X-Ray Platoon Final Projects

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Representing Code Platoon’s twenty-fourth Full-stack Software Engineering: Immersive cohort, the X-Ray Platoon graduates recently presented their final projects. This time, our graduates applied all of the front-end, back-end, and software project management skills they developed during the program to produce four hands-on capstone projects ranging from an AI-integrated eCommerce site, to an event management platform, and even a mobile game. Join us in this blog as we recognize our graduates’ dedication and celebrate their impressive final projects. 

The first team, Bonsai, developed an ambitious software engineering project including an ecommerce site to buy and sell bonsais, a social platform for the bonsai community to publish and share attributed blog posts, and an AI-powered “Zen Master” chatbot to help users care for their bonsais and even themselves.

“We built our ‘Zen Master’ using Haystack LLM framework pipeline and OpenAI. We used advanced components and imported documents, specific embeddings, and custom prompts,” Dustin, Navy Veteran and X-Ray Platoon graduate, says, “We taught the LLM Bonsai knowledge, Zen, and the real-life history of a legendary samurai to not only provide advice but also to make it respond with the depth and wisdom of a former warrior who has embraced a peaceful path. Zen Master’s unique responses are rooted in history, mindfulness, and tranquility while always bringing the focus back to bonsai.”

Other features implemented by the Bonsai team include mobile optimization and integration with APIs like Google Maps, PayPal, and OpenWeather to improve their users’ experiences while buying, selling, and caring for their bonsais. Check out their final project below!

The next team built Foundations of Programming (FOP), a class management tool for Code Platoon students and instructors. Features of their application include unique student and instructor course creation, question adding, and a Visual Studio Code Integrated Development Environment directly in the application. 

FOP uses React.js, Tailwind CSS, and Daisy UI on the front end. A Django REST framework makes up the back end. Programming languages used include JavaScript, Python, and CSS.

To facilitate a clean code base and prevent merge conflicts during their project, the team built a GitHub repository and internal review system with a feature branch based development cycle: “Whenever someone came up with a new idea, they would create a branch, do their work, then submit it through a pull request,” Navy Veteran and FOP team member Brandon says. “The request would be under review to a minimum of two reviewers before we would merge it to main.”

The Event Master team created a comprehensive full-stack web application for users to discover and organize events. Their users can search for events via keyword and location-based searches. Event organizers can generate links to ticket purchases and venue information directly in the application via the Ticketmaster API. Users can also see all of the events they’re attending and organizing on their user profiles, which are saved to Event Master via a PostgreSQL relational database management system.

All of this was created by a team of three transitioning Active Duty graduates who completed X-Ray Platoon via the SkillBridge program. 

“We had some difficulties managing our small team size, different time zones from Hawaii to EST, and two-week time frame to create Event Master,” Mickey, a transitioning Soldier and X-Ray Platoon graduate, shares. “Organizing our goals and making sure we were on the same page was essential. We took our daily stand-up and stand-down meetings seriously, so we knew our goals and who was working on what parts of the application.”

The last project in our showcase is Deal or Dragon, a mobile game with an AI “battle” system. Users put their creative writing skills to the test by convincing characters powered by the team’s AI assistant to purchase an item in a limited number of turns.

“I trained the AI bosses to adapt to player actions, ensuring that every interaction felt unique and challenging,” Erika, a military spouse, says. “The AI assistant has a data set of example conversations and decision-making scenarios. It includes a variety of player actions like persuasion attempts, logical arguments, or even emotional appeals and the assistant learns how to handle each of them differently.”

“Working on this project was an incredible team experience. Everyone collaborated, not just on isolated components but on every aspect of the game. We had to work very closely to make sure everything fit together smoothly. Every single one of the pages and parts of the databases has code from every member of the team. It brought its challenges but also enriched the project.”

Code Platoon Graduate Outcomes 2024

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Code Platoon is committed to supporting Veterans, Servicemembers, and military families as they transition into tech careers. Over the past year, we’ve seen a slight dip in our six-month and one-year employment rates. Still, our graduates continue to leverage their skills and resilience to secure software engineering roles with a median starting salary of $80,000.

