Where are our Alumni now?

Where are our Alumni now?

Cohort: February 2014

Sarah Young trained as a historian of gender, education and technology. She hold degrees from Scripps College, Oxford University, and the University of Manchester. Seeking a challenge and ready for a change she left a career in academia to pursue software development and fell in love with coding from day one.

One of the biggest hurdles I had to overcome before becoming a developer was believing it was possible, believing I could do it. My background is in the humanities (I’m a historian by training) and I’d never been ‘good’ at science/maths, although I loved calculus in university. I’d always assumed my lack of experience would prevent me from pursuing software engineering as a career option so I never did.

To me coding is like craft-making, figuring out puzzles, even experimenting in the kitchen - activities I enjoy doing but would never have thought could be related to software engineering. It requires team-work, imaginative thinking, and curiosity. It’s language-learning, problem-solving, communication all in one and I love it so applying to Makers was one of the best decisions of my life.

Although I had days where I felt I didn’t have enough time to understand concept and worries like I won’t be able to get a job this was all put to bed as after graduation I found a traineeship but they lost the resources to train me but Makers helped me find another job. Since graduation I’m happier, more confident, and financially secure. I feel like I’ve found the path I’ve always been looking for.

My time at Makers Academy was intellectually challenging, a roller coaster of joy, and one of the best decisions of my life.

Sarah Young Academic to Junior

Developer at Deloitte

Digital

My time at MA was intellectually challenging, a roller coaster of joy, and one of the best decisions of my life.

@Sarahseewhy

@Sarahseewhy

Cohort: January 2014

The idea of creating something out of nothing combined with Makis’ desire for a path that would require him to be ever-evolving, led him to programming. He now works as a resident apprentice at 8th Light.

Before Makers Academy I used to work as a Sales Assistant at sport brands like Nike, specialising in running shoes. The ability to create value out of pretty much nothing was the most compelling reason for me to learn to code. I always admired people that had such an ability and programming was my way of attaining it.

I found coming to terms with the speed with which new information arrives difficult on the course but it took me couple of weeks to embrace the fact that I had my “own speed” of understanding and consuming information. The biggest mistake I made was comparing myself with others and their speed. Focusing on my own way of learning was what got me through.

Since graduating my life has changed in many good ways. For the first time in years I can honestly say that I miss work even when I’m on holiday. This is how much I’m enjoying what I do. I’m learning so many things that are relevant to my every day life and being at the forefront of technology also changes my perspective of the world in general.

My advice for people who want the career change is that if you are looking for a job that will keep you on your toes and constantly improving then go for it. There are not many industries which provide so many things to learn so you’ll never really reach a point where you become stale and bored. Being a maker is a very empowering feeling. Makers Academy was life-changing. It led to a new career, new friends and a new life.

Makis Otman Sales assistant to

resident apprentice at

8th Light

Makers Academy

was life-changing. It led

to a new career, new

friends and a new life.

@MakisOtman

@Maikon

Cohort: August 2014

Ethel studied Politics, Psychology, and Sociology at the University of Cambridge while moonlighting as “the website person” for a number of societies. After graduating, she decided to take a leap of faith into the world of code and is soon starting a role as junior developer at digital agency usTwo.

I graduated in Psychology and was considering my career options. I wanted to work in tech but was worried that I was being unrealistic given my background. I’ve always had a strong interest in tech from a young age, although I can’t claim to have a history as a hacker. I taught myself enough HTML and CSS to make simple websites, and my experience in university helping societies with their websites made me realise that this was something I really enjoyed doing.

I found out about Makers through a promoted tweet and it was a no-brainer that I had to apply. At times I found the intensity of the course hard, especially when you feel like you haven’t quite grasped something and the next week new concepts are coming your way. That said, I never felt completely out of my depth, and I knew I could count on my cohort and the coaches to help me out if I needed it.

I really enjoyed graduation as we’d been working on the project non-stop for two weeks and I know all of my team were really proud of it. It was a great feeling to be able to demo it and see the audience’s enthusiasm about something that we made. The week leading up to graduation was tough for me as I was torn between preparing to leave the country and simultaneously juggling job interviews. I’m really happy that it all paid off, and I received a job offer on the Monday after graduation.

Ethel Ng Psychology Graduate

to Junior Developer at

usTwo

I received a job offer on the Monday after graduation.

@_ch2ch3

@ch2ch3


Mario was the winner of StartupWeekend Caracas, 99u & GESS fellow. After finishing his second semester as an economics major he realized that university wasn’t for him and after a great crowdfunding campaign he learned to code at Makers. Mario now works at a startup called Showmyhomework.

Before Makers Academy I was a economics student, working as a waiter and an intern. I wanted to learn to code as I worked in a software company and it seemed like coding was something that conveyed countless transferrable skills, not to mention I always loved building things.

