Claims Adjuster To API Architect, Marketer To Software Engineer: Mid-Career Pivots In 12 Weeks

Third in the series: Mid-Career and Beyond–Transforming Personal and Professional Life Through Education

Liability Claims Adjuster To API Architect

A year ago, Tennessee Gibbs was an automobile claims adjuster with little advancement opportunity. Growing restless, he sought a career change. When a friend mentioned Zip Code Wilmington, a 12-week coding certification course, Gibbs didn’t think he could manage that level of commitment with his family responsibilities. Reflecting on his previous investment experience, he remembered the greatest risks often yielded the loftiest rewards. Quitting his job, he enrolled in the 90-day boot camp. Within a week of completion, he was the first in his class to receive a job offer.

“I agreed to devote my life to a program with no guarantees for a chance to start a new career,” said Gibbs. “I spent countless nights relying on internal drive and perseverance to grasp concepts that were foreign to me. The fear of failure gave me no other option but to see it through for myself and my family.”

At the end of the program, Gibbs said he was emotionally and mentally drained. Although he was expecting up to a month of interviews and waiting, he was surprised to be contacted right away for an interview. “When l received an offer within the first week, it felt so rewarding I was frozen with excitement.”

Now an API architect for Bank of America, Gibbs couldn’t be happier. He advocates that others desperate for a mid-career pivot not settle for where they are. “I know my career path is what I choose to make it. Drive and passion can provide limitless opportunities.”

Marketer to Software Engineer

Kate Bayard was in a good marketing position in the renewable energy industry when she found herself increasingly losing interest in her work. Thinking a change of employer would do the trick, she found a similar job in a new company–but the feeling didn’t go away. When she reflected on the work she most enjoyed over her diverse career, there was a common denominator–technology. As a result, Bayard quit her job, enrolled in Zip Code and within one week of certification had a new job as a software engineer.

“I had been following Zip Code since their launch in 2015 and was interested in the idea of a 12-week tech boot camp,” Bayard said. Initially uncertain about the idea of quitting her job to study full time, Bayard attended an information session to learn more.

“Hearing about the whole process demystified the process, which has a lot of different steps. From the session, I was able to see what I was getting into. I also got a good sense for the other potential students and saw that there was a mix of ages, gender and ethnic diversity which impressed with me.”

The program requires students to be self-learners from the start. As part of the process, Bayard received a link to learn JavaScript in preparation for an assessment. If the student passes the assessment, they advance to group interviews, followed by individual interviews. “For me, moving through each step of the process helped confirmed this was what I wanted to do.”

Bayard, who entered the program in February 2019 and graduated in April, said she had prepared herself for the worst-case scenario, meaning she could be looking for a few months. When she received the offer M & T Bank a week later, she was shocked and then felt overwhelmed with relief.

Looking back on the experience, Bayard says she couldn’t be happier. Not to mention, Bayard went from an hour-long commute to being able to walk to work. “I’m just very happy to have landed where I’m at.”

The Zip Code Wilmington Formula

Since Zip Code’s inception in 2015, 91 percent of enrolled students have graduated and 92 percent of those graduates accepted new employment within six months. Student demographics are diverse, with 30 percent women, 53 percent ethnic minority and aged 18 to 67. The average salary is $68,000, often twice the income the student was making before enrolling. The most recent graduates expect to earn an average of $75,000 out the gate.

“We ensure prospective employers are involved from the get-go, defining the needed skills and providing technology experts as teachers and mentors,” said Ben Dupont, co-founder and vice president. “We then update the curriculum in response to changes in employers’ needs.”

Applications have increased to nearly 400 for the roughly 30-40 spots available every 90 days. For out-of-state students, Zip Code Wilmington offers local, affordable housing through area partners.

Students sign up for a 90-day commitment with an upfront cost of $3,000. The remaining $9,000 of the tuition is picked up by the employer partner, or is paid back by the student only once the student obtains a job in technology. However, for students who earned less than $24,000 in the prior year, the upfront cost is waived, and they may be eligible for stipends throughout the program.

Zip Code Wilmington is an intense program with students typically investing more than 1,000 hours over 90 days. While previous coding experience is helpful, the focus is on training people with no prior coding skills, teaching them the skills employers need and helping to place graduates in good-paying jobs.

Bayard, who does not have children, said she put in at least 80 hours a week. There were a number of women in her cohort who did have children, which added to the challenge of the program. Although the program requires significant dedication and long hours, even single parents and other individuals with family care responsibilities have completed the program and found employment.

“The benefits to a 12-week boot camp is that it provides specialized, relevant training for those who cannot or do not wish to commit to a four-year program. This approach helps students avoid damaging student debt, which has now climbed to $1.5 trillion,” said Zip Code Wilmington President and Co-Founder Jim Stewart. “There is nothing wrong with a four-year computer science degree; such a degree makes sense for many individuals, but it’s not for everyone. Our students include individuals who do not necessarily fit the mold of what some four-year programs are seeking or whose family situations and current employment preclude a standard four-year program.”

Zip Code graduates include former receptionists, grocery baggers, line cooks, a ballroom dance instructor, carpenters, military spouses, freelance professionals and those looking to find something both interesting and challenging that offered a better career path. “Companies that hire our graduates are more interested in skills than credentials. Some have even modified their hiring criteria and no longer require a four-year degree,” said Dupont.

Thinking About a Coding Boot Camp?

Although a career change can be intimidating, especially for those mid-career or beyond, boot camps offer the potential for great gain with less time and money than traditional schooling. For prospective students, Zip Code offers the following guidance.

• Experiment with free coding resources to ensure this is an area you enjoy.
• Research various training programs and choose what best fits your needs and expectations.
• Ensure your program has a proven record of student placements, especially for mid-career students. Your school must recognize the value of your past experiences while also helping your rebrand as a software engineer.
• Boot camps are intense. Make sure you build a support system of family, friends and neighbors to have your back while you are head’s down.
• Once you commit, go all in!

Did you miss the previous articles in the Mid-Career and Beyond series?

Former Teacher, Foreign Service Officer, Campaign Manager: What Enticed This Mid-Career Woman Back To School.

Surprising Career Encore For Successful Civil Rights Attorney