Our graduates’ continued success speaks volumes about the strength of our approach.  Our flexible learning options and dedicated support have helped Veterans and their families transition smoothly into new careers.

“Code Platoon continues to be the go-to path for Veterans and military spouses to break into tech,” Rod Levy, Executive Director of Code Platoon, says. “We’re always evolving our curriculum and career services to keep pace with the ever-changing tech landscape, ensuring our graduates are ready to hit the ground running.”

Code Platoon Graduate Outcomes 2024

  • In 2024, 61% of Code Platoon graduates secured jobs in tech within six months of completing the program, with a median starting salary of $80,000. 
  • One year after graduation, that placement rate increases to 72%
  • The median salary jumps to $102,000 after two years in the industry. 
  • Code Platoon continues to be recognized as a top coding bootcamp by Course Report and SwitchUp. This year, we also earned new designations as the #1 Best Coding Bootcamp of 2024 by College Consensus and a Military Friendly School by VIQTORY.

In-Demand Skills Employers Seek

Code Platoon graduates excel in tech because they master the skills employers demand. Our Full-Stack Software Engineering curriculum covers essential programming languages like Python and JavaScript, along with popular tools such as Docker, React, and PostgreSQL. This year, we added artificial intelligence training to our core curriculum, equipping students with one of the hottest skills in software engineering today. Our specialized DevOps and Cloud Engineering training also dives into continuous integration, configuration management, and automation—ensuring graduates can make an immediate impact in their new roles.

“In my seven years of tech experience, practical knowledge is the biggest asset. Nobody I’ve worked with has treated me differently because I don’t have a degree.” James, an Army National Guard Veteran and Technical Team Lead at Procore Technologies says.

Navigating the Job Market with Confidence

While the tech industry has seen shifts and challenges, Code Platoon graduates continue to stand out because of their unique combination of in-demand technical skills and lived experience from their military backgrounds, including discipline, leadership, and problem-solving. This combination continues to make them highly sought after by our corporate and hiring partners, including Caesars Digital, Travelers Insurance, and Cecilian Partners.

As the tech landscape evolves, our comprehensive Career Services help graduates take on the job search with a clear strategy and well-prepared materials. Our dedicated Career Services team provides personalized support, including 1-on-1 mentorship, resume workshops, LinkedIn optimization, and mock interviews, preparing our graduates to present their military-to-tech transition stories to future employers.

“Code Platoon prepared me for the job market better than a degree,” Megan, a Navy Veteran and Software Engineer at DRW, says. “The program gave me a good sense of communication skills and how to explain my work experience.” 

Companies that Hire Code Platoon Grads

Is a Career in Tech Right for You? A Guide for Veterans and Military Families

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If you’re a Veteran, Servicemember, or military spouse wondering whether a technology career might be a good fit, you’re not alone. Technology roles offer rewarding opportunities with significant job growth, financial stability, and a chance to leverage the skills you’ve honed during your military background. Let’s explore why a tech career may be your ideal path, where to find the best jobs in tech, and how to prepare for a tech career.

Why Consider a Technology Career

High Demand and Growth

The U.S. tech industry is rapidly expanding, making it a prime time to enter the field. With roles ranging from software engineering to cloud computing, technology careers are in high demand across various sectors, offering long-term career growth and stability.

Strong Salary Prospects

One of the key advantages of a technology career is the earning potential. The median annual wage for computer and IT jobs in the United States is significantly higher than the national median wage for all occupations. If financial security is your priority, a tech role offers a path to a stable and lucrative career. 

Veteran-Friendly Industry

Many tech companies recognize the unique skills that come from military service and actively seek to hire Veterans and military spouses. This makes technology careers particularly welcoming to those with military experience, where adaptability, teamwork, and problem-solving are already second nature.

