? Welcome to the Hello!Bootcamp series, a StartSteps blog series where we turn the spotlight on our Bootcamp Partners. Chatting with their students, graduates & team members –
allowing them to introduce themselves & share what makes their bootcamp the obvious choice for someone to study with.
… What is the learning environment like, what are the expected challenges & triumphs, what differentiates their bootcamp to others – what are some success stories… and why do they think someone should work in tech.
?Please welcome our guest & bootcamp – Ben from Coyotiv!
After exploring various career options, Ben found a passion for web programming and decided to transition into the tech industry.
He discovered the Coyotiv bootcamp, where he acquired the skills and knowledge necessary to become a Full-stack Software Developer and land his current job.
Hi Ben, can you tell us a little about yourself & your background before Coyotiv?
Before starting a career in tech I had studied Philosophy and Social Sciences. I had also worked worked some years as media manager, system administrator and project manager for a company that recycles solar modules. These jobs were okay but at some point I wanted to know more about modern web programming. This is when I found Coyotiv School of Software Engineering.
What are the core skills needed to succeed as a Full-Stack Software Engineer? How did your time at Coyotiv get you prepared for this role?
The course at Coyotiv prepared me for practically everything I do in my daily work now. Besides learning JavaScript and the JavaScript eco-system we also learned git, GitHub, Docker, VSCode, some basic HTML and CSS, UML, Jest and many many more things. We also learned about modern teamwork in a remote environment with Messengers, Video Chat Software and other tools. This was definitely a good preparation.
Despite using JavaScript during the course, it was comparably easy for me to get used to TypeScript, and I could pick it up within the first few weeks in my new company.
The same counts for the framework: during the course we used Vue.JS in the frontend. But later it felt easy to learn React, the concepts and ideas behind both are somewhat comparable.
How would you describe your experiences with Coyotiv during the course and after graduation?
The course time was a great experience for me. We were small but interested group of peer learners, always chatting and helping each other. This also taught us some core skills needed for programming: communication, team work and being cooperative. These were important lessons: especially in the beginning it is nearly impossible to understand and learn everything on your own. Having some peers around who go through the same process of learning was very helpful. Sharing thoughts and ideas about all the new concepts and technologies that we were introduced to, made it easier to internalize the new knowledge.
The instructors always had an open ear for questions and it was great to have someone around who shares their knowledge and personal experiences with programming. The course also had some lessons about career building. Here we learned about the insights of the tech branch, how to prepare for interviews, what to expect during the application process. This was a great addition to the technical part.
After graduation I took some time off for holidays. After that I proceeded learning and also started applying for jobs. I was very happy to see that the interview process went well. I felt that the course with its various topics and aspects had prepared me very well. After some time I had found some nice companies who were interested in hiring me.
Why should someone choose Coyotiv?
Coyotivs idea for teaching and providing knowledge was a unique experience for me. Even though I had some previous knowledge I learned a lot during the 13 weeks of the course. This was mainly due to the fact that the team work went very well. But also the knowledge provided, deep technical insights into topics were a factor. Coyotiv does not teach programming where you learn keywords by heart – like many online courses do. But rather teaches concepts, explains software architecture and design principles. This enables you to pick up new technologies and programming languages easier in the long run. You are also introduced to a broad variety of tools, and learn the modern toolchain of web programming.
What’s a message you would love to share to people who’re thinking of jumping into tech?
Starting a career in tech is definitely worth it. It may be scary at first – and yes: there is a lot to learn. But with the right people, a good learning environment it can be a joyful experience. And before you know it the undefined cloud of all the new words, technologies, terms, programs and ideas that you are introduced to will have condensed into new knowledge.
And finally, what is your dream country to visit? Why?
I would like to visit the USA and make a bike trip through the Arizona desert and the west coast.
Thank you, Ben!
Coyotiv is a young and modern software engineering ecosystem of teaching, mentorship, and co-creation. It offers a 13-week, online, full-stack software engineering bootcamp. Coyotiv also offers training in career-building, interviewing, career options in tech, and public speaking in parts with a specialized career coach. And graduates receive lifetime access to the Coyotiv community.
Check-out courses from Coyotiv here.