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Student Stories: Duncan Mcclure

Currently studying Full-stack Web Development

Q: Tell us about yourself!

My name is Duncan, and I am currently in California. I started as a nanotechnologist with a background in materials science and now am a program manager in the medical device and life science fields for both hardware and software.

Q: Do you have any prior coding experience?

My very first experience with learning a programming language was in my first class in college. However, I only know the basics and my goal is to become a better programmer. This is one of the reasons why I joined Altcademy.

Q: Why did you decide to learn coding?

Recently, I've observed that more of the jobs and projects which recently have come my way skew towards software, including web applications and technologies which use Javascript and HTML. Also, the projects I worked on at my most recent company were all related to software. I wanted to become more proficient in coding to not only widen my job prospects but be able to meaningfully contribute to software projects as an engineer and not just as a program manager.

Q: How are you doing so far in the program?

I started the program in March and have now completed the HTML and CSS course. A good aspect of the program for me is that I can do it at my own pace, as I have needed to pause and resume it at different times due to other priorities. I've found the program beneficial. The exercises help a lot, and the instructors are very supportive.

Q: What are your goals?

I hope to finish the program by the middle of next year. The ultimate goal is to become a better programmer. I want to keep the option of doing software engineering if the job calls for it and eventually move into higher level project or engineering management roles.

In conclusion, Duncan’s journey with programming and coding goes to show that it's never too late to get a grip on software development. The skills he's honed and the knowledge he's gained has put him on the path to turning his software visions into a reality.

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STUDENT STORY

"Coding is actually a very creative thing"

STUDENT STORY

"I've enjoyed the challenging yet rewarding experience of learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript"

STUDENT STORY

"Coding is about understanding concepts and learning how to solve problems."

Meet our Alumni

Going from beginners to professional coders, 85%+ of Altcademy alumni are hired within 6 months after graduation

Hired · Alumni

Xavier H.

Staff Engineer / Full Stack Software Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton

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Hired · Alumni

Jason W.

Development Lead at LeadFlask

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Hired · Alumni

Cortni F.

QA Analyst at Knak

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Andy T.

Application Manager at The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute

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Travis D.

Javascript Developer at Bitovi

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Thu G.

Software Engineer Intern at Fergus

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David P.

Front End Developer at Influx Marketing

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Susan W.

Software Engineer at Paychex

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Alycia H.

Product Lead at YouTube

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Nargiza U.

SDET|Software QA Engineer at KodePloy

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Hired · Alumni

Gabriel R.

Growth Engineer at Agorize

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Hired · Alumni

Teague S.

Front-end Web Development Teaching Assistant at 2U

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