Podcast #3 - Is online coding bootcamp worth it?
Sigma School
4th October 2024
In this podcast episode, we talk with Kaz, a former game developer who joined Sigma School to learn full-stack software development.
After two years of soul-searching and a career gap, he decided to switch to full-stack software development by joining Sigma School.
He faced tough challenges, including 15 to 20 job-search rejections in a single week.
Despite this, he secured a senior full-stack developer role and was tasked with making an entire project mobile-responsive on his very first day.
Watch the video below or continue reading Kaz's story.
After graduating from Sigma School, he landed a job at a secretarial company, where he’s been working for about three months now.
Originally based in Penang, Kaz recently relocated for his new role.
Kaz mentioned that he graduated from Sigma School in April, and by September, it had been around five months since he completed the program.
Before joining Sigma School, he was working on a website with daily puzzles, similar to LeetCode, but only available during December.
It was his partner who suggested trying out Sigma School, encouraging him to broaden his focus beyond just game development to include software development.
Kaz shared more about his background in game development, revealing that he holds a degree in the field from KDU.
After graduating college, he had two jobs.
One in game development and another as a junior self-taught full-stack developer.
Related Article: Coding Bootcamp vs. Self-Taught Programming
While the self-taught experience worked for him, he felt stuck in the "tutorial loop."
Online tutorials showed just one way to solve a problem, but didn’t give the full picture.
Kaz found Sigma School’s second and third modules of the bootcamp particularly helpful, and the hands-on final project tied everything together for him.
During this project, Kaz challenged himself to handle both the front end and back end, pushing to become a true full stack developer.
He sees game development as a smaller part of the broader software development field.
Picture a Venn diagram—software development is the big circle, and game development is a smaller one inside it.
From his experience, game development is harder at the start, but when it comes to scaling software, like handling database migrations for millions of users, the difficulty becomes pretty similar.
When it comes to coding bootcamps, Kaz had heard about a few, like the one by Fireship, a YouTuber who gives funny 100-second rundowns of programming languages.
But Kaz chose Sigma School for a couple of reasons.
First, the cost.
Many bootcamps, especially international ones, were too expensive due to currency exchange rates.
Second, the length.
Most of the programs he found were six months to over a year long.
He didn’t want to spend that much time when Sigma School offered a focused four-month program.
Plus, it wasn’t just a surface-level course.
Kaz liked that Sigma School challenged him with deep dives into key topics like state management and API calls. It gave him the depth he needed in a shorter time frame.
When asked if Sigma School met his expectations, Kaz admitted he didn’t come in with many.
It was his first bootcamp, so he approached it with an open mind, willing to see where it would take him.
He had heard great things about the program, and in the end, he wasn’t disappointed.
He shared that he heard about the bootcamp was from watching videos and reading student stories on Sigma School’s website.
The student recollections, testimonials, and tales shared by previous participants gave him a good sense of what to expect.
Those stories ultimately played a role in his decision to join.
Kaz confirmed he participated in the bootcamp online since he was based in Penang at the time.
Read More: What is a Coding Bootcamp?
Kaz admitted he believed being on-site would have been better.
Meeting instructors and peers face-to-face has its advantages.
However, given his situation, online was the more practical option at the time.
Kaz mentioned that despite attending online, he made the trip for the final project presentation, flying in just to meet everyone in person.
Even though his flight was delayed and he arrived an hour late, he felt it was important to connect with his peers and instructors face-to-face, even if just for a brief moment.
If circumstances were different—specifically if he had more financial stability—Kaz shared that he would have preferred to attend the bootcamp on-site from the start.
But he made the best of his situation and was happy with how it turned out.
Learn More: How to Pay for a Coding Bootcamp
One of Kaz’s most memorable moments during his time at Sigma School was the study group organized by a fellow student named Anson.
It felt like the virtual version of meeting up in a university library—everyone who wanted to join could discuss their code, share opinions, and debate why certain practices were good or bad.
Kaz appreciated the collaborative environment, as it allowed for real discussions and different perspectives.
It helped him grow as a developer.
He felt that this kind of interaction was much better than working in isolation, where it’s easy to get stuck in a single way of thinking.
For Kaz, this study group was one of the highlights of the program, especially since studying online can sometimes feel disconnected without that human interaction.
When asked about the challenging parts of his experience, Kaz reflected on a frustrating situation during the final project.
He was supposed to work with two other students, but one of them disappeared without notice, which made things difficult.
This challenge wasn’t due to Sigma School itself, but more about communication and commitment issues within the team.
Also Read: Reasons People Fail to Learn Coding
Kaz also shared a personal struggle—feeling like the eccentric one in the group.
He mentioned that fitting in has always been a challenge for him.
Even at Sigma School, he sometimes felt like he stood out in a way that made it harder to mingle with his peers.
Despite this, the host reassured Kaz that his classmates thought highly of him and appreciated his contributions.
Though Kaz felt uncertain about how well he fit in, it was clear that his peers respected and liked him.
When asked about transitioning from game development to software development, Kaz admitted he no longer has a preference.
