Advancing Your Tech Career after Coding Bootcamp: An Alpha Platoon Graduate’s Journey

Almost all coding bootcamp students are anxious about getting their first tech job. Many without four-year degrees also worry about advancing their careers in the industry. James Wilton, Technical Team Lead at Procore Technologies and Alpha Platoon graduate, used to feel this anxiety. But his journey proves it’s possible to establish and grow a tech career without a bachelor’s degree.

“In my seven years of experience, practical knowledge is the biggest asset in tech,” James said. “Nobody I’ve ever worked with has treated me differently because I don’t have a four-year degree. They instead see my accomplishments and desire to keep learning.”

Like many Veterans, James actually planned to attend college after his service ended. 

“I enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2008,” James said. “I grew up in a group home. The military was one of the few ways I had seen my peers save money to pursue higher education.” 

But once James left the service, he couldn’t wait four years for a stable, full-time job. Feeling lost, he turned to his friends for guidance. His friend told him about a relatively new concept – the coding bootcamp. 

James explored this opportunity and discovered a Coding Bootcamp exclusively designed for Veterans. He seized the opportunity to join Code Platoon’s inaugural Alpha Platoon.

“Even though Code Platoon was a new training provider, what drew me in was the shared military experience among the students. It felt easier to connect with my cohort of fellow Veterans. I still talk to several of the other graduates from my cohort.”

Once James graduated from Code Platoon, he leveraged his military experience within the vast Veteran tech professional network. 

“I’d look specifically for Veteran recruiters at companies I was interested in and reach out to them for tech job referrals. In interviews, I’d share my unique skill set from my service—leadership, working under pressure, and setting and achieving goals.”

James entered the tech industry as a software engineer apprentice at Enova. He remained with the financial tech company for two years. Then he joined Procore.

“My career progressed organically from there,” he said. “I was assigned to a ‘bug smash team’ at Procore. We started investigating and found more significant issues in the code than leadership had predicted. I spent a lot of time researching and reviewing metrics.

“Because I became the subject matter expert, I began overseeing sub-contractors and became the Product and Technical Team Lead I am today. Now, I help manage my team’s software product, lead Agile ceremonies, and work with stakeholders to strategize the future of the product (and prevent more bugs).”

James is also considering returning to college, but this time for his interest rather than a perceived necessity.

“I’m toying with the idea of continuing my education, but I’d be doing it for me,” James said. “I’m always seeking new opportunities to grow my skill set. I went to Code Platoon because I was excited to discover the tech world. I’ve kept that mindset throughout my career. 

“I’ve discovered this over the years: no matter how long I work in tech, I’ll never know everything. That can be intimidating, but it keeps me coming back for more after all this time.”

Kayla Elkin is the Marketing Content Specialist at Code Platoon. In this role, she uses her marketing, writing, and editing skills developed from previous higher education and educational technology positions. Kayla has degrees in English and Sociology from Clemson University and completed the Study in India Program (SIP) at the University of Hyderabad. She lives with her partner in northern Chicago.