Veterans often face career uncertainty, questioning their ability to transition from military to civilian roles. Concerns like “What if I can’t find a job?” or “Can I learn something new?” loom large.

Code Platoon alumni Michael Orland and Megan Genualdi faced these same concerns before they both became software engineers at DRW after graduating from coding bootcamp.

Michael, an Army Reserve Combat Medic, later earned a nursing license. He graduated from Code Platoon in May 2021 and started at DRW with a six-month apprenticeship. This then turned into a full-time position. Michael now contributes to a project revamping all the networking data and how the networking team consumes that data.

“Since starting, I’ve deployed or created nearly eight applications, either solo or with a small team,” he shares.

Megan, a Navy Electronics Technician for six years, completed Code Platoon in May 2022 through the DoD SkillBridge program. She joined DRW as a software engineering apprentice, quickly contributing to key projects. 

“I continue to work on a project from my internship, which is a testament to my passion for it,” says Megan. “We call it traffic control, an app that tracks the status of shipments. I still enjoy it because it’s a lot of fun to design and make all the different elements work together.” 

DRW, a Chicago-based international trading firm, is one of Code Platoon’s longest-standing corporate partners. Their innovative approach to trading centers around technology, modeling, and quantitative analysis. Code Platoon works with employers like DRW to secure graduates with tech jobs within six months of completing the program.

“My manager consistently makes space for Code Platoon graduates,” says Michael. “Our team has welcomed several, including Megan. We have nineteen people total from Code Platoon. It says a lot that they are working alongside graduates from Stanford, Yale, and other top universities.”

“The Code Platoon graduates who start here tend to be a bit bolder and more mature, with more lived experience from the military or as a spouse compared to the new CS graduates. From managing my team, I would say Code Platoon’s bootcamp graduates are just as prepared to jump in as our other apprentices who complete internal training for nine months.”

The shift from military service to software engineering was initially challenging for both Megan and Michael, but Code Platoon equipped them well for their new tech careers.

“Code Platoon directly prepared me, from prototyping to full-stack development—exactly what I do now,” says Michael.

Starting with no coding knowledge, Michael found the bootcamp’s learning curve invaluable. Once he started working in software, he was very comfortable being thrown into situations where he had to figure out how to build new things.

“I felt imposter syndrome at Code Platoon, but my job was actually easy to pick up afterwards. Bootcamp was very similar to what I would be doing at DRW,” says Megan. “Code Platoon also gave me a good sense of communication skills and how to explain what I am doing to non-tech people, which is an essential part of my job when I converse with stakeholders.” 

Both Megan and Michael continue to advance rapidly in their careers. Michael was accepted into a Master’s program in Quantitative Management: Business Analytics. At DRW, he is currently a mid-level engineer who builds applications from the ground up. 

“I’ve started leading projects over the last year and a half, so I get to be in charge of all 360 degrees of the development process. Stakeholders ask me to build something, then we put together a plan, present it to them, and then it evolves as we develop it,” says Michael. 

Megan is earning a computer science degree and has started to lead development projects as well.

“I’m happy I did the bootcamp before getting my degree,” she says. “I feel like Code Platoon better prepared me for the job market than a degree. I’m learning a lot in the CS classes too, but I’m reading and hearing lectures about concepts instead of doing them.”

Both Michael and Megan started exactly where a lot of Veterans are right now: just coming out of the military, feeling overwhelmed, and maybe not knowing what direction to go in. Code Platoon underscores a crucial message for Veterans and military spouses: It’s never too late to pivot, and nothing is impossible.

As Michael says, ‘It blows my mind that just four months of coding bootcamp led to a career like this.”

Code Platoon Teaching Assistants (TAs) do more than instruct; they mentor and guide Veteran and military spouse students, ensuring they receive personalized attention to excel in their coding bootcamp. TAs include early-career tech professionals, Veterans seeking to give back, current college students, and alumni, all of whom bring valuable expertise and support to facilitate a smooth tech transition for our graduates.

“Second only to the students, the TAs are the heart of Code Platoon,” says Adam Cahan, Program Manager at Code Platoon. “It’s a pleasure for us—the instructors, students, and other TAs—to work together in support of our mission.”

The TA role at Code Platoon is mutually beneficial, offering both assistants and students valuable opportunities for growth. In addition to helping the students with their code, the TAs get to develop vital professional skills for their future tech careers.

I’ve personally learned a lot coding-wise, but also in terms of leadership and communication skills,” says Rachel Snyder, Code Platoon TA and Computer Science student at Tufts University. “I now feel more than ready for my college CS classes in the fall.”

