Changing your career path is often thought of as scary, unheard of, and unachievable. How does it happen? Is it too late for it to happen? Learn from our graduates who made the jump and stuck the landing.
How these Bootcamp Grads Changed their Careers.
Changing your career path is often thought of as scary, unheard of, and unachievable. Can it even happen? How does it happen? Is it too late for it to happen? Well, with Upright Education and Norwich University, our Software Development and UX/UI Design bootcamps are full of graduates who made the jump and stuck the landing.
Meet Olivia Hartwig (they/them), and Erin Soggs (she/her). Both are in their late 20s/early 30s, and neither were in roles remotely close to anything technical. Before the bootcamp, Hartwig was 10 years into a career in ceramics, and Soggs was working in event marketing.
For both of them, there came a time when they knew they needed to make a dynamic career shift.
Making The Change
For Soggs, it was apparent that she needed to make a shift when she began experiencing burnout.
“I was working in event marketing,” Soggs notes. “I was starting to get burnt out, and had always wanted to learn how to code. I didn’t have any tech skills and wanted to learn how to create websites.”
With Hartwig, a career change meant opportunities for growth they could not find in their current industry. “I had invested 10 years into a vibrant ceramics career. That field is very shallow in regards to employment opportunities and career growth.” Their job no longer matched their career goals.
Despite their different life paths, they both chose to attend the Software Development Bootcamp to achieve their dreams of growth and creativity.
“I discovered [the bootcamp] when researching new career opportunities,” says Hartwig. “I went to some intro sessions, watched two different cohort’s Demo Day presentations, and spoke with Alex Horner (Upright’s admissions manager) several times before making the plunge. It was a long process to decide, but when I did, it was absolutely the right timing. I chose this program because of the kindness and community that grounds what is clearly an excellent educational curriculum.”
Attending Norwich University’s Software Development Bootcamp
Each individual took the steps they needed towards changing their lives. At the Software Development Bootcamp, they spent 12 weeks learning about:
- Front-End Development
- Client-Side Programming
- Application Frameworks
- Server-Side Coding
- Databases
- Product Management
- Career, Interview, and Resume Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
“The curriculum left me feeling incredibly prepared to apply for jobs right out of the gate, and excited to continue to hone my new skills and abilities,” says Hartwig. “For me it was a perfect balance of skill and relationship building, which is exactly what I needed in order to change careers and by extension, my life.”
Through the bootcamp’s project-based learning and real-world curriculum, they didn’t just learn the theory of coding—they did it. After completing their coursework and professional development training, they both had a portfolio of top-tier work and were qualified to apply for jobs in the Software Development field (despite having been in different industries for years).
For Sogg, she quickly made the successful transition from marketer to developer. “[the program] has been really helpful in my career. Instructors offer their help even after the bootcamp is over because you will ALWAYS have questions! The community coordinator goes out of her way to introduce graduates to hiring partners to help them land a job,” explains Soggs. “I did get a job three months after [the program]. I’m working as a junior developer right now. Everyday is new! There’s always a new framework to learn, and no shortage of bugs to fix. It’s never boring!”
For Hartwig, they have landed a role as an Enterprise Web Developer for a marketing agency in New England.
“[The bootcamp] has enabled me to make a huge shift in my career,” says Hartwig. “Though I am still on the beginning of this path, I have no doubts that I am equipped to harness the momentum of the course to be successful in this industry.
Change Your Career Path
The first step in deciding to make a career shift is to actually make the choice to change. The second step is to take actions towards giving yourself the skills necessary to start your dream career. No matter when you take those steps, Hartwig and Soggs prove that it’s never too late to change course towards something better.
Looking to take the jump? You can research our career changing opportunities and our coding bootcamps at Norwich University’s Bootcamp Website. Our team can’t wait to help you accomplish something truly great.