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

I'm doing well in the program and I'm finishing a little early. I started off at a fast pace but I have slowed down on the projects and taken extra time to finish them. I'm using other resources to try to understand and practice. I like the self-learning pace and the format. I'm excited to go through the entire bootcamp.

Q: Is this your first time learning to code?

Yes, this is my first time learning to code. When I was 12, my cousin taught me how to code games on the calculator. I'm 33 and I'm just making a career change recently. I've been doing forestry work and I wanted to get out of that. I'm starting a job soon in IT.

I took the Google IT Support professional course through Coursera. It's a two-month program that covers the fundamentals of networking, system administration, and a little bit of Linux. I completed the program and got a job managing IT assets for a hospital system.

I'm worried that I'm late in the game, but I know it's never too late. I have the motivation and commitment to follow through. It’s going to take a lot of persistence to stick with it, but the upside is huge.

Q: How did you choose Altcademy?

The layout of the website really appealed to me. It’s simple and easy to use, with not too much going on - so it looks like Altcademy knows what they're doing. The price was fit for me, as I was considering something more expensive. Text-based learning is not an issue for me, and self-paced is important.

Q: What are your goals?

I've been following a subreddit called "Learn Programming" which has been helpful in reinforcing the basics of coding. I'm trying not to think too far ahead in terms of my career goals, I just want to get into the industry and get my fundamentals down. I haven't looked into job search yet.