From Matriculant to Full-Stack Developer in 9 months

We sat down with Brent to learn about his journey via Code College to become a full-stack developer.

Tell us about your school days and your thoughts about coding then?

I did not have coding at school, I only became interested and read a little bit about Python myself. I had good marks in matric and could have studied for a degree in Computer Science or Accounting but decided against it, because of the amount of time it takes to get into the job market.

What inspired you to study software development in 2022?

I have family members that are in the development field that told me about the big demand for software developers and also that it is an exciting, lucrative career which spans international boundaries. Most university graduates from University do not have the practical experience required and most have to undergo re-training in practical skills.

Why Code College? What stood out about Code College?

Code College has deep roots in the IT Consulting and Recruitment space and has close employer relationships. Their training model is very task-oriented and they encourage peer contact through teamwork which means peer and mentor support. It proved to be right because I never set foot in the class but I never felt alone.

Did you have to know basic coding to apply to Code College?

No, the Intro To Programming Course, started right at the bottom, covering the basics of HTML, CSS and Javascript individually and together to build small apps, so learning what programming is all about.

What was a typical day like in the Code College Java Bootcamp?

The Java Bootcamp consisted of 7 modules in total. Every module started off with a 5-day intensive curriculum to cover the fundamentals of the subject. This 5-day course was done in the classroom and live-streamed to remote students. The instructor kept the remote students as engaged as the students in the classroom. Every student had an even chance to participate in Q/A, discussions, screen sharing, presentations etc. This was followed by 3 weeks of practical assignments. During this stretch, we had daily online meetings, attended by both remote and classroom students. We also learned leadership skills by rotating team leadership positions. On our projects, we were encouraged to work in pairs and groups doing code reviews in pairs/groups. The instructors oversaw these meetings advising on issues.

How many hours per week did you need to spend on your studies?

I worked in my parent’s business, and I spent approximately 5-6 hours on my studies and 2-3 hours at work with my parents.

What was the teaching style like at Code College?

The teaching style is collaborative, learning by practising, peer collaboration and researching online. We were taught to be independent while staying close to our peers and mentors, and what to do when stuck. The instructors were facilitating the collaboration process to ensure the distribution of responsibilities, and that students stay on top of their work.

Since this was for you an Online Bootcamp, how did you connect with your fellow students and instructors?

We had chat groups for every module and with these, we collaborated 24/7. Our daily meetings and code reviews were conducted via the Code College Server on the Discord platform. The campus students and the remote students were collaborating throughout and attended the same meetings. Even though I was online, I never felt left out, because everyone was collaborating.

What did you actually learn in the Code College Coding Bootcamp?

I learned the tools needed to construct an application that can solve any business problem. I also learned how to separate the data (back-end) from the user interface (front-end), to be able to focus on each separately. The back end is responsible for storing the data in whichever format is required like SQL or NoSQL databases and exposing an API that can be consumed by a front-end application / Javascript-based framework like React / Angular. Java knowledge enables me to switch to any language quickly as Java is a very comprehensive learning environment. I also learned leadership and -admin skills.

What kinds of projects did you build in the Bootcamp?

I built a Weather App (React), Soccer League App (Java), Shopping Cart App (React), Spotify-like App (React), E-commerce App (MERN Stack), Real Estate App (React), Accommodation Booking App (React), Fast-food App (Spring Boot MVC), Test Driven Development in Spring Boot and React.

How did Code College prepare you for the job hunt?

Code College has an in-house recruitment partner, Compuways (established in 1990). They report on the most in-demand skills required by employers, our job preparation projects were designed according to current employer feedback. They helped us to prepare our CVs and to market ourselves in the job market and also marketed us to their own clients. I found a job on the internet, applied and an interview test was sent to me which was basically a MERN Stack App with CRUD functionality and user authentication which I completed within a week.

Which jobs did you feel qualified to apply for after completion?

• Junior Full-Stack Web Developer (MERN Stack)
• Junior Full-Stack Java Developer (Spring / React).

Congratulations on your Junior Full Stack Developer Job. What is it like?

I love it. My employer asked me to work on an MVC app in C#.NET / Razor project since there is a small learning curve between C# and Java (if you have learned Java first). I had to do some extra tutorials to learn the intricacies of C#, which took me a few days, but my employer accommodated it.

Was the Employer interested in your Code College Bootcamp experience?

Yes, it was discussed in detail during my interview process. Java was a plus point for them because they used me in a Full-Stack position right away. They saw my Java skills as appropriate to be used in a .NET environment and I might be utilised later on a Java Project.

What kinds of projects are you working on at the Employer now?

A C# backend application with an MVC front-end which helps users in the construction industry. The second project will be using a similar stack for clients in the hospitality industry.

Are you using what you learned at Code College now on the job?

Most definitely, the Code College Java Bootcamp gave me a thorough understanding of full-stack applications and although I am currently not using Java, I was able to convert to C# very quickly and the front-end part, React, is still the same.