Where to Find the Best Jobs in Technology

You might be surprised to learn that jobs in technology are open to more than just the tech industry. Many sectors are experiencing a growing demand for tech professionals:

  • Banking and Finance: With the rise of mobile banking, fintech, and cybersecurity, this sector has a high demand for software engineers.
  • Healthcare: The shift to electronic health records and the rise of telemedicine have made healthcare a major player in the tech job market.
  • Retail and E-Commerce: The online shopping boom has increased the need for sophisticated logistics software, driving demand for tech talent in this sector.
  • Government and Public Sector: With ongoing digital transformation initiatives and the growing focus on cybersecurity, government agencies are increasingly seeking tech professionals.
  • Manufacturing and Industrial: As automation becomes more prevalent, tech employees are essential in manufacturing and industry.

Top Technology Roles for Veterans and Spouses

Veterans and military spouses often bring transferable skills that make stepping into entry-level tech roles easier. Here are a few of the best jobs in tech for those with a military background:

  • Full-Stack Developer: These professionals work on both the front-end and back-end of applications, adapting to various challenges like a multi-functional unit in the military.
  • DevOps Engineer: DevOps Engineers—akin to logistics officers—bridge the gap between software development and IT teams, ensuring smooth operations.
  • Cloud Engineer: Cloud Engineers manage complex cloud systems, drawing on problem-solving and strategic planning skills honed in the military.
  • Junior Software Engineer: Junior developers—the newest recruits—start with foundational skills and progress to more complex coding challenges with guidance from senior developers.
  • Project Manager: Project Managers oversee software products or other technical projects, keeping their teams on track and within budget. Their role requires strategic planning, communication, and leadership skills—making it a great fit for Veterans accustomed to managing complex missions.
  • Data Analyst: Data Analysts gather, interpret, and report on data to help organizations make informed decisions by leveraging their problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
  • Software Architect: Software Architects excel in systems thinking and long-term planning. They design the overarching structure of software applications and ensure each part aligns with the intended goals.
  • Video Game Designer: For those with a creative and technical bent, Video Game Designers combine storytelling with tech skills to create interactive gaming experiences.

How to Prepare for a Tech Career

If you’re ready to start a career in technology, coding bootcamps offer accessible access to quality technical training. Bootcamps provide hands-on training in high-demand areas like software development and DevOps, making them practical and affordable alternatives to pursuing a college degree.

Is Technology the Right Path for You?

Every journey into tech is unique, but for many Veterans and military spouses, the industry has proven to be both rewarding and impactful. As you weigh your career options, consider the ways your skills and experience might fit into this high-demand field. Whether it’s through exploring free online courses, connecting with tech mentors, or attending information sessions for technical programs, small steps can help you gauge whether tech is the right choice for you. 

With the right training and support, a career in technology could be the next step that aligns with your military experience and future ambitions.

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. Outside work, she enjoys playing video games and Dungeons & Dragons with her friends.

Foxtrot Evening & Weekend Platoon Final Projects

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At Code Platoon, the culmination of our Full-Stack Software Engineering: Evening & Weekend program is nothing short of spectacular. Our Veteran and military spouse graduates spend 28 rigorous weeks mastering coding, and their final projects are a testament to their hard work, creativity, technical skills, and real-world problem-solving developed during coding bootcamp. We are thrilled to highlight the projects our graduates programmed and deployed during their three-week final project sprint. Let’s dive into their full-stack creations.

Reputable Restrooms: Find and Review Public Restrooms

Reputable Restrooms is an application designed to help users find the cleanest, closest, and best-reviewed restrooms based on their location. Users can view restroom location pins, read and submit reviews, and see average ratings all laid out on a clean map UI built with Google Maps API.

Although the team was more versed in JavaScript from the Evening & Weekend program, they elected to challenge themselves by using TypeScript on the front end of their final project: “We decided to use TypeScript because it’s versatile and gave Reputable Restrooms a modern touch. After we put things together, we were able to use HTML and CSS for the page’s styling easily. In the long run, I think it saved us a lot of time,” Charles, a Navy Reservist and member of the Reputable Restrooms team, says. 

The project also leveraged React and Bootstrap on the front end, and Python and Django on the back end. The development team comprised two Army Veterans and a Marine Corps Veteran alongside Charles.

Trek Tracker: A Guide to National Parks

Trek Tracker is the next project in the showcase. It was developed by two Army Veterans, an Air Force Veteran, a Marine Corps Veteran, and a military spouse.