At first, he was passionate about creating the best game possible.
But over time, he realized that the skills from game development are transferable to software development and vice versa.
Now, he’s open to both fields and doesn’t feel tied to just one.
However, like many developers, Kaz has dealt with imposter syndrome.
It’s not about doubting his choice of field but questioning his abilities as a programmer.
He sometimes feels like a “jack of all trades” and wonders if companies prefer specialists over generalists like him.
To overcome these feelings, Kaz focuses on appreciating his own journey.
He reminds himself that everyone’s circumstances are different, and comparison often leads to negative emotions.
Instead, he tries to learn from mistakes and keep moving forward, embracing the process and seeing where it takes him.
As he puts it, "Just go to the finish line."
Kaz's final project at Sigma School was a concert management project, with both a back end and a front end.
He explained that there were two main components—a back end with an admin interface and a front end for users.
The front end was designed for people who wanted to book tickets and venues for concerts.
It also catered to organizers who could book both tickets and venues through the site.
On the other side, the back end was for admins who would manage the bookings, handle communication with property management, and oversee the event organization.
For example, when someone books a venue like "Stadium Booking Jalil," which is not owned by the concert organizers but by property management, the system acts as a middleman between these parties.
Though it was just a mock project with no real money transactions or payments, the concept was inspired by real-world event management systems.
Kaz mentioned that the recent ONE OK ROCK concert in Malaysia was a big influence for this project.
It represented how event organizers and venue managers work together to make concerts happen.
Kaz explained that the inspiration stemmed from a personal experience related to the band ONE OK ROCK.
He pointed out how the band hadn’t performed in Malaysia for a long time because their initial concert here was poorly organized by local event planners.
This led to the band avoiding Malaysia and instead performing in places like Jakarta and Singapore.
Kaz’s motivation came from a desire to help fix this issue.
He thought, “Maybe I can be the one to convince them to come back to Malaysia,” by creating a better concert management system.
However, he later discovered that another organizer had already managed to bring the band back last year.
It wasn’t an impulsive decision, though.
Kaz mentioned that he took two to three days to contemplate the idea before committing to it.
He also shared that the idea was tied to his own frustration at missing out on their concerts during their long hiatus from Malaysia. It spanned about eight years.
This personal connection made him quite attached to the project from the start.
Kaz's final project played a significant role in landing his job.
The company he works for now asked about the project during the interview process, and he demonstrated both the front-end and back-end, along with some SEO aspects.
They were pretty impressed with the performance metrics he showed.
When asked if it was his first interview, Kaz mentioned that he had at least three interviews before securing the role.
During those interviews, questions about his qualifications and his switch from game development to software development came up.
There was concern about a two-year gap in his portfolio, during which he was focused on soul-searching—meditation, coaching sessions, and finding his sense of self.
These two things—the career shift and the gap—were the most frequent questions in the interviews.
But despite that, Kaz’s final project helped him stand out and secure the position.
When asked how he responded to concerns about his two-year gap and career shift, Kaz explained that honesty was key.
He openly shared that during those two years, he focused on personal growth, going through coaching sessions and following content from HealthyGamerGG to better understand himself.
As for the shift from game development to software development, Kaz highlighted the similarities he noticed while working at his second company.
He explained that back-end development in multiplayer games is quite similar to the back-end work in software development.
He saw it as an opportunity to broaden his skill set and didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t succeed in both fields.
This perspective helped him explain the transition smoothly during interviews.
When asked how many jobs he applied for before landing his current role, Kaz revealed it was close to 60.
He even kept track of everything using a spreadsheet, which he called his "accountability spreadsheet."
He used it to keep track of all his job applications, responses, and even cover letters.
He clarified that he’d been using this system long before joining Sigma School, although Sigma School has a similar job tracker for graduates.
Kaz also found Sigma’s job support helpful, especially with improving his cover letters.
Learn More: Coding Bootcamp with Job Placements
He would often submit them for review, and over time, his cover letters got better.
He said it was more convenient to dump everything into the job tracker and get feedback during meetings with Sigma’s career support team.
Kaz's current job is actually his first one since graduating from Sigma School.
When asked about concerns during the hiring process, he explained that the company was less focused on his qualifications.
They were more interested in whether he could switch between different tech stacks, like React to Angular or React to Vue.
For them, it was more important that he could articulate the challenges he faced and how he solved them.
Kaz realized that proving his adaptability and problem-solving skills was far more valuable than having a traditional degree.
Kaz opened up about the emotional toll of job rejections.
He applied to a lot of jobs, but instead of mass applying, he focused on companies that aligned with his criteria.
Despite this, he faced around 15 to 20 rejections in a single week, which hit hard.
It wasn’t the bootcamp he questioned, though—it was himself.
The imposter syndrome kicked in, making him doubt if he was truly fit for the industry.
Getting ghosted by companies felt like a blow, but Kaz knew that moving forward was the only option.
As he put it, "The other option is even more sad—leaving the industry—but then, what’s next?"
He understood that bouncing back and pushing through was the way to keep going.
