Skill Distillery

I was a graduate of SD6 in late 2016. The instruction was clear, and the instructors and teaching assistants were great to learn from and work with. I knew basically nothing about software development when I started there. Fortunately, I received a good... Read More amount of help from both the staff as well as my classmates, and I was able to graduate and not only find work but also excel in my new career.

If you work hard and understand that the entry-level market is tough and you need to rise above the competition in order to succeed, Skill Distillery will give you the tools and the jump-start needed to find entry-level work as a developer. The instructors care about your education, so all you need to do is care about it as well. Prepare for a difficult few months as you cram information into your brain at a rate that most people wouldn't find comfortable, but that's what boot camps are all about. If it's easy, you aren't learning enough and it's going to take much longer to do it.

The curriculum is aimed at a lot of enterprise-level tech stacks so as to maximize your marketability as a graduate. It's very broad and you'll be exposed to many relevant items, but you still need to take the initiative to continue to learn post-graduation (especially while job seeking) so as to improve your chances at standing out.

Good luck.

I went into this boot camp with zero knowledge of Java, it was a tough road to climb. It is a full-time boot camp, 9-5, but the TAs always stayed later to help answer any question you might have. It was the best resource the school offered. I put in 8-10... Read More hours every day I was in this course and it paid off. I got several jobs offers upon graduation and I've been climbing the tech ladder ever since. The employers were somewhat hesitant about the boot camp, but as soon as we got to whiteboarding or discussing my knowledge of the technologies they knew what I was bringing to the table.
I would never say this boot camp was a magic bullet or that they taught me everything I needed to learn to be a successful developer, but they definitely helped me understand how to think like a developer. How to solve problems using technologies. Most importantly how to do research on a technology and how to learn new ones. This ability to quickly learn another technology is probably the best tool I have at my disposal. They gave me all the initial tools I needed to begin my career as a developer and I will be forever grateful that I decided to attend Skill Distillery.
The fact that the GI Bill covered this course gave them an extra layer of credibility, if you are interested in starting a career in tech, I would recommend this school to anyone. Reach out to the staff, they are friendly and will answer any question you might have.

Skill Distillery was probably the most challenging thing I've ever done in my life, but I don't regret it one bit. Having never written a line of code before enrolling in Skill Distillery, I struggled to keep up with the quick pace. Many of my peers had... Read More some prior coding experience and were able to catch onto subjects much quicker than I was. I would get frustrated that by the time a subject would finally click in my head, we would already be moving on to the next subject. I felt like I was always a week behind on the subjects we were taught, so it was very important for me to spend the extra time I needed at home or after class to try to catch up. So I grinded. Every day. I was putting in 10 to 12-hour days every day during the week, and about 8-hours each day on weekends working on our weekend projects. My Christmas break was spent reading the OCA exam prep book twice over and doing practice tests. You absolutely have to devote your entire life to Skill Distillery in order to be successful. Thankfully, the instructors at SD were great and were always able to help. Between Aaron staying late after class with me (occasionally until 10 or 11 at night!), or Steve holding a last-minute OCA review on a Saturday morning, the instructors went above and beyond to make sure that we were successful. My classmates were also extremely kind and would take the time to explain concepts if I didn't understand. You will get so much more out of the class when everyone, from the instructors to the students, are invested in helping you achieve success. But in all, my biggest take-away from Skill Distillery was not learning a specific language or technology, but rather learning *how to teach myself on my own*.

In the first section at SD you will learn the fundamentals of Java and object oriented programming, and by the end of the first section you will be prepared to take the Oracle Certified Programmer test. You will build several command-line projects in Java in this section. This was actually the most difficult section for me, just because concepts like for loops, arrays and objects were so foreign to me as a coding newbie. Beginning in section 2 you are taught front end and web technologies (HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery, SQL) and design patterns. At the end of this section you and your team will build a full stack web app. Then in the 3rd section you'll learn Angular, and you'll build another full stack app as your final group project at the end of the 3rd section. Although the course is in fact full stack, you are really only taught enough Javascript and Angular to act as a launching-off point. In addition to the big group projects, you'll be building a github portfolio of smaller individual projects.

One aspect of the curriculum I would have liked to see, however, is further interview prep. We only had one day after we presented our final projects in which we were given common algorithm interview questions to solve on the whiteboard, and to discuss other common interview topics like data structures. I would have liked to see whiteboarding exercises worked into our day-to-day lessons.