I found that applying myself consistently for 3 months was hard during the course and I did worry that I won’t be able to get a job afterwards. However after graduation I worked as a contractor for a month, then received a full-time offer from a different company, although the first one made an offer as well. Since graduation my life is much better. I have good job prospects with growth opportunities.

My advice to people would be sometimes the right answer just won’t come in time. It’s okay to fail an interview, no one is consistently good in this profession.

Mario Gintili From Venezuela to

Junior Developer at

Showmyhomework

Since graduation my life is much better. I have good job prospects with

growth opportunities.

@MarioGintili

@MarioGintili

Cohort: March 2014

Nico worked as a Music Producer for about three years but was not happy with the market situation and having always been interested in programming he decided to go past basic Frontend and “Hello, World” apps through joining Makers Academy. Nico now works as Junior Developer at Shutl (eBay).

Before Makers Academy I was working as a Music Producer and I wanted to learn to code so I could bring my own software ideas to fruition and change careers.

What I found so great about Makers Academy is that it s all about the people. Makers are doing an amazing job at finding great, unique and dedicated individuals to work with. The intensity is very high - I went through University, A-Levels and so on, it was nowhere as intense as Makers if you want to get the most out of it. I can only recommend to anyone, if you want to do this, do t do anything else for the duration of the course and prepare the best you can.

I was however worried that I won’t be able to get a job after the course but it drove me to succeed and after graduation three weeks down the line I had two full-time job offers.

My life has changed since graduation as I moved to London and I’m now working as a Software Engineer. I recently even moved into my own place.

Makers Academy was the most intense and most rewarding learning experience of my life.

Nico Saueressig Music Producer to Junior

Developer at Shutl (eBay)

After graduation three weeks down the line I had

two full-time job offers.

@Nicolrnscodin

@Nicosa

Cohort: November 2013

Simon did a law conversion course but had been dabbling in code and decided he wanted to get a job as a programmer that led him to join Makers Academy.

Before Makers Academy I was looking for a legal job after a law conversion course. I could code a little but by coming on the course I wanted to become a good enough modern web developer so I could get a job in the industry.

So when I came across Makers Academy through some internet research I knew I had to apply. During the course I had problems with debugging and Rails as at the time it seemed like a giant black box, so I didn’t know where to start.

After graduation I spent a few months freelancing as I needed to sort out other parts of my life like moving house etc. Once that stuff was sorted I told Ruben that I was ready to start a full-time job and I got an offer from Econsultancy eight days after that.

I initially thought that I would stop coding for fun if I was doing it as a career rather than a hobby, and I’d start to find it boring but this hasn’t been a problem, if anything I now enjoy coding more in my free time as a I’m much better at it.

Simon Woolf From Law to Junior

Developer at Econsultancy

I told Ruben that I was ready to start a full-time job and I got an offer from econsultancy eight days after

that.

@SEMW

@SimonWoolf

Cohort: June 2014

Jeremy worked in commodity trading in the City. He decided he wanted a change and came to Makers to learn to code. He now has a job as a Junior Developer at The Ministry of Justice.

Before Makers Academy I was working in Commodities Trading. I wanted to learn to code as I like the blend of math, design and art that goes into creating an application. There’s something a little magical about words in a text editor resulting in a working application.

I found the sheer amount of material you need to absorb hard during the course and I was worried about whether you could learn enough to be an effective developer in such a short time frame. Turns out that when you code 14 hours a day 7 days a week you can cram a lot in.

After graduation I accepted a junior developer role at The Ministry of Justice. My life has changed after graduation as I just feel excited about the work I will be doing and the huge wealth of opportunities that have been opened up to me. I feel like I can pick up new technologies even when they seem daunting at first.

If you are thinking about changing careers just remember that it takes longer than you think, you might earn less to start with and its hard work BUT totally worth it!

Some people may think that £8,000 is expensive and it’s all relative. £8,000 to kickstart a new career and become employable in the tech sector in a matter of months seems like a very good deal in retrospect.

One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to fill in the application form for Makers Academy.

Jeremy Fox

Commodities Trader to

Junior Developer at The

Ministry of Justice

One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to fill in the application form for

Makers Academy.

@foxjerem

Cohort: June 2014

Jean was a graphic artist/gamer that spent part of his life creating art for games and commercials until he found the amazing world of web development. Jean now works as a junior front end developer at JustGiving.

Before Makers Academy I was working as a graphic artist in video games. I started learn to code as I started to play on Codecademy. I found finding the time to learn all the material on the course difficult and I was scared of not understanding a single thing. There is nothing to be scared of, however you just have to commit to it and enjoy it as much as you can.

After graduation I focused on improving my Javascript skills and then got a job at JustGiving as a junior Javascript developer. My life changed as I’m now job-ready and confident for developer positions.

