Meet Jonas - From chemical laboratory to web developer, a testimonial

Our crush: "It was really cool to have all these different perspectives," says our graduate Jonas, who loved the teamwork at the bootcamp. Here is his whole testimonial.

Jonas is now a software developer at a Microsoft partner company and happy as a programmer! 

Jonas is a full-stack developer and lives in Cologne, Germany, where he successfully completed the neue fische Web Development Bootcamp in 2020. He originally trained as a chemical lab technician, but his love for technology brought him to neue fische. After two years working as a professional developer, Jonas is about to take his love for technology to the next level, not only with his bachelor's degree in (mobile) app development (Android/iOS), which he started earlier this year, but also with his new role as a software developer at his Microsoft partner employer. Let's dive deep into his testimonial!

Why did you join neue fische? 

I joined neue fische because the course is short! No joke - I was attracted to the fact that you can quickly and thoroughly learn the skills you need to get into a job you love. Also the other testimonials were very positive. Coming from a biology background, I mostly found it exciting to be able to train for a job I've always wanted to do in just a few months. The learning-by-doing approach really resonated with me, and I knew that taking a bootcamp course as opposed to self-directed learning would be motivating.

What were you doing before?

Before the bootcamp, I worked as a lab assistant. I decided to make a change because I realized it wasn't my calling. The job is safe and interesting, but not necessarily creative and with few opportunities for advancement in Germany. Since I have always been interested in programming, I did some research and decided to apply at neue fische.

What was your biggest challenge you feel like sharing with us in this testimonial?

Understanding MongoDB was a challenge for me. Also, the pace of the course was pretty fast towards the end, especially the last few weeks of designing and creating the final project was like jumping into the deep end of programming. Still, it was a good experience and gave me the confidence to apply for my first job after the bootcamp.

Is there also a personal bootcamp highlight you want to add to your testimonial?

The best thing about the bootcamp was the people. We were a small group, but everyone had different backgrounds - designers, teachers, and even someone who worked in the wine business. It was really cool to have all these different perspectives because everyone brought different skills to the table. It was also great that everyone got along and helped each other out.

How did it go with your new job after the bootcamp?

It went really well! I got my first job at the online graduation, and from the beginning they really went out of their way to make it as easy as possible for me to get started. I was able to create my own onboarding plan and take the time I needed to learn new technologies for the job. It was also great to have a mentor by my side in my first job. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a job after a coding bootcamp. Yes, you have enough skills, but you need a mentor to guide and support you in the first few months.