Pre-Dojo:
As a mortgage loan advisor
Looking for a second career opportunity?
I was afraid of failing in bootcamp, but I researched various teaching methods and finally decided Coding Dojo was the best.
After Dojo:
Bank of America – Systems & Software QA Analyst
Through the program, he made close friends and grew his professional network.
He is determined to climb the ladder of leadership in his new career.
Program: Full-Time Online Three Stack Bootcamp
Testimonial:
It was amazing to see the progress I made in each stack compared to my starting point. Although there were many obstacles, “strength through struggles” is a great way to grow as a developer.
Please tell us a bit about yourself. What were you doing professionally before you started bootcamp?
My name is Matt Nothdurft, (pronounced Nor-duft), and I’m from Scranton. I am 25 years old. My favorite hobbies include spending time with family and friends, golfing, and singing. I am developing a passion in coding but it still needs to be debugged. Prior to the program, I was a mortgage loan advisor.
Why did you choose to enroll in the bootcamp, other than the desire to learn how to code?
I did my research on coding and regret not starting to pursue it. A family member recommended coding bootcamps to me and it was never too late. I wanted to have another chance at a career where I felt coding was a better fit.
What were your fears and doubts that prevented you from enrolling? How did you overcome them?
When I was deciding whether to give bootcamp a try, the fear of failing was something that I kept in my head. It was something I had to overcome. I researched each bootcamp’s teachings and chose the one that best suited my learning style.
What was the secret to Coding Dojo’s success? Why did you choose Coding Dojo over other programs?
It was in a classroom with teachers and assistants. Coding is not an easy task. I felt most comfortable learning from someone else, rather than a prerecorded video.
How was it to get ready for bootcamp? Were you nervous, excited, etc.? How did you prepare?
This bootcamp was my attempt at making my career a success. I was nervous about the first day, which didn’t end until I saw my name on the certificate. I did my research on what the bootcamp was like and tried to learn everything I could within the 2.5 week period from when I decided to change careers and enrolled. Coding Dojo was my main source of preparation for the bootcamp.
Take us through the first few weeks of the program. Which parts were your favorites? What parts did you struggle with?
I appreciate the fact that all of us start the bootcamp with Web Fundamentals. I found learning HTML and CSS easy, which really helped my confidence. Being artistic, I found it fun to design the front-end. Even the simplest code was difficult for me to understand, and I found it hard to say “oooo” and then “aaahh!”. JavaScript didn’t come to my mind as easily. Although I feel more confident now working with algorithms, it was a long journey. After I received the yellow-belt, it was time to move on to the next stack of Python. It was humbling to learn Python and Object Oriented Programming in the first few weeks.
What were your strategies for overcoming the difficulties you faced?
Two things are very important to me:
Ask your instructor or TA for assistance.
For your classmates, form a group.
They were very helpful when I was having trouble understanding certain concepts. It was also very beneficial to have the opportunity to help my classmates. It doesn’t matter if your name is on the certificate. It’s not a recommendation that you go through the bootcamp by yourself. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Do you have any funny stories to share about bootcamp? Make friends! Do you have fond memories?
Two stacks of instructors I had had a tradition of using video filters Fridays. It was always fun. I made many friends who I still keep in touch with often. There were many great conversations that were both enjoyable and relaxing. I once stood firm against 20-30 students to argue that Twizzlers weren’t bad, a day before a lecture. They were Thanos’s army and I was Captain America. It’s important to have fun while coding and taking breaks.
How did you feel about your job prospects and skills as you neared graduation?
After web basics, I asked my instructor if they felt confident they could do this professionally. They replied, “by the third stack.” I am now a graduate and can confirm that. If you have never been to this place before, it is unlikely that you will be able to vouch for it.