“Having completed Code Platoon’s Immersive program, I was familiar with the curriculum. However, my TA experience further refined my technical troubleshooting skills, deepened my problem-solving abilities, and sharpened my ability to ask the right questions to understand the code better,” says Tristan Zimmerman, a Marine Corps Veteran, Code Platoon alum, and former TA. “These skills have been essential now that I’m working as a software engineering apprentice at Cecilian Partners.” 

In Code Platoon’s flagship program, Full-stack Software Engineering, TAs lead teams of 5-8 students through a three-month coding journey, fostering the collaborative learning environment central to Code Platoon’s mission. This hands-on leadership is vital to fostering the unique, team-first learning environment that defines Code Platoon’s mission.

“My favorite part of being a TA is watching students progress and encouraging them along their journey. Seeing their growth from the first week to completing group projects is incredibly fulfilling,” says Rachel.

“When I TAed, I enjoyed being assigned my team of students to mentor,” says Tristan. “Over the weeks, I came to understand their skill levels in depth and build strong connections with them. It was an amazing experience that strengthened the cohort as a whole.”

“I love working with our TAs,” says Adam. “They are consistently a bright, motivated, energetic, and thoughtful group. It’s exciting to see them get into the cadence of the program and develop the sense of ownership and passion they have for our students every cohort.”

The influence of TAs extends throughout the Code Platoon community. By guiding students, supporting instructors, and continuously learning, TAs play a crucial role in our mission. They ensure each cohort graduates not only with technical skills but with a strong support network to carry into their future tech careers.

Military spouses face a unique set of challenges when it comes to sustaining a career. The transient nature of military life, with frequent relocations and the uncertainty of deployment schedules, can make traditional 9-to-5 jobs impractical. Additionally, the fear among employers that military spouses may not stay long-term often leads to higher unemployment rates for this group compared to their civilian counterparts.

Recognizing the challenges that military spouses face and the opportunities tech careers provide for flexibility and remote work, Code Platoon opened its program to military spouses in 2019. 

Since then, Code Platoon has graduated 49 military spouses, with a significant majority attending remotely—88% to be precise. These graduates include 39 women, eight men, and one non-binary individual, reflecting the diversity and inclusivity of the program. 

One of the major draws for military spouses is the financial support offered by Code Platoon. Unlike other educational opportunities, which might be inaccessible due to financial constraints, Code Platoon provides a variety of scholarships for military spouses specifically. Last year, more than 90% of military spouses at Code Platoon received a scholarship. 

“A major benefit of attending Code Platoon was the financial assistance. As a spouse, I wasn’t eligible for the GI Bill or VET TEC. Still, I received a full military spouse scholarship, making it possible for me to pursue a career in software engineering without worrying about the financial burden,” shared Lily Yang, an Army spouse and graduate of the Sierra Platoon.

The program’s flexibility also stands out, with remote learning options that accommodate the unpredictable schedule of military families. This accessibility allows spouses to learn from anywhere, turning what could be a barrier into an opportunity for development and growth. Spouses have participated in the Code Platoon program from across the United States and from bases in Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

Hui Zhao, a graduate of the Evening & Weekend program, noted, “Being a military spouse has shaped me with adaptability and resilience. As a spouse, I had five jobs in five different industries. I think spouses excel at project management and quick turnarounds. We’re flexible and resilient.”

Code Platoon not only recognizes the unique skills and resilience that military spouses bring to the table but also actively works to harness these qualities by providing a supportive and practical route to a new career. The training at Code Platoon goes beyond technical skills; it fosters a sense of community and support, crucial for military spouses who often navigate the challenges of career building alone.

“I was nervous at first about pursuing software engineering and attending Code Platoon,” said Kat Wegrzynowicz, a military spouse and former special education instructor who graduated from Quebec Platoon.  “Being in education, I was used to working with mostly women. I’d also heard that other bootcamps are very competitive, with students that feel threatened by each other’s success. But at Code Platoon, the staff, instructors, and students have all been supportive and inclusive.”

For military spouses seeking not just education but a transformative journey into tech, Code Platoon offers a compelling option. It’s more than just learning to code—it’s about building a stable, fulfilling career that moves with their military lifestyle.

In the rapidly evolving tech landscape, women are increasingly making their marks, challenging stereotypes, and breaking barriers to the industry. Despite their notable contributions and achievements, women in software engineering still encounter unique hurdles on their journeys toward establishing successful careers. In Code Platoon’s Tech Transitions vodcast series, three experts shed light on the transition to tech for women, sharing their insights and advice as women in tech.

