How did you find your time on the bootcamp?

I loved every second of it. The tutors are absolutely fantastic and will support you every step of the way, however they can. Every week I'd look back and grin at how far I'd come and how much I'd learned - even if the content hadn't sunk in yet, or if there were parts that I didn't fully understand, I was told early in the course by a tutor that 'the click is inevitable', and they were spot on. It's intense, and challenging at times, but it really is a fantastic opportunity, and for me was absolutely life changing.

What were you doing before the bootcamp and what made you apply?

Before Northcoders I was in my third year of a dreary administrative job in the Civil Service. I felt like I was stuck there, with no opportunity for progression and without the skills or experience to get a job in another sector. The pandemic gave me the nudge I needed to quit my job and commit to learning to code. I knew that Northcoders would give me the skills I needed to get my foot in the door in the tech industry, and once you've got that first position your career is pretty much in your hands!

What was the support like on the course?

The mentoring team were absolutely fantastic throughout - especially in the first few weeks when you feel like your brain can't fit any more new information in! The tutors are knowledgeable and experienced, and a lot of them have also come into the industry via a Northcoders course themselves, so they know how it feels to be a student. They're reassuring, supportive, and just generally a good group of people - they made it a lot of fun!

How much support did you receive from Northcoders with your job search after the course?

I'd like to shout out Diya here, for helping me prepare for interviews and checking in on me afterwards! The careers board is full of opportunities, and only seems to be growing as more companies are hiring Northcoders are seeing the value that they can bring.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about applying?

Take the leap! My life has changed dramatically since I did, and it was the best decision I ever made.If you've tried to learn to code on your own and found it difficult, then please don't be put off - I tried to teach myself around my 9-5 job at first, but I struggled to concentrate on coding after a full day at work, and didn't feel like I was making enough progress. I would really recommend jumping on a full time course and really immersing yourself.

Anything else you would like to add?

I have become a Northcoders evangelist - my little brother is currently on the course, and I've got multiple friends planning on enrolling after seeing what a difference it made for me. In April 2021 I had to idea what my future career would look like, and had no idea how to get out of the dead end job I was in. By October I was a Software Engineer at a fantastic company, and the future looks bright!