A coder at heart, Justin had taken many CS courses at school yet found that he was not able to build a large software project with his current knowledge. That's when he turned to Le Wagon.
Summary
A coder at heart, Justin, joined Le Wagon Shanghai Batch 90 in summer 2017. He had taken many CS courses at school yet found that he was not able to build a large software project with his current knowledge. That's when he turned to Le Wagon.
After 2 months of intensive tech acceleration at Le Wagon, he is now as a freshman at UC Berkeley. He is also currently working as an Algorithm Developer for a digital wealth management startup. In addition, he is working as a Statistical Modeling and Deep Learning researcher, where he is designing new machine learning techniques, applying contemporary machine learning technologies to real-world problems.
Could you please introduce yourself?
I was born in Sydney but then moved to Shanghai soon afterward. I have been interested in programming ever since I was 14 when I took Harvard’s Introduction to Computer Science course through edX.com.
Why did you join Le Wagon?
I was attending an international high school in Shanghai before attending Le Wagon. Despite having taken multiple CS courses, I was unable to build large software projects of value that are needed by consumers. So, I decided to take a more practical approach to learn programming and build upon my existing foundation of theoretical CS.
What’s your Le Wagon experience like?
My Le Wagon experience was fantastic, as I acquired practical skills and was able to build complex web apps independently towards the end of the camp. I was inspired by my peers, some of whom were making a career shift towards becoming professional software developers. I was also inspired by the instructors, who seem to put so much effort and passion into teaching the students.
What’s your biggest takeaway from the camp?
My biggest takeaway from camp was the practical skills I had acquired and the experience working on software projects with other people. For example, some practical skills including constructing a fully functional web app using RoR and front-end technologies (JS, HTML, CSS), as well as Git, Trello, Heroku.
I am now a freshman at UC Berkeley intending to double major in Computer Science & DataScience.
Are you working on any projects now？
I am currently working as an Algorithm Developer for a digital wealth management startup, as well as a Statistical Modeling and Deep Learning researcher, where I am designing new machine learning techniques, in addition to practically applying contemporary machine learning technologies to real-world problems.
At Le Wagon, the instructors were extremely patient in guiding the students towards learning by themselves. They allowed the students to struggle by themselves, which is essential to mastering the concepts being taught in class.
What would be your suggestions for students who are preparing for their college CS course or CS career?
I would urge CS-intended college students to view CS as a way of thinking and not as a path towards becoming a Software Engineer, as Computer Science is much more than programming.
There are many other ways to become a developer, such as attending this bootcamp. For applicants to the new camp, I would suggest that you approach every single day at the bootcamp with your full attention and energy. 2 months go by faster than you think!
