Why General Assembly?

When I graduated from Washington State University in May of 2020, I was met with the global pandemic we all know as COVID-19. At first, I thought that we would have this all under control by the end of summer and the job market would return to normal. Oh how wrong I was.

One of my biggest concerns for the pandemic was the uncertainty, how long would this last? Realistically, nobody knew, and that was a rather large fear of mine. I faced the challenge of finding a job while people were losing theirs more and more as the days went on. Consequently, I had many long conversations with my family and asking what I should do, I was at a total loss as what to do, and as the weeks passed, I knew I had to act fast.

After a few courses on Codecademy and Code.org, I realized that while it may be tough to find a job, it was a great time to learn some skills that would help me in my career whenever the pandemic subsided. Consequently, I stumbled across and advertisement for a company called General Assembly, a coding boot camp that had remote options, perfect for the current times. Within five minutes of being on their page, I submitted an application not thinking too much of it, but rather just to feel proactive and gather some more information. Once a recruiter reached out to me and scheduled a time to connect, I felt a sense of relief.

I took the phone call just as a conversation and gaining a better understanding of what they may teach, but there was so much more than I could have anticipated. The recruiter and I talked for quite a while about the pandemic, and how so many people like myself were following similar footsteps, pursuing education in careers that they were interested in, and it felt good to know that I wasn’t alone.

I wasn’t unfamiliar with coding boot camps, as I had completed one before I went to college, but General Assembly was unique in several ways. One of the most important values I had when looking to pursue my education was that I could learn how to use what I had learned to actually land the job I wanted. As a result, I was informed about the outcomes that General Assembly offers, both during the course, and after the course until we were able to successfully land jobs. We would meet with a career coach each week to discuss various job finding skills, such as resumes, cover letters, salary negotiation, connections, the whole nine yards. As well, we would have associate instructors that work with us every step of the way, even more support that I had initially thought.

One of the greatest things that I underestimated aside from the outcomes program was the instructor assistance and personalized feedback you receive. A boot camp is intense no matter what course you attend, but during my experience with the Data Science Immersive boot camp, I not only had instructors, but associate instructors as well during all of our classes. The associate instructors are invaluable to keeping the class running and functioning properly. You will naturally run into many walls when learning a new skill, and many of those walls are extremely frustrating and mentally draining, but they never give up on you.

One of the underrated features of this course is that when students don’t understand something, and we all know people are sometimes afraid to ask questions in front of large settings, we are able to get a better understanding from our associate instructors. It could be a concept that we covered in lecture, troubleshooting, problems on the homework or projects, your questions would be resolved efficiently. One highlight as well as the help is that our instructors allow us to review lectures after class by posting all lessons on YouTube. This allows my course material to go way beyond the twelve weeks in class, and something I can look back on at any point in time down the road as my career progresses. Whether you are a student or an alumni, you are supported, and you matter at General Assembly.

I can’t speak highly enough about the connections you will make in whatever course you may take, but this was a welcome surprise. Throughout the course, you will be paired with classmates to complete various tasks, whether it be a coding challenge, a hackathon, or working after class for homework. In my college courses, I felt attached to the people I knew, and rarely reached anyone outside of my friends, but this was a brand new experience to me. It is great to connect with like minded individuals with the same goals, passions, and interests as yourself, and not only talk about homework. From day one, they emphasized how important it is to reach out and connect with your classmates, and I am so appreciative that I did. Naturally in a boot camp setting, you feel overwhelmed at times, but having classmates that you look at as friends is the most valuable thing I could ever take away. These are not classmates in my eyes, they are life long friends that I would never have had the pleasure of meeting if I didn’t take the chance at General Assembly.

I have learned so much, and as graduation nears, I can confidently move forward in continuing my education, and staying connected with my fellow General Assembly alumni. General Assembly has opened new doors in a new career that I would never have thought I was capable of. At a time in my life where I was facing so much uncertainty, I feel as a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and I feel confident moving forward. If you are in a position similar to mine, or looking to change your career, I insist that you have a call with General Assembly, even if its just for information, you never know where your story may start.