Student Spotlight: From Healthcare to IT in 12 Weeks

Jonathon Lindsey began his career in Respiratory Therapy, but decided it was time to learn Software Development. He attended Claim Academy to master the .NET framework and land a job he is passionate about. Making the switch from healtchare to IT felt daunting at first, but after finding this program, he knew he had to make the leap. Explore his journey below to see why Claim Academy was the right fit for him and where he sees this education taking him in the future.

What is your educational background in?

I have a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy.

What ignited the desire to attend a bootcamp?

I knew for some time that I wanted to get into software development. I had tried a few free online courses and needed more. I also tried a few college courses in CS. However, a typical CS degree can take upwards of 4 years to complete and often requires countless hours of superfluous courses. Claim Academy offered the same result in 12 weeks with a good record for placement of graduates.

Do you feel your academic background and programming are related? If so, how?

Yes, I developed problem solving skills that were definitely applicable to IT. Whether it be troubleshooting and managing ventilators, or figuring out why a patient was not adequately oxygenated, problem solving is still problem solving.

What does it mean to study .net/C# specifically?

This particular track (another is offered that focuses on Java) focused on the .NET framework. After gaining a foundation in SQL, HTML, CSS, and C#, we then went on to learn how to build full scale .NET MVC applications. Ultimately, students develop a .NET MVC application that is presented to several area IT companies.

How did you decide to attend Claim Academy? What made it the right program for you?

The three biggest factors were location, duration, and employment outcome. Claim Academy is positioned right next to a large tech hub in St. Louis and has a good relationship with area companies. Regarding duration, as I mentioned earlier, the whole program only takes 12 weeks. Finally, the biggest factor was of course job placement. Claim Academy has a graduate hire rate of 95%.

Has Claim Academy helped you to get a job in your field? If so, how?

Absolutely. Throughout the program, assistance included resume building workshops, personal branding sessions, mock interviews, and technical question review sessions. By far though, the most valuable aid was via Claim Academy's connections with the IT industry here in St. Louis. Travis, the Director of Student Affairs, is constantly networking with company recruiters and is invaluable in helping students get interviews.

Where do you see your career heading in the next 5-10 years?

As a new developer I'm really focused on learning new technologies and gaining knowledge from more experienced developers. Someday, I'd love to be in a senior developer role, helping to mentor newer software engineers.

What makes you most passionate about programming?

I love the idea of helping people and improving lives with technology.

If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice before pursuing this track, what would it be?

The idea of switching from healthcare to IT seemed daunting at first. Had I known about Claim Academy earlier, I would have made the switch sooner.

Want to learn more about Claim Academy? Find out what alumni have to say on SwitchUp.