Whether you\u2019re starting from scratch or simply looking to upgrade your skills, CareerFoundry<\/a> can help you to pursue an exciting career in tech. With career-change programs in UX design<\/a>, UI design<\/a>, web development<\/a>, and data analytics<\/a>, you could join thousands of others who have taken the leap towards that dream job. You\u2019ll get one-on-one mentor and tutor support throughout the program, as well as a job guarantee, and a wide range of career services. And with 96% of graduates landing a job in tech within 180 days, CareerFoundry\u2019s outcomes<\/a> speak for themselves. The tech industry and tech culture in general might seem skewed towards young people, but that\u2019s not the case. Having a different perspective\u2014one that has been influenced by previous careers and life experience\u2014is highly valuable within tech. Differing approaches to tech matter and they can be informed by many things that are not related to age. One thing that the school makes clear is that it is never too late to transform your career. CareerFoundry has seen students of all different ages and backgrounds come through their doors and go on to work for top companies such as Google, Apple, PayPal, Facebook, VISA, Amazon, BBC Worldwide, and dozens more. But don\u2019t just take our word for it. Let\u2019s take a look at what some of CareerFoundry\u2019s graduates have to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take a look at Jeff<\/a>\u2019s story. Jeff was a pastor for 19 years before he came across CareerFoundry\u2019s UX design program. He not only made the transition from an offline career to an online one, but he also made that transition later on in life. \u201cBeing middle-aged, it was a little intimidating taking on such a drastic career change, especially in a field that has the reputation of being oriented towards a younger demographic,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, I\u2019ve found that relevance, creativity, and ability are a mindset and often we can be our own worst enemies.\u201d Although Jeff valued his time as a pastor, he found himself craving something more creative, and soon realized that UX design was \u201creally a perfect marriage of how my brain works! There\u2019s this analytical, logical side, but also this creative side to it as well.\u201d \u201cThe more I got into it, the more I fell in love with the concept.\u201d To Jeff\u2019s delight, he realized that UX designers were also in extremely high demand. This meant job security, which was especially important to him as he and his wife were looking to set themselves up for a financially stable future. When it came to finding the right school, Jeff said that what steered him towards CareerFoundry was the fact that they offered a program that covered voice interaction design, which was his particular area of interest. He also felt that other local options for studying UX were not rigorous enough for him. What he liked about CareerFoundry\u2019s program was that it was longer, with an in-depth curriculum that would enable him \u201cto come out with marketable skills that would enable me to handle job interviews and make myself more attractive to future employers.\u201d Aside from the contents of the program itself, what Jeff really enjoyed about his experience at CareerFoundry was the personal attention, care, and support that he received throughout. \u201cThe tutor and mentor that were assigned to me were phenomenal! They really devoted their time and gave really great feedback; I could tell that they had actually looked at my assignments and given it some thought,\u201d he said. Jeff also highlights the positive impact made by CareerFoundry\u2019s support network, stating that his career specialist was \u201cexcellent when I had challenges regarding the job application process. He took the opportunity to personally connect with me, and that really makes a difference.\u201d And the support didn\u2019t stop there. After finishing the program, Jeff took CareerFoundry\u2019s Job Preparation Course, which helped him polish his portfolio and get him ready to land his ideal job. \u201cIn the space of a few months, I had a couple of interviews and eventually got to the point where I received two job offers at once. I was able to choose, and I\u2019m now working at Duke Energy, an energy company in about seven states here in the US.\u201d Jeff is now enjoying his role as a design strategist in the energy sector and hasn\u2019t looked back since. \u201cI\u2019ve made this career change later in life, and I\u2019d really like to say that you\u2019re never too old to break into the field,\u201d he said. Jeff\u2019s story highlights that if you have the right attitude and a strong work ethic, nothing will stop you from succeeding. Finding your dream career is rarely a straightforward process. In fact, it can come with many ups and downs. This was certainly the case for Amanda<\/a>. Although her vision was clear from an early age\u2014 she decided at just 9 years old that she wanted to be a designer and went on to study graphic design at university\u2014she fell out of love with this vision during her studies. Amanda found her course to be unrewarding, and she quickly lost interest, coming to the conclusion that perhaps a career in design wasn\u2019t for her after all. So after putting her ambition to be a designer aside, Amanda decided to pursue a career in digital marketing instead. As time went on, she felt the pressure to join the corporate world, and when she did, she was left disillusioned: \u201cGetting a corporate job was the end of my digital marketing career. I realized I didn\u2019t enjoy it at all.\u201d Amidst this career crisis, another factor to consider was thrown into the mix: Amanda\u2019s husband had just been offered a job 400,000 miles away, in New York. Unhappy in her own job, Amanda thought long and hard about relocating with him, but was unsure of what her career prospects would be. After some reflection, she realized that the part of digital marketing that really appealed to her was the design aspect to it: creating visual assets for social media, contributing to platform redesigns, and working with developers. So when her company made her redundant, she decided it was the perfect time to go back to her original career plan, pursue her passion for graphic design, and relocate. <\/strong>\u201cMy mind was already in New York. It was time for me to go,\u201d she said. Shortly after arriving, Amanda began designing an app for a family friend\u2019s company where she came to the realization that user experience and user interface design would be perfect for her; it would allow her to analyze consumer behavior while simultaneously being creative. She then began studying an online design course with the Interaction Design Foundation. She said that the course \u201cwas great, but I soon realized I wanted a much more focused, in-depth, and practical education in UX and UI design. I knew it needed to be online because I was moving to New York. That\u2019s when I discovered CareerFoundry.