Have you been sparring with the idea of changing careers? Read this.

From IT Project Manager to Full Stack Developer, Longevity Consulting

"The instructors were super helpful. There never seemed to be a question they couldn't answer. The collaborative workshops were also super helpful."

This is Ryan Kirsch, a Nucamp Full Stack Bootcamp graduate and now a Full Stack Developer at Longevity Consulting.

For the past 6 years he has spent his free time training in Jiu-Jitsu.

While sparring in the dojo he had also been grappling with not having a complete understanding of the projects he managed at work.

As an IT Project Manager, Ryan was continuously reminded of his lack of coding knowledge.

He had an unpleasant experience with C++ in high school and hadn't had the heart to come back to learning to code until recently.

Ryan knew he exceled with structure and discipline within the gym, so he felt it was best to approach his studies in a similar way.

To avoid following too many rabbit holes or not mastering anything he wanted to find a classroom-style environment that would be more conducive to learning.

One of his wife's friends suggested a Nucamp coding bootcamp.

After looking into it himself, he thought Nucamp was similar to other online bootcamps, but Nucamp had the upper hand with better pricing and a flexible schedule.

The other bootcamps required him to commit to full-time studies, whereas Nucamp would allow him to keep his current job and not have to relocate either.

Despite his previous negative experience in high school, he took a fighting stance and began his coding practice without backing down.

Ryan was successful in taking down his learning barriers with the help of his Nucamp instructors, classmates, and collaborative workshops.

"Through his journey I discovered I am capable. With the right support system, structured learning program, I can do it. It seemed unattainable for me with work at the same time, but it's definitely possible."

Describe your job search process.

Ryan won his Full Stack Developer position 3 months after graduating.

He followed his Nucamp career coach's advice to leverage LinkedIn by posting about his experience.

Ryan's weapon of choice was taking part in a 100-days of coding challenge focused on Python; these posts really packed a punch for his job search.

He suggests others to also complete a 100-days of coding challenge and to post daily.

What advice do you have for people who are thinking about attending a bootcamp, but haven't yet registered?

"Absolutely, do the Fundamentals, see if it's a good fit. Not just for the content, but the structure. You'll never know if you like it or not unless you give it a try."

What advice do you have for people who have already started the bootcamp and they are just about to finish Bootstrap?

"Don't give up. Especially if you're unfamiliar with the concepts of state or implementing Redux. There were people who struggled. 1. You have an instructor there for you. They all went above and beyond hopping on calls. 2. You have some really great students with you who can help. One of the greatest things you can get out of the program is the community. It's going to be tough, but persevere. Work on it day by day. If you get stuck, walk away, grab a coffee, come back later."