Kundani was interested in coding from matric but chose a Maths and Computer Science degree. Two and a half years in, he dropped out — not because he couldn't handle the work, but because everything was too theoretical. He craved to build real things. Six months at Code College later, he was a junior full-stack developer.
Key result: Kundani went from frustrated degree dropout to employed junior full-stack developer in 6 months — with Code College also providing financial assistance.
Before Code College
In matric I was already interested in coding but decided to pursue degree studies in Maths and Computer Science. I was 2.5 years into my degree when I dropped out — financial reasons played a role, but I was also not happy because everything was too theoretical. I craved to see more practical implementations of what I learned. In my degree it was more about solving small theoretical problems, not building fully functional apps.
Why Code College?
I started looking for options and investigated the top bootcamps in South Africa. Code College impressed me most with its practical approach, success stories, and being deeply rooted in the ICT industry for a long time. They also offered me financial assistance.
Did He Need Coding Experience?
No — they teach you from scratch. All you need is determination. They are very supportive and go the extra mile to ensure your stumbling blocks are removed.
What Was a Typical Day Like?
I spent 8–10 hours a day on my studies — even when there were no formal classes. When there is no formal class, there is a daily progress meeting during which the mentor checks everyone's progress and assigns teamwork to ensure we exchange ideas and do assignments in groups, not only individually.
What Was the Teaching Style Like?
It was completely different to school and university — not theoretical, not memory testing with yes or no questions. It was more task-oriented: planning your steps in building a solution. You also get a lot of encouragement to demonstrate your work to the team regularly.
"I learned how to learn: attempt things even if you do not know — rather than sit and fret. Try, and if you fall — use your resources. Someone will always help you if you are stuck."
Projects He Built
- CV portfolio (Intro to Programming module)
- Cooking school booking app — NodeJS MVC, users could register and book cooking classes
- Fully-fledged e-commerce website in React
- Movie Reviews website — MERN Stack, consumes a movie API, users can rank and review movies
How Code College Prepared Him for the Job Hunt
By selecting bootcamp projects that encompass what employers actually look for in interview tests. My portfolio grew with me throughout the bootcamp and was an integral part of my CV — showcased to employers and recruiters. I was placed in the open job market with a new employer to Compuways' existing client base.
The Technical Interview
The employer tested my technical knowledge as well as general team skills. I was questioned in detail about my technical knowledge, apps developed, and team skills — then matched to their projects. I knew what full-stack was and what it takes to convert to another language like C#.NET — the concepts are the same, it is just learning a new language, which is the smallest part of the learning curve.
Still sitting in an unhappy degree? Read our bootcamp vs degree comparison → or learn about the Code College bootcamp →