“Our motivation for this project was to promote discovery of national parks, educate people, and create lasting memories for friends and family,” Raymond, a Marine Corps Veteran, says. “In the future, we want to implement a way for Trek Tracker users to plan and share trips with family and friends in the application.”

Trek Tracker provides information for visiting national parks in the United States, including available activities and customized weather and news alerts for each location. Users can log their past visits, plan future trips, and even keep a diary of their experiences. Trek Tracker uses the National Parks Service API, the National Weather Service API, and the graduates’ in-house API to create and save park reviews to their PostGreSQL database.

Evently: Event and Guest Management App

The final project demonstrated during the Foxtrot Evening & Weekend Platoon graduation is Evently. Evently simplifies event planning and guest management while sending automatic email notifications via Django’s STMP capabilities. The app also features an event calendar and event windows with details, guest lists, and location maps, enhancing the overall user experience.

Dylan, an Army Veteran, reflects on his learning experience while creating Evently: “When developing our front end with React Material UI, we found that it was easy to box ourselves in, especially when working with its reusable components. If we were starting from scratch again, we should’ve considered scalability earlier.”

“I don’t know if we would have finished had we not deployed early and often. Learning how to set up and configure Terraform was my biggest challenge, but it made it much easier to test,” Matt, an Army Veteran, said.

The rest of the Evently team comprised of an Army Reservist and a Navy Reservist.

Celebrating Success and Looking Forward

Our graduates’ dedication to learning and ingenuity are truly inspiring. As they enter the tech industry, we’re confident they will continue to code and contribute to the future of the tech industry. Congratulations to our Foxtrot Evening & Weekend Platoon graduates on their significant accomplishments!

Celebrate Code Platoon 2024: Empowering Futures and Expanding Horizons

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On a warm September evening in Chicago, the River Room came alive with the sounds of celebration as we gathered for Celebrate Code Platoon 2024—a night as inspirational as it was impactful. With delicious food and drinks in hand, partners, alumni, and Code Platoon community members came together to support our mission of transforming the lives of Veterans and military families through the power of tech careers.

A Night of Milestones and Exciting Announcements

Thanks to the generosity of our attendees and corporate sponsors, we raised an incredible $105,496—funds that will empower Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families with generous scholarships as they prepare to launch their tech careers.

But the night wasn’t just about raising funds—it was about recognizing the strength of our community and the exciting road ahead. Code Platoon’s Executive Director, Rodrigo Levy, took the stage to share incredible milestones over the past year and announce an exciting expansion of Code Platoon’s mission: Code Platoon will now accept adult children of Veterans and Servicemembers into all of our programs! This bold expansion is a testament to our commitment to reducing underemployment and creating tech career opportunities for military members and their families.

Honoring Our Community

During Celebrate, we were proud to recognize Travelers as our 2024 Partner of the Year. Travelers has provided unwavering support of our mission through financial contributions and placing our graduates in software development positions within the company. 

“We have a longstanding commitment to supporting the military community, and it is an absolute honor to be recognized by Code Platoon for our efforts,” Jim McMahon, Director of Talent Acquisition at Travelers, said.

We also honored Greg Tutunjian our Volunteer of the Year for his invaluable contributions to the Code Platoon community—hosting free Agile workshops for our students and alumni over the last six years.

Ending the evening on an inspiring note, our alumni took center stage to share their military-to-tech journeys and how Code Platoon’s programs and community propelled their software engineering careers. 

Roque speaking at Celebrate Code Platoon 2024“I come from a background in liberal arts and business, so I wouldn’t be where I am today without the strong technical foundation I built at Code Platoon… Code Platoon has grown so much since I first enrolled, and I’m proud to be an alumnus of this incredible program,” Roque Mesa, Army Veteran and Backend Software Engineer at JPMorgan Chase, said.

Tressa speaking at Celebrate Code Platoon 2024“Code Platoon gave me the opportunity to support my family in more ways than I imagined… I can be present for my children while still providing for my family. This would have never been possible without the foundation that Code Platoon provided me,” Tressa Sharma, Army Veteran and Software Engineer at Bodhi, shared.

