 5 months ago I did not know what to expect.  I came from having a little knowledge of programming in C#/XAML working on the Windows 8 platform.  I have to say that trying to teach myself C#/XAML was fun but I did not have a broad range of knowledge it was more like building a foundation a room at a time with big gaps between rooms.  After attending the school I really feel that I have a much higher understating of developing, and my foundation is so much stronger where I feel like I am ready to get a developer job.

Programming is not, read a book and become an expert, it’s a constant learning and following tech. I enjoyed my time at the Academy learning and helping fellow students.  Technology moves very fast therefore as a student I encourage each and every one of you to follow tech news like your job depends on it, (It kind of does).  If you want to learn one thing and hope that it will never change, being a programmer is not the right career for that. 

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