Top 6 reasons to attend a Web Development Bootcamp that have nothing to do with Web Development
I recently completed Ironhack’s Web Development Bootcamp as a member of their first Paris session. This is an experience that I would recommend to anyone who wants to make a change in their life and enter the world of technology. I was prepared to work for learning Javascript and the related technologies that you need to become a Fullstack Developer. Plenty has already been written on that subject. I am going to share with you some of the best things that I experienced at Ironhack that have nothing to do with the technical Web Development skills that we learned.
1. We are a part of the future
The first indication that Ironhack is more than a school started 9:00am on our first day of classes. We had a brief orientation and welcome speech prior to getting to work. The opening remarks were made by Florian Jourda. He’s a French entrepreneur that made his mark in Silicon Valley before returning home to help the tech industry in France grow. He is wildly successful and incredibly busy. The fact that he was willing to invest his time in a group of newcomers to Web Development, give us advice, and listen to our stories set the tone that this experience was going to be a special one.
2. Introduction to the Startup Community in Paris
Every week, Ironhack organized amazing talks for us. Venture capitalists, startup founders, web & AI developers, startup attorneys and CTOs all spent time with us. In addition to providing context for the industry that we are training to enter, we were inspired by their tales of both success and failure. Listening to the firsthand experiences of a veteran Web Developer particularly helped me through a difficult time in the bootcamp when the classes felt overwhelming.
3. Access to successful entrepreneurs and VCs
The students in my class have a range of future goals from starting their own businesses to careers as Web Developers to just finishing college. Ironhack introduced each of us to people that were willing to spend time discussing their experiences and sharing the lessons that they learned to help us on our future paths.
4. Career assistance
An entire week is set aside at the end of the Ironhack program to work on skills for finding a job. This involves presentations on how to conduct a proactive job search, mock interviews with recruiters, and technical interview training. We received numerous valuable lessons from people who have been on both sides of the interviewing process.
5. A way into to Paris
Many of my classmates are native Parisians, but for me moving to Paris is something that has interested me for years. Once I decided that I was going to attend a bootcamp, the opportunity to take one in Paris in my native language was too good to pass up. I fully expected to come for 2 and a half months and then return home to the USA. However, due to all of the career assistance factors listed above and all of the current opportunities in the startup scene I now have the chance to stay if I want.
6. Friends
While everyone in my class had a different background, we have found many things in common that brought us all together. I have made more than a few friends that I expect to know for the rest of my life. Whether I decide to stay in Paris or not, now I will always have a place to stay whenever I come back.
If you are thinking about attending a Web Development Bootcamp, I highly recommend it. You will learn so much more than how to code.