Throughout the entire class I had doubts about whether I would be able to cut it as a dev in the real world. Even come graduation I did not feel at all confident in the subjects that I had learned, and was sure that I would just embarrass myself in my interviews. It took about 8 weeks of full-time applying (about 250 job applications) for me to get a job offer. And now a year after graduation I'm still at the Toyota corporate office working on the same cool project. This is the first time in my life that I feel I'm in a stable field, with a clear career path and attainable career goals that I'm excited about. It sure is nice being in a field where recruiters are actively coming after me! While my career path is tending to veer into a front-end specialization, Skill Distillery taught me the skills I need to be able to market myself as a full-stack developer.

Post-graduation job-support is somewhat lacking in that there were no placement partnerships, career fairs or anything of that sort. They send occasional tips about job opportunities with companies that reach out directly to Skill Distillery, and occasionally other alumni give recommendations when their companies are hiring. The alumni network is invaluable though--I know of several people who have gotten jobs through other SD alumni. About half of my cohort had job offers within a week after graduation, and 100% of my cohort had job offers within 2 months -- I'm pretty sure I was the last one to get a job haha. From the other alumni I've spoken to from other cohorts, this trend seems to be accurate.

Lastly, make sure you do a mock interview with Bruce after you graduate. He gave me some very helpful tips for my interview and resume, and it helped to make me feel more confident going into technical interviews.

All in all, if you have the motivation and put in the hard work, Skill Distillery will give you the skills to get a job as an entry level developer

Skill distillery is excellent. I felt I was taking a huge risk attending this program as many bootcamps receive polarizing reviews. I can’t speak to the quality of other bootcamps, but skill distillery did such a good job I have a hard time imagining... Read More other bootcamps doing any better.

I am not natural to coding, and I had no prior experience. If your situation is similar, the pace of the course will more than likely expose frustrations. But, stick with it and and you will be rewarded!

Speaking for myself, as one of the slower individuals in the course, I was still able to get through some tough technical interviews and received several offers from empoyers seeking an entry level Java developer. So, believe me, you will gain the skills necessary to find a job and be successful in the world of software development from the course taightbar skill distillery.

Finally, the instructors are extremely enthusiastic and care about the success of the students. This to me is vitally important in a course like this, and the instructors at skill distillery were great. You will not be disappointed!

I recommend skill distillery in the strongest of terms.

For those hesitant to enter into a boot camp, I understand. I had concerns about my age, my ability to learn a new skill, not graduating with a bachelor’s in computer science, the possible stigma of being a boot camp graduate by employers/companies, and... Read More the duration of my job hunt.

A little about me: I was in the military for 8+ years (non-IT related field), 30+ years old, with a bachelor’s degree in social science. Prior to completing Skill Distillery, I left the military during the summer of 2016 to pursue a second undergrad in computer science at a university located in Maryland. After a semester, I couldn’t fathom another 3 ½ years as I would be 33-34 years old by the time I graduated. Looking for an alternative solution, I started looking around for boot camps though it took me six-months to finally take the plunge and apply to a boot camp.

I chose Skill Distillery because it was located in Colorado, approved by the VA so I could use my GI Bill, and taught Java. After completing their technical assessments (online multiple-choice logic test and a virtual Skype-like face-to-face logic test), I found out I made it and was ecstatic.

The first month was grueling as we focused primarily on Java basics. The first two-weeks of the course, in my opinion, was equivalent to my one semester of Java during my undergrad. Take the pre-work (homework prior to entering Skill Distillery) seriously. I was lucky to have a semester of Java, but as I mentioned before, the semester of Java at my previous university only helped me for the first two weeks of the course.

About a month into the course, the instructors prepare you to take the Oracle Java SE 8 Programmer exam. Majority of my classmates who decided to take the exam passed, to include myself (I mention this because of my initial fear of not being able to learn a technical skill and to quell anyone’s doubts about themselves because if I can do it, you can). Reasons why you wouldn’t want to take the test: one, the cost (~$250) and two, you did not do as well as you wanted to on the six to eight mock exams given prior to the Oracle Java exam.

The months will go by quickly and you will get what you put into it. If you have any questions about a new concept, Skill Distillery’s amazing instructors will give you their undivided attention and make sure you understand it. During the weekends, you will have a weekend project (except for two or three weekends). When you have a weekend project, Skill Distillery will have a TA available to answer your questions during a Saturday or Sunday, in Skill Distillery's classroom, to assist you in your project.

