How did you find your time on the bootcamp?

Intense and enjoyable, great to get to work with other highly motivated people. Every day brought new challenges. Fantastic, passionate teaching and support.

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

Specialist wheelchair seating for a company that provided it's services to NHS wheelchair services, local authorities, and individuals. The job was enjoyable, but very niche and geographically restricted, with lots of driving. I wanted a career that played to my natural 'geekiness' and enjoyment of solving problems in a collaborative manner, and that would have more employment options for me going forward.

What was the support like on the course?

The teaching team were amazing! I found the course very challenging, and sitting at a desk with the same group of people every day of the week was something I was really not used to, so at times I found the experience quite stressful. The team at Northcoders were always on hand to explain things in a calm and measured manner, and really helped to break through any roadblocks I hit. Can't fault them.

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

Clear objectives and expectations for both Northcoders and myself were discussed and set, and lots of help was offered with such things as CV's, motivation, industry sector and type of work I might enjoy. I went into my first (and only!) interview feeling much more confident about myself that I otherwise would have done.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about applying?

I found the classroom experience invaluable as it closely matched the working environment I was to go into. Completely changing not only my career but also my working environment was very challenging, and that is without learning to code! The 'soft skills' that a classroom based course can teach you are just as important as learning to code! Regarding the coding, being pushed to learn something new everyday was fantastic. I personally tend to hyper focus on small things and do not always move forward at an appropriate pace.

If anybody is thinking of changing careers, and they are think about doing this with Northcoders they should just go for it! I got a new job in a new sector in a new working environment 3 weeks after completing the course. I'm very happy I took that leap of faith!