I was looking for something more intellectually challenging…and I found it
As a former professional figure skater I performed with “Disney on Ice”. It was fantastic because I was able to travel the world, meet and work alongside wonderful people all while doing something that I loved. But after years in the industry, I was looking for something that was more intellectually challenging and new.
During my youth I attended a physical and mathematical school. In my spare time, I was always playing around with computers, reading about IT and the technology industry. Tech always interested me and I knew my future was in tech somehow.
Le Wagon was the only way to learn everything I needed in only 9 weeks
After doing a lot of research, I felt that the tech industry could offer me the best way to find a rewarding career in a fast-moving sector. However, I had almost no knowledge of coding. At the same time, I didn’t want to start my education all over again and join a 3-4 year Computer Science degree.
What I was looking for was a way to learn all the practical skills I needed in the most immersive, efficient way possible. That’s when I discovered Le Wagon, and I’m still amazed at what we were able to learn in only 9 weeks. The fact that the pace was really fast made the whole experience even more valuable to me…
Even though the pace was really fast, the curriculum was very well organized
The structure of the curriculum, which is extremely detailed, forces you learn the fundamentals of programming, and once you have mastered those, then over time it reveals all the shortcuts that will help you to perform more efficiently as a Software Developer. For each module it starts with “what are the basics” before moving on to “why that matters”! The daily lectures, coding challenges and livecodes progressively build on your knowledge day by day. I lost track of how many times I thought: “ah, now this makes sense, I get it”.
The quality of the teachers was incredible
To complement the curriculum, at Le Wagon I experienced some of the best teachers I’ve ever met in my life. Their ability to communicate with us was excellent and I was extremely pleased by their professionalism and passion for teaching. The most important determinant for me joining Le Wagon was the program and all the knowledge I could acquire, and the teachers definitely made all the difference. You realise just how much you miss them after the bootcamp!
During “Projects Weeks” we were able to put all our knowledge into practice
Looking back I enjoyed “Projects Weeks” the most, which is when we created a brand new web application from scratch. The fact that we build it in a team with only 3 people was very satisfying and it was exciting putting everything we learned into practice. It was hugely challenging, but that’s why it was rewarding. I’m sure that the experience we gained during Projects Weeks will come in handy when we get jobs as Software Developers. I was super proud of what we created and presented on “Demo Day”, and it felt like we created a meaningful web app.
The fact that we get lifetime access to Le Wagon’s learning platform (“Kitt”) is great.
Given how fast paced the bootcamp is, I was very grateful that Le Wagon always offers lifetime access to their custom-built learning platform, known as “Kitt”. Kitt has all the learning resources we used during the bootcamp, including recorded lectures and all the coding challenges we completed. I regularly re-watch the lectures and check my previous code to help me retain and boost my knowledge. It’s a great help and there are also additional tutorials and resources.
Joining a global community for life is wonderful
Working with the nice people at my batch made the whole experience so much better. Throughout the bootcamp we were paired with a new bootcamp buddy every day. The buddy system – a form of paired programming – was great. Being able to discuss things with other members of the batch in seconds on Slack helped us learn from each other and communicate like real developers. I will definitely keep in touch with my buddies from the bootcamp. Once you graduate, being part of a community meant that I could message everyone on Slack to ask how they are doing, share ideas, and discuss tips and tricks to get a job in tech. When a member of our batch gets a job, that’s super cool and its exciting for all of us, because we are then reminded that we might be next!
“Career Week” helped us get ready for getting a job in tech after the bootcamp
“Career week” was very helpful and I really enjoyed hearing first-hand tips and tricks from very successful startups in Istanbul’s ecosystem. During the bootcamp you are so focused on coding, so the extra “Career Week” was a great opportunity to put all that knowledge in perspective. Speaking to professionals in the tech industry who regularly hire software developers helped me to prepare, because I felt like I was already familiar with what to expect. After I graduated, and started applying for jobs and interviewing, I recognized how valuable their advice was because I was being asked similar questions.
Le Wagon really gave me a huge push
Looking back, I really believe that Le Wagon teaches you everything you need to know and reflects the skills that are in demand right now. I made the right choice! Personally, I am most grateful to Le Wagon for teaching me that learning the skills you need to become a Software Developer was within reach. Most importantly, thanks to Le Wagon, I’m convinced that becoming a Software Developer is exactly what I want…