If you are looking to change your career, then try out Codecademy or do the free trials on Treehouse and Codeschool and see if you like it. You might get a better idea of the power of knowing how to develop through it.

£8,000 is a lot of money but with enough effort during Makers you can pay that off quicker than you think. When interviewing make sure you know about the company. Be sincere and humble. Always show interest, because you should have interest in the company otherwise don’t waste your time applying to them. Read about the technologies they are using and ask lots of questions, since you want to know if you are going to enjoy your time in there.

My Makers Academy experience was like when Neo got plugged to learn martial arts. Really stressful but also very effective.

Jean Troiani

Graphic Artist to Junior

Developer at JustGiving

My Makers Academy experience was like when Neo got plugged to learn martial arts. Really stressful but also very effective.

@digitalguest

@jeantroiani

Cohort: June 2014

Having worked in a mobile technology startup for over two years Jamie was always drawn towards where the action was happening which was the programming! He wanted to be able to change user experiences the way he saw fit and act directly on his ideas so he came to Makers to learn to code. Jamie now has a job as a Junior front end developer at JustGiving.

Before Makers Academy, I was working as a designer/copywriter for a mobile marketing and advertising start-up.

I wanted to learn to code as I wanted to be able to build the ideas I had in my head. I found the pace of the course difficult and I initially had fears that I won’t be able to get a job as a developer at the end of it. I now however feel like one of those smug people who say, “you’ve gotta be in the right place at the right time”. Because I certainly was. But in all seriousness, I now feel pretty fantastic about the whole experience.

My advice to anyone thinking of taking the course is to take the course preparation incredibly seriously. No matter how much you do, it will still be a shock to the system. Use all your resources possible to put you in the best position possible for when you finish, and when you graduate play to your strengths and take your job hunt very seriously.

Jamie Allen Designer to Junior

Developer at JustGiving

I initially had fears that I won’t be able to get a job as a developer at the end of it.... I now feel pretty fantastic about the whole experience.

@JamieAllen59

@JamieAllen59

Cohort: May 2014

Vaidas has a previous background in Biochemistry/Biotechnology, CIMA/Accounting and growth hacking. After teaching himself the basics, building some scrapers and playing with APIs Vaidas finally found his passion, which led him to Makers Academy to build the solid foundations to become a full stack developer.

Before Makers Academy I was doing a range of things but I wanted to learn to code as I realised that every company now is a software company and that knowing how to code right now is like having super powers. Its pretty amazing. I love Makers Academy, the culture, what is being taught here and the people.

After graduation I got a job as full stack javascript developer at Artificial Labs. My life since graduation? I love it even more and I love my new superpowers.

If you are thinking of changing careers then you have already waited too long. Do it now. By 2025 1 in 3 jobs will be taken by robots/code.

If £8,000 is putting you off as you think it’s pretty expensive, just think about how expensive your iPhone/Android smartphone, tablet, 50 inch TV and beer/vodka/drinks in the pub are. It’s all about priorities.

My advice for graduates who are now interviewing for roles is to remember that technical tests and TDD are the two most important things in the world when it comes to jobs.

My Makers Academy experience was epic and life- changing.

Vaidas Mykolaitis From everything to full

stack javascript developer

at Artifcial Labs

My Makers Academy experience was epic and life changing.

@vmlifestyle

@codepreneur

Cohort: March 2014

After graduating with a first class degree in Oriental Languages from La Sapienza University, Stefania spent 18 months working as a recruitment consultant in the IT sector. She decided to join Makers Academy to pursue her life-long interest for web technologies and kickstart a career as a junior web developer.

Before Makers Academy I was a recruiter in the IT sector. I wanted to learn to code as I was making simple websites for friends and family since the age of 14 and wanted to learn how to code to get a job as a web developer.

I found the pace of the course difficult as some people in my cohort knew already how to code and they were leading the pace of the lessons.

After graduation I took the summer off to travel with my family and clean up my github. From September I started to look for jobs and after only one application I got a job at a company called BCSG. Initially I was offered a three month paid internship but after 6 weeks of the internship they offered me permanent junior ruby web developer role which I took.

If you are thinking of changing careers then do it. It’s the best thing you could do to yourself. Confucius said: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This is so true. I go to work with a smile and when I go back home I feel like I have just been doing something that I like!

Makers Academy changed my life. It gave me the confidence that I can achieve whatever I want in life.

Stefania Cardenas IT Recruiter to Junior Web

Developer at BCSG

Makers Academy changed my life. It gave me the confidence that I can achieve whatever I want in life.

@stefaniacardenas


Andrew graduated from Durham University with a masters degree in aeronautic engineering. He enjoy making things and believes it’s just as important to make the insides of something as beautiful as the outside. Andrew now works as a Junior Developer at Red Badger.

