Posted by Gauteng-born Damien Ellis is somewhat of an outlier when it comes to success stories. Unlike most of our students, who typically stem from careers unrelated to tech, Damien had extensive coding experience when he enrolled in our Full Stack Web Developer and Software Engineering Bootcamp. His reasoning was that he wanted to strengthen his existing skillset—a fortification tactic for a rapidly advancing industry.
Of course, having a sponsorship from the company where he worked made upskilling a no-brainer for Damien. His employer recognised his talent and wanted to invest in his development, knowing it would benefit the business in the long run.
Damien was a web developer for 360 Administrations and Systems. Despite harnessing an intimate understanding of programming, he sought the benefits that came with expanding his expertise by upskilling in a specialised bootcamp. Instead of doing a shorter, 3–6 month course, he opted for our Immersive Full Stack Web Developer and Software Engineering Bootcamp, studying part-time online. He says:
“I wanted to develop skills for an in-demand job because I know that most companies need programmers.”
Study Time
The Full Stack Web Developer and Software Engineering Bootcamp focuses on advanced programming and coding skills. This opportunity would help Damien build on his existing skills base so that he could access a wider range of jobs, including roles in software engineering, DevOps engineering, solutions architecture, and data management.
When students enrol in the Full Stack Web and Software Engineering Bootcamp, they learn popular programming languages, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and the full MERN stack, as well as specialised practical skills that are highly esteemed in the industry. The course helped Damien develop a more intricate understanding of a website’s front and back end web development, how to manage databases, create applications, and be confident in any tech position within his coding career.
Throughout the bootcamp, students need to juggle coursework and external projects and keep up to date on the latest digital trends within the industry. While the workload can pile up, it teaches students essential skills in time management and organisation, as well as crucial and in-demand coding skills.
But when the going gets tough, students are never without support. With access to a mentor and a one-on-one human-led code review process, every line of code is analysed. Students receive direct feedback and have the opportunity to gain further insight from pioneers in the tech and coding field.
According to Damien, this level of support and sense of community was essential to his success:
“The code reviewing process was great because it showed me alternative ways of solving programming challenges.”
Fortified Skills for the Future
When Damien completed his bootcamp after six months of hard learning and became an official HyperionDev graduate, he gained access to our Career Services. This specialised support is designed to set students up for success with technical CV assistance, interview preparation, and admittance into our extensive hiring network.
After he completed the course, Damien refined his Github profile to reflect his new skillset, existing and novel projects, and experience within the programming field.
His bootcamp experience enabled him to develop his programming skills more than he previously thought was possible. He didn’t need to switch careers since he was already in the tech industry, but he decided to apply his knowledge to solve a real-world problem, which led to the creation of his current company. He says:
“I started my own software development company called BYTE-IO. I’m the CEO and developer.”
BYTE-IO is an all-round website development, design, and optimisation company aimed at helping businesses increase visibility and generate more leads.
Today, Damien uses the LAMP software bundle to complete most of his daily tasks. This includes MySQL and Python, both of which he learnt during his bootcamp.
The Immersive Web and Software Engineering Bootcamp was a huge proponent of Damien’s success. If you’re interested in following his journey or want more insight into how our bootcamps assist in setting up a solid foundation for a strong career, visit his Github profile.
If you’re inspired by Damien’s story and feel ready to embark on your own journey toward a fulfilling coding career, sign up for a bootcamp by registering with HyperionDev here. Who knows, your success story may be next!
