How Does a Chef Transform into a Software Developer in Only 10 months?

From Sautéing to Programming: A Coding Bootcamp Success Story

As someone who has always loved cooking and traveling, it's no surprise that Anthony ended up in the culinary industry for the past 20 years.

Thai curry is one of his favorite dishes to make and his love of cooking runs in the family—his dad was a chef too.

However, despite his passion for cooking, Anthony always felt limited by the demands of being a chef.

Imagine running as hard as you can on a hamster wheel, not getting any closer to your destination.

There were never any days off, the pay was low, and the work was hard; he felt trapped.

Also, his pay scale remained stagnant for years, and the ceiling for a chef is often where the floor is for a computer programmer.

Anthony first sparked an interest in coding during high school but going on to study for another 4 years for a degree didn’t align with his goals at the time.

Instead, he became a chef, but when his culinary pursuits had run their course Anthony circled back to the idea of coding after a friend suggested it.

They encouraged him to take Udemy courses and Anthony quickly became drawn to the logic and puzzle-solving aspects of programming.

However, as Anthony progressed through the classes, he realized that self-study wasn't enough for him.

Anthony needed the support and guidance of a structured program to truly progress and succeed.

While studying on his own, if a course was outdated, it could take him up to 3 days trying to iron out mistakes.

Anthony wanted the opportunity to ask questions and speed up his learning.

That's when he started researching coding bootcamps and came across Nucamp.

What stood out to Anthony about Nucamp was its hybrid format, which allowed him to continue working while also pursuing his education.

Anthony also appreciated the reasonable price point, as most full-time bootcamps require a significant time and financial commitment.

Anthony enrolled in the Back End, SQL, and DevOps with Python Bootcamp in December 2021.

Anthony’s expectations of bootcamps were challenged; instead of just being handed information to memorize, Anthony learned how to find information, how to think critically, how to debug, and how to talk about his skills in the industry.

Anthony thought his instructors were all helpful, and it was great that he had the option to work with different instructors if needed.

After the bootcamp, Anthony felt confident in his abilities and worked on applying to roles with LinkedIn and Indeed and keeping his GitHub profile up to date.

6 short months after graduation Anthony was able to land a job as a software engineer.

It wasn't an easy transition - Anthony had to work hard to learn challenging new concepts while balancing life’s obligations - but it was worth it.

Anthony now has the opportunity to work remotely, something he’s always wanted, and he feels valued in his new career.

Anthony’s advice for those thinking about attending a coding bootcamp:

“If you’re going the bootcamp route, this is how I honestly feel, you got to do Nucamp. It’s 1/10 of the price of most bootcamps and I don’t believe there’s much added advantage from the other bootcamps and they take all your time throughout the week. The hybrid situation to study on your own and get feedback from others, that’s the way to go.”

Overall, he’s grateful for his experience at Nucamp and highly recommends it to anyone looking to break into the tech industry.

It's not an easy journey, but with dedication and hard work, it's possible to make a successful career change.