Since graduating the program on the 20th of November, about three-weeks of actively searching for a job, I had a few offers (I mention this as my proof that Skill Distillery will provide you with the skills to show employers that you are junior level material).

I could go on and on and shower Skill Distillery with compliments. It is worth your time if you’re interested in becoming a software developer.

If I had one suggestion, it would be for the program to focus a few more hours on the job preparation and hunt (resume, cover letters, more interview questions, technical questions, and behavioral questions). At the same time, Google’s search box, Skill Distillery’s alumni network, its staff and instructors, and the actual interview process will help you become more comfortable with the job search and give you a better idea of what employers expect from a junior level developer.

Though, to defend Skill Distillery and my comment about the program incorporating a few more hours of job preparation, I want to mention that Skill Distillery does a great job in taking input from students. Throughout the program, at least twice, the founder, Bruce, came into our classroom to ask us for our thoughts to improve the program. The program and instructors continually change their curriculum to meet technical needs of employers and to improve their students’ overall experience. I have a really good feeling with Skill Distillery’s recent staff hire and dedicated time to enhance their curriculum during the month of December 2017 that the program will improve for the betterment of future students.

To give you an idea of how long it took to me to find a job (a prior concern of mine), my experience from the time I started my job search to an actual offer took about three weeks. The process was 1) talk to a recruiter and explain why I was a good fit, 2) conduct an online assessment and/or technical interview over the phone or Skype, 3) complete an on-site interview, and 4) wait to hear back and/or provide additional references.

Some of my classmates found jobs sooner or later. I want to note that I graduated towards the end of the fiscal year (Nov 20) so there was less emphasis on hiring and more emphasis on closing out a company's budget (from what I was told or maybe it was to ease my concerns during my job hunt). Either way, I mention this for future applicants to consider. It’s still possible to find a job during the end of the year, but it may be tougher.

To sum up the program, it’s worth your time and will give you the skills you need to be successful. At the end of the program, you will have your own personal website, a portfolio of projects on Github, a network of peers, alumni, and instructors/staff to reach out to and connect with, and the knowledge to become a junior level software developer.

I wish you the best in your search for a boot camp!

Skill Distillery gave us all of the knowledge needed to get started in the software development industry in 16 weeks. Through a combination of hands on practice and lecture, we worked our way from core concepts and basic syntax to developing full stack... Read More web applications. They don't just teach you enough to make applications from a standard blueprint. Instead, the instructors work to convey an understanding of all of the parts involved so that you can stretch and grow your skills. At the time that I attended, they didn't do a lot to support people finding jobs after graduation, but my understanding is that they've improved in that area.

I was an electrical engineer who was looking for a career change. I was skeptical about boot camp but skill distillery has changed my mind.

The staffs are friendly and the course is challenging. As long as you are eager to learn and interested in programming... Read More you will do well.

First half you will learn Java and get ready to take in lots and lots of information. Personally I though this was the most important and basic part of the class. The instructors are always excited and ready to ask your questions. Always try to come up with questions.

For the second half, we learn front end and in between . It is fun and the instructors make it easy to understand the technologies.

I do recommend skill distillery and I think it is an awesome course as long as you are motivated and excited in programming.

I will start off with saying when I first started my journey at the Skill Distillery, I was skeptical and wary. I had done a lot of research before hand and there were arguments for both sides. I am not skeptical anymore. From Day 1 to Graduation Day,... Read More I have had nothing but the best experience.

On to the instructors. From Steve to Rob to Andrew and to Kris, I have to say that the Skill Distillery has the best instructors hands down. I have taken a Java course at a college located in Denver (not naming any names) and the experience was dreadful. Steve taught what I had learned in a semester in two weeks and I was able to retain it all. I would like to take the time now to address the anonymous complaint against Steve by saying that it not only pure nonsense but 100% unfounded. There is no instructor who is more invested in the well being and success of his students than Steve. He is hilarious, kind, passionate and he can be stern when he needs to be. Take from me, I have gotten called out for being on Facebook or dozing in class but never once did I think it was inappropriate or like I was being attacked. Steve is the best Java/Spring guru and you will learn valuable information from him. Rob is the terminal wizard. Actually Rob is pretty much a wizard at everything and I learned a lot from picking his brain. Kris and Andrew were our instructors for the latter half of the course. They tagged team what I thought was the most cahllenging subjects which were Angular JS and JS. The way they engaged the students and conveyed the subjects was perfect. Last but not least, I don't think any of the students in my cohort including myself would have succeeded so well if it wasn't for the help of Aaron the TA. Aaron was always there to help you and help put the technigal aspects into layman terms. I could go on and on but the TL:DR of it all is the instructors at the Skill Distillery are phenomenal.

