CASE STUDY

Kaisa was born in 1993 and after leaving school in Estonia, decided to move to Sheffield for university. She managed to get an undergraduate degree in Zoology and a master’s degree in International Development, but regardless of these qualifications and countless hours of volunteering, struggled to find a job or a career path she’d be happy with.

She was working as a bartender for a while before finding a temporary role as a business support officer. Working with data in that role made her realise that she would like to have a career as a software developer so she started learning it at home. When her job came to an end, she had an opportunity to undertake the Sheffield City Council’s Sector Routeway Web development bootcamp. The scheme is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and operates in partnership with the DWP to offer claimants a short ‘bootcamp’ approach to retraining. The training is followed by 2 week’s work experience and ultimately supported into employment.

Kaisa started the programme in July 2021, completed all 12 weeks of learning, and now works for a small start-up called Synap as a Junior Software Developer.

Challenges Overcome

Kaisa was feeling discouraged about her long-term career prospects, and was feeling unsure whether to retrain as her previous qualifications didn’t land her any suitable jobs. She knew she wanted a career in software development but wasn’t sure how she could compete with people who had studied computer science in university and lacked a lot of confidence due to that. The bootcamp was one of the most challenging and time-consuming things she’s ever done which she had to complete while also struggling with her health. In the end, all the hard work was worth it as the bootcamp offered such an in-depth knowledge of the industry that she already had a job lined up before the bootcamp was over.

Sheffield City Council operates Sector Routeways short bootcamps across a variety of industry areas for adults looking to retrain: Construction, Engineering, Manufacturing, Digital, Care and Telecom Fibre. To find out more about the Sector Routeways scheme please email: sectorrouteways@sheffield.gov.uk

CASE STUDY

Erman is 40 years old and was unemployed for 18 months before before joining the Software Developer Bootcamp in July 2021, where he learnt Full Stack Development.

Once he left the course, he started working for a marketing and promotions company as a Tester and more recently, has progressed into a role as a Software Developer at a training organisation

Erman had been learning different areas of programming and development in his spare time using online platforms and resources, which inspired him to join Opportunity Sheffield's Sector Routeways: Digital programme which is available to unemployed people across the city. The scheme is funded by the European Social Fund and operates in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions to offer claimants a short ‘bootcamp’ approach to retraining. Erman was interested in joining the programme, seeing digital as a growth sector full of many opportunities. He applied via Sheffield City Council and was accepted onto the training course.

Challenges Overcome

Prior to starting on the bootcamp, Erman had spent 4 years trying to learn the skills he needed to be successful in a programming role. Much of this learning was through online training programmes that required a lot of motivation as the learning activities were challenging to work through and were often recordings that didn't enable the opportunities to ask questions or ask for help if needed.

Erman had also become unemployed just as the first lockdown began. Erman tried to approach companies in Sheffield for an opportunity to work as a Junior Developer and although he was invited to a couple of interviews, he was not successful. He applied for many roles in this field, often not receiving an acknowledgement of his application let alone confirmation that he had not been successful. This had a really negative impact on Ermans confidence to continue his dreams to becoming a programmer. On joining the bootcamp, Erman vowed that this would be his last attempt to get into the industry.

The bootcamp gave Erman the opportunity to learn more about different languages that he hadn't focussed on previously, and benefitted from the support of the staff at the Developer Academy to give him guidance, feedback on his work and opportunities to meet with different employers.

Erman said "Joining the Developer Academy Sector Routeways bootcamp enabled me to regain my confidence in my skills as an employee as well as contextualise my prior learning into real work scenarios that have helped me to be successful in my role as a Software Developer. I was so close to giving up and this bootcamp gave me the belief and connections that I was missing."

Sheffield City Council operates Sector Routeways short bootcamps across a variety of industry areas for adults looking to retrain: Construction, Engineering, Manufacturing, Digital, Care and Telecom Fibre. To find out more about the Sector Routeways scheme please email: sectorrouteways@sheffield.gov.uk

Luke Craggs had tried some online coding courses but found they didn’t give him the motivation he needed to get on the right path towards what he wanted – a job in tech. Then he discovered The Developer Academy and now feels prepared for a start-up position.

I can learn use my commuting time to learn to code on the bus

Luke says:

‘I’ve been interested in coding for quite a long time. The first time I probably coded was at ‘A’ level. Then at university, I did little bits here and there and afterwards the interest was always there. I went on to get a job that wasn’t coding-related but I still had that interest.

Before I found The Developer Academy, I tried a few online courses. I went through some tutorials using those. I found it difficult with those types of courses to keep my motivation going. When you hit a topic you don’t like or can’t get your head round you get a bit stuck.

Now I’m learning computer programming with The Developer Academy, if that happens, I can talk to someone and can usually get past it quite well. I’ve also found the guidance you get really useful. When I first started to learn coding, I was just learning Python, but it was only after I started on The Developer Academy programme, that I branched out to learn other languages as well. So now I’m learning C# (C sharp) too.

I found out about the training programme when I saw online some of the events they were doing. I didn’t go to the events but that was how I found out what they were doing but I looked up the company and got in touch with Ben and took it from there.

The thing I most value about the training is the guidance that you’re given. Through this support and advice, I’ve had the chance to work in other areas or develop other projects which I might not have done initially.

Just having that advice to help you to try to focus what you’re doing on towards the skills and areas that are most valuable to the industry has been really helpful. I came in with the idea of getting a job in tech so I wanted to really focus down on those aspects.