Support Our Mission

Tressa and Roque’s stories of resilience and success were a powerful reminder of why Code Platoon exists: to equip Veterans and military families with the tools they need to thrive in the tech industry. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our community as we continue our mission.

If you couldn’t join Celebrate Code Platoon 2024 in person, don’t worry—there’s still time to make a lasting impact! Your tax-deductible donation will directly support Veterans and military families as they transform their careers and lives with our technical training programs.

Thank you for celebrating with us! 

Thida Sam is Code Platoon’s Director of Development. With a background in public service and the nonprofit sector, Thida is passionate about building impactful partnerships and driving sustainable social impact. A University of Michigan graduate, Thida lives in Boston with her children and spouse.

 

The Highest Paying, Most In-Demand Programming Languages in 2024

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Are you ready to jumpstart your tech career in 2024? At Code Platoon, we ensure that our military coding students are trained in programming languages and technologies, offering both high salaries and high demand from employers. This article reflects our findings on the best-paying and highest-demand programming languages and software development tools for 2024. Whether you’re aiming for a career in full-stack software engineering or DevOps and cloud engineering, we hope these insights will help you make an informed decision.

The Top Programming Languages in 2024

Our research shows that Python and JavaScript developers continue to be in demand in 2024. These two languages are core to Code Platoon’s curriculum, ensuring our graduates are well-prepared for the job market.

  • Python continues to be an essential language in the tech industry, ranking #2 in job postings and #1 in average salary. As a general-purpose language, Python is used in a wide range of domains, including back-end web development, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and automation.
  • JavaScript also maintains a strong presence, ranking #3 in job postings and #4 in average salary for the second year in a row. JavaScript is the only programming language that can run natively in all web browsers, making it essential for web development.
  • C# climbs to #1 in job postings but falls to #3 in average salary compared to 2023. This language continues to be popular due to its strong integration with Microsoft products and the Unity gaming engine.

Programming Languages in 2024 Ranked by Job Openings and Average Salary

  1. C#: Dominating the gaming industry and Windows applications but difficult to learn.
  2. Python: Essential for data science, AI, machine learning, cybersecurity, and DevOps engineering.
  3. JavaScript: The backbone of web application development.
  4. C++: Ideal for high-performance applications, but like C# more challenging to learn than Python.
  5. Java: Integral to business applications.
  6. SQL: Essential for database management.
  7. PHP: Maintaining relevance in web development.
  8. C: Powerful, flexible, and widely used in operating systems.

Best Software Development Tools in 2024

In addition to programming languages, several key technologies are shaping the software engineering industry in 2024:

  • Database Environments: PostgreSQL is the most popular database management system among professional developers for the second year in a row. This open-source database is known for its robustness and support for complex queries and transactions.
  • Web Frameworks: React is the most used web framework by professional developers. It’s favored for its efficiency and flexibility in building user interfaces.
  • Cloud Platforms: Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the dominant cloud platform. However, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud have both grown in adoption.
  • Containerization: Docker is the most popular tool for compiling, building, and testing applications, cementing its importance in modern DevOps practices.
  • Artificial Intelligence: AI tools have surged in industry adoption; 62% of software developers incorporate AI into their workflows. Despite the rapid growth in AI’s adoption, most professional developers (70%) view AI not as a threat to their jobs but as a tool to enhance their work.

What to Learn for Software Engineering in 2024

Understanding the top programming languages and technologies is crucial for navigating the tech industry. At Code Platoon, Python and JavaScript remain pivotal in our curriculum, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for the demands of today’s job market. Additionally, familiarity with technologies like PostgreSQL, AI tools, and Docker further enhances our graduates’ career prospects.

Ready to dive into these in-demand skills? Apply now to join our next cohort and position yourself for success in the ever-evolving tech landscape.

For more insights and detailed industry trends, check out the latest reports from Stack Overflow and the TIOBE Index.

Rod Levy is the Founder and Executive Director of Code Platoon. He holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he graduated with honors. Rod has completed Dev Bootcamp’s web developer program.

