Peter Zastoupil’s Story

I was looking for any kind of job to tie me over in the middle of what I’d call a tumultuous university experience. I’d spent two and a half years in Germany studying physics and music, but traditional school just wasn’t working for me. Back stateside, I was applying for jobs at coffee shops when I came across an ad for FastTrack’D. I’d been interested in technology for a long time and had taken some computer science classes in Germany, so I decided to look into it.

It seemed a little too good to be true — especially the promise of a job assistance after graduation — but I gave it a shot and was accepted into the program.

The course was a really tough transformative experience. You stretch yourself and grow a lot, and you get to a place you didn’t think you could get or didn’t even know existed. Because of the rigorous curriculum and small classes, it’s kind of like an academy setting where you undergo major stressors with a group of your peers — you come out on the other side relying on each other and having grown together. On top of the strong bond I experienced with my classmates, I gained technical knowledge and the ability to to thrive as a working adult in the world.

The apprenticeship-style learning was a game-changer for me.

I treated it like a job from the beginning, which made it easier for me to conceptualize and continue doing once I started. That success is something I don’t think I would’ve had the opportunity to experience if I’d continued in the traditional education setting. I gained the ability to be self-motivated and take it upon myself to learn new things. FastTrack’D gave me the theoretical knowledge and foundation that will allow me to continue learning as the industry grows and changes.

I now do internal development for Cook, working on a small team we’ve created to slowly build out some of the products we need. I’ve also spent the last two and a half years teaching and designing a new course for FastTrack’D. We’re always trying to make the program more effective. My life has changed dramatically since FastTrack’D, and I think even if you don’t have much experience or preexisting tech abilities, if you have the interest and the drive to do it, you can succeed.

-Peter Zastoupil