Yolanda Thompson’s Story
I needed a change in career.
My fast-paced sports marketing job was requiring too much time away from my husband and three children, and I wanted to be home more often. The problem was I wasn't sure where to start. So I began researching, and found out IT was a highly in-demand career. Having once pursued electrical engineering, I'd taken coding early in college and enjoyed it, and being analytical and a fast learner by nature, IT seemed like the perfect path to take. I just had to figure out how to gain the skills and experience I needed as quickly as possible.
When I came across FastTrack'D in my research, it immediately struck me as different from the other available options. Not only did it take less time than going back to school, it stood out among the other bootcamp-style trainings because they didn't charge tuition upfront and they job placement after graduation. It seemed too good to be true, but I decided to look into it. After talking to a recruiter and visiting the office, I had the confidence to take a chance on FastTrack'D.
Even though I prepared with some Java classes ahead of time, the experience was tough. It was extremely intensive training, but my classmates and I fought through it together. We like to joke that it's not unlike war; when you're in a war with your comrades you develop this bond that doesn't go away. We still help each other out with projects to this day.
In addition to those friendships, of the most valuable things I took away from the experience was how to be a self-learner and conduct my own research. It translates to so many aspects of my life. Another is the opportunity to not only be trained quickly, but spend the years immediately following graduation getting valuable experience on client sites. I don't see how I could've gotten to where I am now any other way than through FastTrack'D.
Finding FastTrack'D was a huge blessing, because my original plan was to go back to school, which would take two and a half years and doesn't really prepare you to be an enterprise-level developer in this industry. It also doesn't guarantee you'll have a job when you graduate. With FastTrack'D, I got both.
One of the benefits I'm most proud of is getting to share my new skillset with others. I now teach coding kids at my children's elementary school through a nonprofit called Code Crew. Being PTO President has even allowed me to get these programs started in other schools, showing kids this is a real possibility for their future career. The impact FastTrack'D has had goes beyond even just my life to impact future generations.
I now work for FastTrack'D executing and organizing curriculum, particularly concerning interpersonal development. Not only do I have a challenging and fulfilling career without having gone back to school, I get to spend more time with my family and use my talent to give back to the community- all because of FastTrack'D.
-Yolanda Thompson