Celebrating 80 Years of the GI Bill: A Legacy of Opportunity

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This year marks a significant milestone in American history—the 80th anniversary of the GI Bill®. Since its inception in 1944, the GI Bill has transformed the lives of millions of Veterans and their families, providing them with vital education benefits and pathways to economic stability.

A Historical Perspective

The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill, was designed to assist returning World War II Veterans in reintegrating into civilian life. It offered a range of benefits, including funding for college education, vocational training, and low-interest home loans. This legislation not only recognized the sacrifices made by our Servicemembers but also laid the groundwork for a prosperous post-war economy.

Impact on Education

One of the most profound impacts of the GI Bill has been its role in expanding access to education for Veterans. Millions of Veterans have used their GI Bill benefits to pursue higher education, leading to a more skilled workforce and contributing to the growth of the American middle class. Today, the GI Bill continues to evolve, adapting to the needs of modern Veterans and expanding to cover a variety of educational paths, including coding bootcamps, technical schools, and online courses.

Economic Growth and Home Ownership

Beyond education, the GI Bill has played a crucial role in fostering home ownership among Veterans. By providing access to affordable mortgages, it has helped countless families achieve the American dream of owning a home. This surge in home ownership has not only benefited individual families but has also contributed to the overall economic growth of communities across the nation.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate 80 years of the GI Bill, it’s essential to recognize its ongoing importance. The challenges faced by today’s Veterans are different from those of the past, but the need for support remains critical. Continued investment in Veterans’ benefits and programs is necessary to ensure that all who serve our country have the opportunity to thrive.

The GI Bill stands as a testament to our commitment to those who have served. It’s a powerful reminder of the impact that thoughtful legislation can have on individuals and society as a whole. As we honor this legacy, let us continue to advocate for the rights and needs of our Veterans, ensuring that they receive the support they deserve for generations to come.

Here’s to 80 years of the GI Bill—a celebration of service, sacrifice, and opportunity!

Greg Drobny is a former Airborne Infantryman, PSYOP Team Chief, political consultant, professional military blogger, and Code Platoon’s Student Outreach and Recruitment Manager. He holds a BA and MA in history and an MS in organizational psychology. He is married with four children who keep him more than slightly busy, and he is passionate about helping Veterans find their paths in life and develop the skills needed to pursue their goals.

Coding Bootcamps vs College Degrees: Which Path is Right for You?

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A common question we receive here at Code Platoon is a variation of “Should I go to Code Platoon, or get a degree in computer science at a university?”

This is of course a valid question when attempting to decide your future. But instead of simply comparing the raw numbers, I want to offer a few thoughts that will act as a way to compare this serious choice. 

To start with a popular phrase and apply it to this context, all coding bootcamps and colleges are not created equally. While this may seem obvious, we often forget to account for some of the variables when comparing. 

For example, we can’t simply ask whether any coding bootcamp is better or worse than any college – that’s immediately problematic from an analytical perspective. It would be better to start, at the very least, with a question like “Which is better, the best coding bootcamp, or the best college program?”

That starts to level the playing field, but only a bit; it doesn’t account for several other factors. For example, is the best college accessible to us? 

To use a personal example, I completed an MA in history a few years ago. When looking at potential schools, Harvard was considered the top choice by many, but that mattered very little from the practical cost perspective.

So, the practical must always factor in: “What is the best program that is accessible?”

And yet we can still further refine that. Let’s imagine that a highly-ranked college and a highly-ranked coding bootcamp are both accessible, and let’s suppose that the college has an edge in its graduate outcomes. That means it’s the smarter choice, right?

Not necessarily. First, when does the college program start, and second, how long does it take?

If we keep things equal in our hypothetical and say that they start at the same time, a coding bootcamp is much shorter in length by at least a few years. That has to be accounted for when doing a comparative analysis.

To put a fine point on it and contextualize the numbers, let’s suppose that a computer science degree holder from a good school lands a starting salary of $90,000/year, and the coding school graduate gets an offer of $80,000/year to begin a new role. While the CS degree path seems more profitable, it’s not that simple.