Before Makers Academy I did a Masters of Mechanical (Aeronautical) Engineering degree at Durham University. I was exposed to coding through university and I wanted to see immediate results of my work.

My biggest worry before joining Makers Academy was that I would end up working for a company that I didn’t like on a project I didn’t care about. I, however, got hired by Red Badger after graduation; a consultancy that cares about everything they do. Since graduating my life has changed as I now have a job that I enjoy, that provides me with a challenge every day, surrounded by intelligent people. It’s great.

If you are thinking about changing careers then make sure you are ready to struggle and are up for a fight and although £8000 might feel very expensive just think about how much is a years worth of university tuition.

If you are interviewing for a role after graduation my biggest advice would be to make sure you have similar ideals to the company, that you fit their culture. Otherwise you will find it difficult to enjoy it there.

Andrew Cumine Aeronautic Engineering

Graduate to Junior

Developer at Red Badger

Although £8,000 might feel very expensive just think about how much is a years worth of university tuition.

@ajcumine

@ajcumine

Cohort: March 2014

Will’s interest in coding came from some experience whilst studying Engineering at Durham University. Will found Makers and realised it was an opportunity to gain the skills required to jump into a career that excites and interests him. Will now works as a Junior Developer at Factory Media

Before Makers Academy I was a Research & Development Scientist. For me before I started the course it felt like a huge risk. I was quitting a well-paid, secure job and paying a lot of money to do the course. There was no guarantee of a job at the end of it, however it still felt like a calculated risk, and one worth taking. If I didn’t take that risk then I would still potentially be working in the same job with very little progress in changing careers. Makers Academy was the fast track route to changing careers, taking a bit more control of my life direction. It is still the best choice I have ever made.

During the course I found the lack of sleep difficult and I was worried about how long it would take to secure a job after the course, and whether I would be able to secure a developer job or not. Luckily that question has now been answered.

After graduation my life changed as I moved to London permanently. I achieved my goal of getting a developer role after the course and changing my career. I am now doing something that I enjoy every day and the work/life balance is a lot better.

My Makers Academy experience was intense, tiring and fun. Everybody was very positive and driven to learn and work together. It was easy to stay motivated in that environment.

Will Hall Research & Development

Scientist to Junior Developer

at Factory Media

My Makers Academy experience was intense, tiring and fun. Everybody was very positive and driven to learn and work together. It was easy to stay motivated in that

environment.

@Willhall88

Cohort: March 2014

After graduating in Visual Communications majoring in Graphic Design, Simon co-founded a small web design firm in Cape Town, South Africa. Simon joined Makers looking to gain a deeper understanding of web development to help create beautiful, usable and fully functional web apps. Having successfully completed the course, Simon is now Head of Design at Movebubble.

Before Makers Academy I was running a small web agency. I wanted to learn to code so I could prototype my designs and talk to developers.

What I found difficult during the course was the realisation that my brain does not like code and my biggest worry was being out of my depth. I was completely right to think that and I still believe I was out of depth but I learnt a lot whilst at Makers.

After graduation I went back to South Africa, worked on my portfolio website and came back to the UK to find a job. After a couple of interviews I found a job as Head of Design at Movebubble.

My life has changed after graduation as I am now in full time employment in a new City.

£8,000 is expensive but it is an investment into your future so if you are thinking of changing careers then go with your gut.

My Makers Academy experience was intense, fast-paced and collaborative.

Simon Whittaker Web agency to Head of

Design at Movebubble

My Makers Academy experience was intense, fast paced and collaborative.

@Simon_state

@Whittakersc


Before joining Makers Academy, Khush didn’t know if he had a real passion for coding. He had always enjoyed it as a hobby but didn’t know if the reality would entice him. Waking up at 4am to code made him realise he was definitely passionate about it. Khush commuted from Derby while on the course and now works as a junior developer at Causeway Technologies.

I wanted to learn to code as the I wanted to get a better job that I would enjoy.

I used to commute from Derby for the course and that was super difficult. My biggest worry before Makers Academy was not getting a job. Jobs are coming out of my ears now.

After graduation I had an interview with Shutl with Sam’s (the placement officer) help. I also got an offer at comparethemarket.com but the commute would have been hard, so I worked at a Drupal/PHP shop in Derby for 2 months, until an agent contacted me with a role for a Rails/Ruby/JS dev in Leamington with Causeway Technologies, where I am now. My life has changed after graduation as I have more money and job satisfaction.

My Makers Academy experience consisted of amazing teaching and friends. Great Experience. Great People. Great Coding.

Khushkaran Singh Bajwa Aircraft Dispatcher

to Junior Developer at

Causeway Technologies

My biggest worry before Makers Academy was not getting a job. Jobs are coming out of my ears now.

@ks1ngh

@khushkaran

Read more at:

www.makersacademy.com/

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Where are our Alumni now?