Disclaimer: Coding Dojo cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. The experience of this alumnus/alumna may not be representative of all students.
Pre-Dojo:
- Worked as a bar back at a local arcade
- Was tired of pursuing industries and jobs he wasn’t passionate about
- Wanted to find a career where he could be the best version of himself, continue to learn, and help others
After Dojo:
- Works as a Cybersecurity Technical Coach
- Developed a professional network and made lifelong friends
- Has a varied and strong knowledge foundation to build on and is comfortable facing new challenges.
Program: Online Part-Time Cybersecurity
Graduation Date: January 2023
Testimonial:
“As graduation approached I felt comfortable with the skills I had gained through the program. I knew however that there was still so much to learn, but having such a varied and strong foundation to build on made me comfortable to face new challenges.”
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Tell us a little about yourself! Age, hobbies, passions, where you grew up, where you live now, and any other fun facts!
My name is John, I’m 25 years old. Hobbies and passions include riding motorcycles, skydiving, photography, animation/vfx, and continuing to learn more about cybersecurity, ethical hacking, and programming. Also recently started getting into raspberry pi projects. I grew up in Chicago, IL and now live in Skokie, IL. Other fun facts include being a cat dad.
What were you doing professionally before bootcamp?
Before bootcamp I had spent years working in a number of different security fields, the longest being in high liability transportation and ATM servicing. I switched industries a few times with the most extreme thing being a skydive instructor and ultimately worked at a really cool old school arcade bar in Chicago while attending the bootcamp.
Tell us why you enrolled in Coding Dojo? Were you unhappy with your current role? Yearning for a change in career path?
I enrolled in the Coding Dojo because I was tired of pursuing industries and jobs I really wasn’t passionate about. The thing that motivated me the most was the long term goal I had set for myself after spending so many years feeling like I was wasting time. My goal was to find a career I could be the best version of myself in as well as a place I could continue to learn, be challenged, and help others too. I’ve always wanted my work to make a difference in the world but never really found a path offered anywhere else where I could learn to do that. Coding Dojo offered the flexibility, tools, and knowledge to help me achieve my goal.
Why did you choose Coding Dojo over other bootcamps?
The biggest factor in helping me decide to attend Coding Dojo over other bootcamp programs was the Career Services and the voucher program (CompTIA Sec+ & CompTIACySA+ vouchers) offered at program completion. Not many other bootcamps I looked into offered these services and having that extra assistance was a big game changer both during and after completing the course.
What were your thoughts going into bootcamp? Were you nervous? Excited? All of the above?
Nervous and excited are pretty good words to sum up the feelings leading up to the start of the bootcamp. I always wondered, did I know enough? Will it be too hard? Will I have time? Is it worth it? What if I don’t get a job? There’s a lot of doubt that can be really noisy when starting something new, but just knowing that you came here to learn and giving it your all definitely helps cut through it.
Did you face any obstacles in bootcamp? If so, how did you overcome them?
I believe the biggest obstacle I faced during bootcamp was time. I had to find time and make time. The bootcamp was a commitment and just like many other commitments, sometimes you have to sacrifice some things to make sure you stay on task. A lot of times frustration with certain lessons and assignments would set in but there was always someone I could reach out to if I ever had a problem I absolutely couldn’t solve.
What was it like during your first few weeks in bootcamp? What did you enjoy? What did you struggle with?
The first few weeks of bootcamp were really exciting. I enjoy learning and being challenged so being introduced to a ton of new programs and terminology and figuring out how it all works together was a lot of fun. The thing I struggled with most would probably be just taking quicker notes. There’s so much new information and it all seems so important, but with time you find the balance of what’s more and what’s less important for notes.
What advice would you share with others considering bootcamp? What about those currently in bootcamp?
Advice I would give to someone considering this bootcamp is… if you’re serious about changing careers and want to get your best foot forward for the future, start today. I find myself now often saying “I wish I started yesterday” and a lot of other people in the field I have found say the same thing. It’s a commitment and investment in yourself and for the sacrifice you make now you can set yourself up to have a super awesome career in a field you might have never imagined yourself in. The sooner you start, the sooner you will get to where you need to go.
For those currently in bootcamp, I know it gets difficult and there’s a ton of confusion and frustration, and it can be overwhelming at times, but don’t give up. If you get stuck on a problem and you absolutely can’t figure it out, ask for help. You can learn a lot through struggle, but there’s a balance between learning and frustration. Remember you’re so much closer to reaching your goals today than you were yesterday. Remember that if you sincerely give it your all, you will succeed. You are not spending time, you are spending your life, make it count and do something amazing!
Do you have any fun memories to share about your time in bootcamp?
My best memories at bootcamp definitely always happened during the lecture sessions. To start off with, I always wore these pink cat-ear headphones that definitely made students and instructors smile, and just the general closeness you could build by taking the time to learn about other people. I still keep in contact with a lot of my fellow graduates from bootcamp and not only is it a good opportunity to network, but it’s also a great way to make lifelong friends.
What was your favorite stack, project, or module to learn? Why?
My all time favorite module to learn was about buffer overflow and the metasploit modules. I remember it being super exciting gaining access to my first vulnerable system and thinking to myself, wow I’m actually hacking, or exploiting, or vulnerability hunting. It was kind of like the stuff of movies but actually learning the skills and doing it reminded me of why I chose this. Buffer overflow was another good one because it had to be the longest running project we had but also the most rewarding.
As graduation approached, how confident were you in your new skill set?
As graduation approached I felt comfortable with the skills I had gained through the program. I knew however that there was still so much to learn, but having such a varied and strong foundation to build on made me comfortable to face new challenges.
Aside from credentials, what else did you leave bootcamp with? (soft skills, motivation, confidence, etc.)
Aside from credentials, I think more importantly I left with a really strong network of people I knew I would be interacting with even after we graduated. I think that this was really important because you get that sense of camaraderie and support from people who have gone through the same things you have. I’m really happy whenever I see the people I graduated with pass new certifications or start new positions.
How did the job hunt go? Where did you end up working?
After graduation the job hunt became very serious, but I am very thankful I wasn’t alone in it. My Career Services Representative was definitely a great motivator and resource to point me in the right direction and keep me going even when the job hunt was becoming frustrating. I had amazing opportunities to interview with different government agencies, defense contractors, and ultimately landed at FlatIron School as Cybersecurity Technical Coach.
What did it feel like to receive your first job offer? Or to get that first paycheck in tech?
My first reaction to my first job offer was relief believe it or not. I was just very happy to be in the field I had studied so hard to become a part of. My first check and swag kit really helped make it feel all the more real knowing I’m actually here, making a difference in my life and in the lives of others also wanting to better their career opportunities.
What are your goals and dreams for the future? Career or otherwise.
My ultimate goal is to work alongside the amazing minds at the Army’s Military Intelligence Brigade and help others get their start in their own cybersecurity careers as well.
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If you are interested in pursuing a new career path, Coding Dojo bootcamp offers accelerated learning programs designed to help you learn the skills you want. We offer both part-time and full-time online coding programs, as well as programs training you on Data Science and Cybersecurity. We also offer financing options, scholarships, and other tuition assistance programs for those who qualify.
If you want to invest in yourself, there is no time like the present! If you’re interested, use this link to schedule a 15-minute exploratory session with one of our Admissions Advisors today.
REQ1942461 6/2023