Le Wagon gave me the confidence to really go for the job I wanted
By: Le Wagon Montréal
Tags: Codingbootcamp, Programming, Developer Tools, Developer, Bootcamp Experience

Jerome studied Economics and like a lot of his friends, he started working at a bank to be surrounded by like-minded folks. But he always had a proclivity for coding, so he took part in the 2019 Winter 9-week program in Montréal. A few weeks after the bootcamp, Beslogic hired him as a FullStack Developer. We talked to Jerome who told us about his experience since the bootcamp.

Jérôme Kastoun — Alumnus Le Wagon Montréal

Why did you decide to go to Le Wagon Montréal?

I started by spending some time learning code by myself. I learned a few things but it wasn’t enough. The learning process was very slow and unstructured. I couldn’t grasp how I would use this knowledge in real-life. So I thought to myself: I could spend days learning concepts…or I could learn “how to learn” a language, and be much more effective. After researching a few bootcamps, I came across Le Wagon Montreal.

What did you enjoy the most during the bootcamp?

What I really liked was the teaching methods. It consisted of 1 to 2-hour lectures in the morning, then you’re off in pairs trying to solve challenges, which is where most of the learning occurs. When you challenge yourself daily to find answers to problems you develop what I consider the most important web development tool — problem solving. Of course, there’s always someone to help in case you get stuck. Doing that for a month and a half is challenging, but incredibly rewarding. In the end, you spend a few weeks applying what you learned within a team environment on a project of your choosing and learn how to pitch it!

Did the program meet your expectations?

Le Wagon exceeded my expectations of how much you can learn in just 9 weeks. I also liked that, unlike other bootcamps, it did not advertise itself as a hiring machine to find you a job as soon as possible. It’s up to you to keep coding and decide what you want to do with it. I used Le Wagon’s resources, wide network of alumni and business connections to find a job that aligns with my objectives.

In my current job, I use some of the basic languages learned at le Wagon, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript…although the main framework isn’t Rails. The bootcamp equipped me well with the ability to learn other languages as well.

“Le Wagon provided me with the means and tools necessary, not to mention the confidence, to break out of my comfort zone and really go for the job I wanted and not just the first offer I got.”

What is life after bootcamp like?

After the bootcamp, I still had a month before going back to my previous job at the bank and used this free time as an opportunity to keep learning. I found myself going through the same routine. I woke up early to find an interesting lecture online, and then I spent the day looking for challenges related to what I had just learned. I think it’s crucial to keep the same mindset in order to build upon the knowledge already acquired at Le Wagon and maintain the momentum.

After applying to several companies and going through each of their interview processes, I managed to land a position that fits my constant thirst for learning. I am currently a FullStack web developer at Beslogic.

This story was first published on Le Wagon’s Blog