All the knowledge and all the material we covered was staggering. It was challenging to say the least. I will say that you can make it through this course if you put forth 100% effort. That being said this course is not for everyone. I believe I came in every weekend for a minimum of 5 hours to finish projects or to have study groups. I came in early and stayed late every single day. I don't think I would have done as well had I not. We covered Java in four weeks and we got pretty far into the advanced subjects. After that we dove into the OCP prep. That alone solidified a lot fo what we had learned throughout the previous weeks. After that we covered Spring and some front end topics. From there we moved to JavaScript and then to Angular JS. I have interviewed with a few companies and done multiple coding challenges while on my job search. Everything we learned was covered in the interviews and challenges. In a nut shell the knowledge gained from this course will eventually lead you to getting a career in Software Development. Almost 90% of my cohort has landed jobs including myself so I can attest that this place works!

In closing, the Skill Distillery was the best decision I have ever made. It is in my opinion the best Dev Bootcamp out there because it teaches Java for which there are tons of job opportunities for. The instructors are also the best ones out there in my opinion. Cole, the director, works tirelessly to work with students as well as local companies to open up job opportunites. He is the reason I was able to land a job with a well known contracting company. The material taught here will open doors for you as long as you put in the effort. Skill Distillery has a lot to offer and if I were you, I would not hesitate to sign up!

Sincerely,

Dennis

P.S.: If you have any questions feel free to hit me up at dennis.carrasquillo@gmail.com

I'm a veteran who has prior professional experience (not coding related at all) in the corporate world. My prospects were quickly turning into a dead end and I had a family to support. I knew programming was the way of the future but I didn't have the... Read More time to dedicate to getting a four year CS degree. If coding boot camps like Skill Distillery didn't exist, I would have been a slave to a less than optimal job outlook.

Skill Distillery has given me the tools I need to successfully break into the software engineering/development market. If you have a clearance you will have an immense number of job opportunities. Those who do not have clearances have plenty of opportunities as well. The market is booming! However, I won't sugar coat it. The process to get hired for positions that don't require clearances will require more of a dog and pony show (white boards, live-coding, homework code problem-solving tests, technical question grilling, in-person culture fit interviews) when interviewing with prospective employers.

Now, let's get back to the boot camp. Before you actually get to the boot camp, make sure you go through the pre-work. Attempt to understand as many of the concepts in Java as you can prior to the first day of class.

The boot camp is NOT easy and you should not underestimate it. You WILL be challenged. The instructors are highly qualified and truly care about teaching as well as ensuring that the students progress if they encounter any road blocks. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Even if you think you're asking a dumb question, you're investing time and money to be there. Make sure you do everything you can to understand concepts that are troubling you.

Ultimately, do your best to stay light-hearted while your committing yourself to the intense learning process. It will be hard, but it will also be very rewarding. This is one of the few professions where you can build something from scratch that can be useful and solve real-world problems. Skill Distillery has all of the resources you need to succeed in this field if you're willing to put in the work.

Skill Distillery is the place to join to prepare you to start your dream career as a Software Developer. Before I joined, I researched the various bootcamps available and Skill Distillery stood out for their commitment to effective education and successful... Read More career placement.

I joined the school in January, 2017 and graduated in May, 2017. My experience has been life changing. Skill Distillery has a fantastic team of instructors who are highly experienced in what they teach and very passionate about software development and seeing their students succeed.

During the 4 months of the program, I have learned a solid and effective software development skill-set and developed a portfolio of over 7 applications that showcase the value I could provide to future employees.

Close to graduation, the staff prepared us for our job search with various tips. And following exactly what they recommended and leveraging what I learned in the program, I got and accepted an offer as a full stack software engineer after just 1 month from graduation.

Skill Distillery is a great place to learn and prepare for a great career as a software developer. Join and don't look back.