Kaz admitted he doesn’t have any back up plan. From a young age, he felt that programming was his calling.
At 13, he got his first taste of coding when he learned HTML web coding, and that’s when he knew programming was his thing.
For him, it's all about "succeed or die trying" in programming.
Kaz shared how it all started—he and his mom were out shopping when they came across a place offering website programming classes for kids and teens.
His mom asked if he wanted to try it, and that’s how he got into coding.
Later, after graduating high school, he had to choose between computer science and game development.
Since he loved playing and creating games, he chose game development.
Kaz’s current job as a full stack developer involves handling both the front end and back end.
Initially, he expected to be hired for a front-end role, but he quickly found himself creating APIs and connecting them to the front end.
He explained how he works with the server, database, and APIs to make everything function smoothly across the system.
One of the tasks he’s most proud of was his first assignment—building a mobile view for an already-released product.
It was a big challenge, especially as his first task in a senior role, but he embraced it.
Reflecting on his journey, Kaz mentioned that his first task in his previous job at Liquid Rock Games was just a simple login page.
Now, he’s managing the mobile view and making sure everything is responsive, a big leap from his junior position.
Though the work is ongoing and the project is always growing, Kaz is proud of how far he’s come, especially compared to where he started.
Related Read: What Jobs Can You Get After Coding Bootcamp?
Kaz shared that he's been at his current job for almost three months, but even on his very first day, he was given a big task—making the entire project mobile-responsive.
It was his first assignment as a senior full stack developer, and though it was challenging, he took it on.
Interestingly, Kaz had been aiming for a middle-level position, feeling like he was a bit beyond junior but not quite at senior level yet.
However, after discussing his skills with the company, they decided to let him try out the senior role.
Though he was surprised, he accepted the challenge, diving straight in on day one.
Kaz’s first impression of his current job was definitely one of shock and panic.
On his first day, he was given the big task of making the project mobile-responsive, a skill he hadn’t worked on at that scale for about five years.
While he learns new tech quickly, he doesn’t always retain older skills unless needed, which made this task a bit overwhelming.
He also mentioned that while he graduated from a four-month bootcamp, it’s not entirely fair to compare his journey to others.
He had two and a half years of experience in game development, where he learned C++, C#, and deployment.
Now, he’s also proficient in JavaScript and PHP.
Despite his skills, Kaz stays grounded, recognizing there’s still a lot to learn and that he’s still "climbing the mountain."
When asked about his confidence from day one to now, Kaz explained that he doesn’t really think about confidence on a daily basis.
Instead, he focuses on how much he’s grown.
He highlighted how he made the jump from React to Vue, a technology he hadn’t used before.
Now, he feels he has a good understanding of Vue, whereas before he didn’t know much at all.
For Kaz, it’s all about growth over confidence, and he’s proud of how far he’s come in such a short time.
Kaz shared that he has some plans for the next two years, but he understands that not everything goes according to plan.
He mentioned previous rejections from companies like Hoyoverse and Riot, but he remains open to new opportunities.
If he can continue growing at his current company, he’s happy to stay.
But he’s also open to returning to game development if the right opportunity comes up.
Companies like Double Eleven are on his radar, though he was previously passed over for a better fit.
Kaz also takes financial stability into account when evaluating potential job offers.
If a gaming company offered him lower pay, he’d assess whether it’s a junior, mid-level, or senior role before making a decision.
His organizational skills help him stay prepared, and he believes that preparedness and problem-solving are key skills for programmers.
Kaz offered thoughtful advice for anyone considering a shift into software development from fields like UI/UX or game development.
He emphasized the importance of asking yourself why you want to make the switch.
Whether it’s due to the pressure in game development, pay differences, or a genuine change in interest.
He pointed out that game development often comes with a tougher crunch culture and lower pay compared to software development.
He also recommended assessing financial stability and exploring options to accelerate the transition, like attending a bootcamp such as Sigma School.
Kaz warned that moving from game development to software can be tough due to different tech stacks.
Rejection is common, but it’s important to understand why and keep pushing forward.
The key is intention combined with action—without action, you’ll just end up procrastinating.
Kaz acknowledged that while self-learning has the risk of getting stuck in the "tutorial loop," it teaches problem-solving and independence, especially when paired with a supportive community like open-source groups or Discord channels.
He pointed out that bootcamps, like Sigma School, offer a broad exposure in a short time.
This helps students explore different areas, such as front end and back end, before deciding where to focus.
Related Article: Coding Bootcamp vs. Degree in Computer Science
In contrast, traditional degrees allow for deeper dives but often require students to spend time on courses that may not align with their goals.
Such as history or entrepreneurship.
Kaz appreciates how bootcamps help students find their path faster, while university programs can sometimes feel drawn out with unnecessary courses.
Kaz's journey from game development to full stack developer shows how being adaptable and persistent pays off.
Sigma School and self-learning played a huge role in helping him broaden his skills and secure a senior role.
Even when things got tough, he kept moving forward.
Kaz’s story proves that alternative learning paths, like bootcamps, and a commitment to self-improvement can lead to success in the tech world.
