From Air Traffic Controller to Houston-Based Software Engineer
Scott Young was working as an air traffic controller before becoming a software engineer. Scott would have been content to continue his career but, as he describes it, “life happens.” While Scott had a successful career, he needed to make a switch. He decided to pursue his previous desire to become a software engineer and enrolled at Flatiron School. […]
Scott Young was working as an air traffic controller before becoming a software engineer. Scott would have been content to continue his career but, as he describes it, “life happens.” While Scott had a successful career, he needed to make a switch. He decided to pursue his previous desire to become a software engineer and enrolled at Flatiron School.
Below, Scott tells us how he switched careers after moving to Houston and his experience with Flatiron’s Online Software Engineering Bootcamp.
What were you doing before Flatiron School?
I originally went to school for computer science. Right after I graduated I became an air traffic controller. Life happens and when my wife received a job offer in Houston, we decided to move. I couldn’t transfer my employment and decided to get back into coding.
Why did you choose Flatiron School?
For me, the remote learning option was a good selling point. The price was competitive. Flatiron School was one of the few coding bootcamps that provided numbers to back up their claims.
What was it like to go through the Online program?
Learn.co was great. It was really intuitive to use. I always felt like I had access to instructors whenever I needed them. They were always happy to answer questions and always available. I had a good group of people who had my back who I could turn to when I needed support.
As you started working with your Career Coach, did you know what type of job you wanted?
I was pretty open to front-end or back-end, I wasn’t leaning one way or the other. My career coach was great. She was from the area and seemed to know people who could help me in job search.After working with Flatiron School, I received and accepted an offer as a software developer at a small startup. That was a great learning experience for me. It was a remote position, but helped me get the experience I needed. I recently accepted a new position as a software engineer at a slightly larger, but still relatively small, company in Houston.
What’s the tech scene like in Houston?
Finding a job was bit difficult at first. I accepted a remote position, but was soon receiving call backs and responses within six months to a year of being employed as a software developer. But, Houston is growing as a tech city. There are small startups, there are small businesses looking for tech talent, and there are large companies looking to hire. There’s a good variety of companies and cultures.
Want more info? Check out our story: What's the Tech Community Like in Houston?
What’s your biggest takeaway from Flatiron School?
I think my biggest takeaway was an ‘always learning mindset’. It helps teach you how to be a self-starter. The ‘always learning’ mindset is incredibly important for software engineers. I feel prepared for my career and ready to take on new challenges because of my training at Flatiron School.
Disclaimer: The information in this blog is current as of October 22, 2018. Current policies, offerings, procedures, and programs may differ.