If a coding bootcamp takes 4-6 months and a degree takes 3.5-4 years, the coding bootcamp grad is earning that salary at least three years sooner than the college student who is still in school. By the time the college student graduates, they are roughly $210,000 behind in their earnings.

How does that look over a lifetime of earnings? How does it translate into further career development? Will one put us in more debt than the other? 

All of these are valuable and relevant questions, and it’s worth noting that even my hypothetical comparison can be altered based on numerous factors. The point is not to come up with a direct answer, but rather to offer a more robust method of comparison that goes beyond simply asking which one is better.

The short answer is, it depends. The longer answer is that it depends on a lot of factors, some of which are neglected and not taken into account, often because we don’t consider relevant qualifiers that offer a solid foundation for comparing. 

What is your current situation? How much time can you devote to training? What are the practical options based on these factors?

Be sure you are taking into account what matters to you, as no one knows your situation better than you. We are here to help you walk through those options and make the smartest, most informed choice possible. 

Greg Drobny is a former Airborne Infantryman, PSYOP Team Chief, political consultant, professional military blogger, and Code Platoon’s Student Outreach and Recruitment Manager. He holds a BA and MA in history and an MS in organizational psychology. He is married with four children who keep him more than slightly busy, and he is passionate about helping Veterans find their paths in life and develop the skills needed to pursue their goals.

Empowering Veterans through DevOps Education: Insights from AWS re:Inforce 2024

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I’m an instructor at Code Platoon for the DevOps and Cloud Engineering program. I had the privilege of representing our organization at AWS re:Inforce 2024 in Philadelphia on June 10–12, 2024. This conference focused on cloud security and offered a wealth of knowledge and insights that I’m excited to bring back to enhance our curriculum and better prepare our students for careers in DevOps.

AWS re:Inforce is an annual conference organized by Amazon Web Services that focuses on cloud security, compliance, identity, and privacy. The event gathers experts, practitioners, and enthusiasts from around the world to share the latest advancements, best practices, and strategies in cloud security. This year’s conference featured a variety of keynote speeches, breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities, all aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of cloud security and promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

I had the opportunity to represent Code Platoon at the conference and gain the following takeaways for implementation in our Veteran coding bootcamps.

Implementing Takeaways in Code Platoon’s Curriculum

Insights from AWS re:Inforce 2024 will significantly enrich our DevOps and Cloud Engineering bootcamp at Code Platoon. We are making a detailed plan to incorporate some of these learnings into our curriculum:

  • Integration of Automated Security Tools: We will introduce our students to automated security tools and frameworks, emphasizing their integration into CI/CD pipelines. We will add lessons on AWS security tools like AWS Config, AWS GuardDuty, and AWS Security Hub, which will help with compliance checks, threat detection, and incident response.
  • Leveraging AI Tools for Security: GenAI is still an evolving domain, but we plan to add some AI-powered AWS services, like Amazon Macie and Amazon Detective, for advanced threat detection and data protection.
  • Strengthening Secure Software Development Practices: Our bootcamp will place a greater emphasis on secure software development practices. We plan to integrate security testing tools like SonarQube and Nexus into our CI/CD workflows.
  • Enhancing Incident Response Training: We will develop a comprehensive incident response training module with simulated incident scenarios. Students will learn to create and execute incident response plans and conduct post-incident analyses.
  • Adding the GenAI module to our Curriculum: With the growing interest in the GenAI domain, we will add a whole module to learn about GenAI and its applications. We plan to teach lessons on using foundational models, adding custom training datasets, building agents, and building utility applications like PDF chatbots, image generators, chatbots, etc.

Integrating these advanced security concepts and practices into our curriculum will benefit our students, ensuring they gain practical experience with cutting-edge tools. Emphasizing security throughout the development lifecycle will instill a proactive security mindset in our students. They will learn to prioritize security from the outset, reducing vulnerabilities and improving the overall quality of their work. They will also learn to respond quickly to any potential threats.

Security skills are in high demand. By implementing these takeaways, our students will be well-equipped to meet the needs of modern DevOps and cloud engineering roles, enhancing their employability.