\u201d What drew Amanda to CareerFoundry was the freedom and flexibility offered to students, so she signed up for the UI Design Program. \u201cI loved the fact that our work was reviewed regularly. It taught me not to take feedback so personally. In the real world, people will always offer criticism\u2014<\/em>and your product is going to change to suit different people\u2019s needs continuously. As I always had to get second and third opinions on my work, I learned how to listen to people\u2019s thoughts and adopt a collaborative mindset.\u201d The UI design curriculum, designed by experts in the field, equipped Amanda with the fundamental skills needed for her new career. But more importantly, what Amanda really appreciated was the support provided by CareerFoundry\u2019s mentors, who helped make sure that she not only had a strong portfolio to present to potential employers, but that she also felt confident and ready for her job search. \u201cIt might have seemed premature to start looking for jobs while I was still enrolled as a student, but the app that I\u2019d designed for my family friend paired with my portfolio from CareerFoundry meant I felt well-equipped to start job hunting. I even applied for jobs that I knew I wasn\u2019t going to get, just so that I could get a better sense of the job market and what people were looking for.\u201d After some time looking for jobs, a dream opportunity appeared as a designer at Ellevate Network<\/a>. During a phone screening, Amanda impressed them with details of her thorough education at CareerFoundry and how prepared she was for the role. Unsurprisingly, she got the job as the first designer the company has ever had. \u201cAs the community at Ellevate actually encouraged me to make the switch into design, it just felt so right.\u201d <\/strong>Amanda\u2019s role has given her the creative freedom to pursue her passions and allowed her to use the valuable knowledge she gained at CareerFoundry. She is currently working on improving the design of the website and re-configuring the company\u2019s membership application process. For Amanda, the detour was worth it to rediscover her passion. \u201cUX and UI is now my full-time job, and I wouldn\u2019t have it any other way. I\u2019ve done so many different things, and now I know that this is my passion. I want to use my brain to make design better for normal people. I absolutely love what I do.\u201d For some of us, our goals can feel out of reach due to outside circumstances. Houston-based Gabriel<\/a>, who comes from a working-class immigrant background, had always dreamed of working in the tech industry as a web developer, but unfortunately, Gabriel had no choice but to put his dream on hold. \u201cAfter finishing high school, I had to work to help provide for my family. My dreams to become a software engineer faded away,\u201d he said. With his career goals put to one side, Gabriel began working as an Uber driver. But his passion to pursue a career in tech was still very much alive, and after discovering coding bootcamps, he began to seriously consider the idea of a career change. Like many people looking to change careers, a traditional route such as a full-time college degree just wasn\u2019t a viable option for Gabriel. What he needed was a program that allowed him to organize his time effectively. Having a flexible schedule was a huge game-changer for Gabriel, as he was able to fit his studies around his work, and therefore learn the skills he needed while keeping his job. \u201cI have always been fascinated by computer programming, and CareerFoundry provided a budget-friendly approach to reach my goals to become a developer.\u201d Aside from the flexibility, what really stood out about CareerFoundry was that the Web Development Program allowed him to gain the skills needed in a shorter period of time so that he could make a faster career transition. He also enjoyed the practical and hands-on approach to the bootcamp, commenting that \u201cduring the course, I enjoyed the times when I was pushed to find a solution.\u201d CareerFoundry pride themselves on making sure that their graduates are ready for the job market by focusing on real-world projects. Despite the challenging nature of a bootcamp, you are not alone on the journey. Having joined CareerFoundry with no prior experience in tech, Gabriel understands first-hand the value of having access to the expertise of a mentor<\/a> who knows the industry. Within just three months of graduating, the job Gabriel had dreamed about for so long finally became a reality and he landed his first role as a developer. Although it was a challenge, Gabriel is thrilled to have taken that leap. His story is a perfect testament to the rewards that can be reaped if you\u2019re willing to take the risk and put in the work. With dedication, anyone can achieve their ideal career. As Gabriel says, \u201cDon\u2019t let anything stop you. Hard work always pays off!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can see, there is no \u201cone size fits all\u201d when it comes to a career in tech. Forget age, background, or experience\u2014everyone has something unique to bring to the industry. That\u2019s what makes tech such an exciting place to be! With enough drive and dedication, the right tools, and a solid support network, you can transform your career and do something you love. Why not get the ball rolling today? Take that first step and check out CareerFoundry\u2019s career-change programs<\/a>. And, if you\u2019re having trouble deciding which route is best for you, you can sign up for a free introductory short course<\/a>. This is a great way to get a taster of what each field entails. Still wondering how it all works? Don\u2019t worry, you can also speak to one of CareerFoundry\u2019s expert advisors<\/a>. They\u2019ll help you gain clarity on which program is the right fit for you. There\u2019s nothing to lose and everything to gain, so take that first step towards the career you want right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nA Pastor Turned UX Designer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nRediscovering a Passion for Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nFrom Uber Driver to Web Developer in a Matter of Months<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinal Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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