The teaching you get is tailored but at the same time it’s fairly relaxed. You come in and you talk about what you like, you see what issues there are and the instructors then recommend what to do next. It does help but it doesn’t feel like it’s tailored at the same time; it feels like a natural progression.

When I was learning on my own, I’ve had some issues – things that I don’t understand. But coming here, I can get the help to be able to figure things out. I try and come every Tuesday evening and Saturday morning group sessions – Saturdays are especially good for me.

I often do a lot of my learning on the bus too! I travel to and from work on the bus which is about a 40-50-minute journey each way, so I get my laptop out and dial up the code or read a PDF textbook on that. I still do study at home but most of it happens at a time that otherwise would be wasted when I’m commuting.

I think I’m at a good point with my coding skills now. I feel competent enough in certain languages not that I’ll come away thinking I know everything – that’s still a lot to do.

But I feel ready to take on a start-up position in coding. I feel like I’m at a good place. I’ve got four projects now in my portfolio, the latest one being a group project developed with someone else.

I’m really pleased that I came to The Developer Academy. I do feel like I’m getting good value out of the programme. Just having that extra help and guidance to push and direct you is what makes it worth it for me.’

Michael has always been interested in computer programming
Keen to learn code properly so that he could retrain to get a tech job, he’d struggled to find the right kind of training which would still allow him to juggle his learning with his full-time job and a busy family life. Then he saw an ad for The Developer Academy and now…

"Learning to code with The Developer Academy has been postive from day one!"


After 19 years in Engineering, I've got a Web Developer job!
Michael says:


“When I first looked into coding courses, I did a bit of looking around on the internet and found some basic information and background but then I decided I wanted to learn something new. I started looking around for a course or maybe going back to college part-time, but that’s quite difficult to do when you’re working full-time. I did find some bootcamps online, but it didn’t fit my lifestyle.

Then I found The Developer Academy and because that was part-time it made it possible to fit around my everyday life. I quickly realised it was different to what everybody else was offering.

The only other options out there were either a correspondence course – if you wanted to go down the part-time route – or there were the bootcamps if you wanted to have some instruction, but they are expensive and wouldn’t work for me because of my full-time job.

"What I really liked about The Developer Academy approach was the flexibility - that everything is tailored with help from the instructors. They all come from different backgrounds and you get the opportunity to speak to them about that."

When I saw the ad, I sent The Developer Academy Founder an email. We had a conversation and I visited the office. We sat and had a good chat, I soon realised that they could work with me and help me find out what I needed to learn to become a coder.

What I really liked about their approach was the flexibility – that everything is tailored with help from the instructors. They all come from different backgrounds and you get the opportunity to speak to them about that.

When you speak to someone it’s a lot easier to get a feel for what their roles are, because it’s such a varied industry it’s hard to find out otherwise.

The fact that there was always somebody available throughout my training was what I most valued. I like to work things out myself, but if you get to the point where you need a bit more qualification or you need to ask about something different – maybe a related technology – then you can just ask the question and one of the instructor team will know, or point you in the right direction.

You have really easy access to get the insight you need quickly. I feel really supported as I can just ask on our Slack channel or send out an email and I’ll get a response. Plus, there’s the three group sessions a week.

"The fact that there was always somebody available throughout my training was what I most valued"

My job came about after I had a conversation with Ben (The Developer Academy Founder). He’s always doing research, talking to local companies, asking them what skill sets they require and what candidates they would like to speak to.

Through this engagement with companies, he matched me up with a local company, Razor and said: ‘It would be good for you to go and speak to them. They need someone and I think you’d be a really good fit.’ Soon I had my interview, really liked them and went back for a second visit – then they offered me employment!

I’m joining them as a Developer at junior level, going in and learning all the facets of the industry.

When and how did you start getting interested in coding?

I was introduced to coding in secondary school as a part of computer science curriculum. I absolutely love everything about it. It felt exciting and empowering.

Did you try other coding courses before becoming a student with the Developer Academy? If you did, tell us a little about your previous experience of learning to code?

During my time at the university, as an engineering student, I continued coding mainly in C++ and MATLAB. Coding was an essential part of my student life, mainly to analyze data and control hardware.

What attracted you to the courses and made you want to sign up?

After completing my masters, I took a few years break to raise my family. During this time, I came across an introductory web development course called Tech Set Go run by the DeveloperAcademy. I immediately signed up for it and it made me remember how much I loved and missed coding. By the end of the course, I was able to build my very first website and found the whole experience quite enjoyable. When Ben, our course leader told me about the part-time bootcamp at TDA, I was very excited. Mainly because it was part-time and remote which workedperfectly around my schedule. Also having previously taken part in their Tech Set Go course, I was quite positive about their teaching methodology and the support I will be receiving during and after the course.

Once you started training, what did you value most about the teaching?

During the training, we were learning new topics every week and although it was a bit intense inthe beginning, the tutors were knowledgeable and dedicated to help. Between sessions, we communicated over the slack channel about the challenges we were facing in our projects, and Ireally benefited from their experience and expertise.

What was the best thing about the Developer Academy?

The support I have received during and after the training have been remarkable. I am grateful to have enrolled at TDA. It gave me the steppingstone that I needed to get back into the tech industry after a career break and begin a career as a software developer. 6.Where are you at now and how did you find your job?Having just completed the bootcamp, I am now actively seeking software developer position in Sheffield. Ben has been very supportive throughout this process: going through my CV, sharing information on vacancies and other local opportunities. I feel prepared for a challenging and rewarding position in the software industry in 2021.