A Successful Visit to AWS re:Inforce 2024

Attending AWS re:Inforce 2024 was an invaluable experience for me as an instructor. The insights and knowledge gained from the conference will significantly enhance our curriculum at Code Platoon, ensuring that we continue to provide top-level education to our Veteran and military spouse tech students.

Chandra is a Senior Instructor at Code Platoon. He has extensive experience in software development and orchestration. He has previously worked with American Express, Development Bank of Singapore and another coding bootcamp. Chandra is a highly motivated and passionate teacher who believes in the power of education and creating and deploying beautiful software.

Whiskey Platoon Final Projects

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For 15 weeks, the Whiskey Platoon graduates dedicated themselves to honing their coding skills during the Full-stack Software Engineering: Immersive program. From AI-driven chess tutors to comprehensive class management tools and real-time chat apps, their final group projects reflect their dedication and growth. Join us in this blog as we explore and celebrate their remarkable accomplishments. 

Starting the project showcase strong, Cheap Chess Tutor leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help chess players improve their skills. New players can see suggested moves during real-time games with other players or computers. The app stores its data on a PostgreSQL database, so users can play multiple games simultaneously.

OpenAI powers the computer opponent. The team’s code translates the chessboard into text for ChatGPT 3.5 to analyze, then converts its responses back into JavaScript code, creating interactive visual effects for the user within a second.

“For many of us, this was the first time we had taken somebody else’s code and contributed enough to call it our own,” Drew, an active duty Airman, says. “It required a strong understanding of the code, which we gained through demos, reviews, and most of all, not being afraid to ask questions. Cheap Chess Tutor taught us the versatility needed to jump into any project and thrive.”

ChangeMate platforms social impact events and campaigns in a fun, social layout. The app offers organizers tools to promote their events, recruit volunteers, and assign tasks on a user interface created with React and Veet and enhanced using Bootstrap components. 

Individual users are motivated to host, volunteer for, and attend events for social causes by earning badges and recognition from the ChangeMate app. Part of the user functionality uses external and Restful APIs.

“Our vision was for ChangeMate to be more than just a social media platform,” Shawn, an Air Force Veteran and member of the ChangeMate team, says. “ChangeMate is a catalyst for positive change, bringing communities together to create a better world. We’re excited to embark on this journey with our users.”

The next team built Platoon Console, a class management tool for Code Platoon students and instructors. For students, the app streamlines their attendance records, manages pair programming, and provides a detailed class calendar and resources, including a searchable gallery of lecture videos. 

“We knew what students need from our own experience,” Landon, a Navy Veteran, says. “We frequently met with our instructors to define the scope of the classroom toolset and what information they need to collect on the platform.”

Based on their user research, the team designed the instructor side of the platform to check and approve attendance, which is stored on a back-end table of attendance records stored in SQL. Instructors can also select students to demo their code and generate random pairs or groups for assignments.

Transparent Budget Decisions (TBD) is a personalized finance app that tracks expenses and forecasts monthly expenses. Before writing any code, the team used Agile methods to determine their project scope.

“We created a whiteboard of potential features and categorized them based on our vision of the minimum viable product,” Weston, a Marine Corps Veteran who worked on TBD, says, “Each feature was broken down into a user story to determine its success criteria from that user’s perspective.”

TBD features an interactive calendar of transaction data and events, graphs the remaining budget using JavaScript against automatically deducted monthly transactions, and uses the Open AI API in the “Ask TBD” page, where users can receive instant answers from ChatGPT.

The last project in our showcase is Disclone, a full-stack chat application designed to provide users with a seamless communication experience. Users can join different channels or create their own. While on a channel, their messages are sent in real-time to other users via a WebSocket server built with Django and a Gunicorn server. The team deployed Disclone on an Amazon EC2 instance, packaged with a lightweight Docker container.

“Rather than focusing solely on creating a feature-rich application with what we already knew, our team saw Disclone as an opportunity to push the boundaries of our skills,” Jordan, an Air Force Veteran and Disclone developer, says. “We challenged ourselves by incorporating cutting-edge technologies we were eager to learn. These technologies not only enhance Disclone’s performance but also represent a significant milestone in our learning journeys.”