“I’m a Marine Corps Veteran who went through a coding bootcamp. I advanced my career from there over the last eight years,” Nicole Carpenter, Principle Software Developer at 8th Light, says.

“I have a degree in computer science, but I started doing standard business consulting. I went back to technology because I love helping engineers advance their careers and building great products along the way,” Jordi Buller, a Fractional CTO and freelance advisor for tech companies, says.

“I was a high school English teacher before I transitioned to recruiting for tech professionals,” Bailey Budka, a Branch Director of Recruiting at Robert Half, says.

An essential skill for women transitioning to tech is self-advocacy. Although advocating for one’s needs can be difficult, asserting one’s worth and communicating one’s value are paramount skills for women in the tech workforce.

“I would rather be called aggressive than be walked over,” Nicole says. “I benefited from getting hired by a company with mentorship programs, but not everyone will have that opportunity. My advice for women in tech is to find a mentor at their company or by going to local tech events.”

“It’s important to find allies,” Jordi says. “A reality of being a woman in tech is sometimes we need men or people who are more senior than us to be our allies in this space.”

The interviewing process is another area where greater self-advocacy benefits women in tech. Bailey has fourteen years of experience helping women and career transitioners prepare to negotiate salary and benefits in their job interviews:

“If an employer asks for a salary range, I always suggest giving the high end of what the interviewee thinks they might get,” she says. “I also tell transitioning tech employees to consider requesting a sign-on bonus. Sometimes hiring managers may be able to adjust other benefits if they can’t raise the salary.”

Navigating workplace dynamics as a woman in tech may require a keen eye for discerning supportive cultures and potential red flags. Women can better navigate their tech career paths with clarity and confidence by identifying supportive workplace cultures and weighing any “red flags” against the “green” ones.

“Company values can be important to consider when joining a new company, but it can be hard to tell if a company lives by its values,” Jordi says. “If they’re not acted on, company values are just buzzwords.”

In the fast-paced tech industry, continuous learning is a cornerstone for success. By cultivating opportunities to develop new skills on-the-job, women can stay ahead of the curve in their tech careers.

“Transitioning software engineers should ask their future employers how much the company is investing back into its employees,” Nicole says. “Does the company encourage mentorship or have a plan for supporting early-career developers? Is it giving employees time to focus on developing and learning new skills? A workplace that wants its employees to grow their skills and invest in themselves is a huge green flag.” 

“I love being a woman in tech. There are days where it’s hard, but tech is an industry where I have an impact, whether it’s the products I’m building or the teams I’m growing,” Jordi says. “Sometimes women in tech have to be loud. Sometimes, we need to search for opportunities, but the opportunities are there. As we move through our careers, the chances for more women in tech to have these opportunities will continue to get better and better.”

On February 1, 2024, Code Platoon celebrated its eighth anniversary, marking a milestone in its journey of empowering Veterans, military spouses, and active duty Servicemembers with the skills for successful careers in technology. The organization has made remarkable strides, graduating over 600 individuals who have seamlessly transitioned into roles such as software and DevOps engineering across more than 25 states and the District of Columbia.

Founded by Rod Levy, Code Platoon was established to address the tech industry’s acute need for skilled developers and facilitate Veterans’ entry into this dynamic field. The organization’s unique approach goes beyond imparting technical knowledge; it focuses on holistic development, ensuring that graduates are not just proficient in coding but are also equipped with the soft skills and professional acumen needed to thrive in the tech ecosystem.

Code Platoon’s curriculum is meticulously designed to cover both technical skills and professional development. This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates are not only tech-savvy but also possess the networking and professional skills necessary to navigate the tech industry successfully. As part of the eighth anniversary, Code Platoon announced the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its curriculum to complement the foundational software engineering skills taught.

The impact of Code Platoon extends far beyond individual success stories. By equipping Veterans and military spouses with the tools for tech careers, the organization is not only filling the skills gap in the industry but also fostering a more diverse and inclusive workforce. This diversity enriches the tech landscape with a variety of perspectives and innovative solutions, making Code Platoon’s mission critical not just for its direct beneficiaries but for the industry at large.

As Code Platoon celebrates eight years of work, the organization’s mission is more relevant than ever. In a world where tech drives progress, Code Platoon ensures that those who’ve served their country have a stake in shaping its future. The continued success of its graduates is not just a testament to the program’s effectiveness but also a call to action for the tech industry to invest in the untapped potential of Veterans and military spouses.