From Vet Tech to Software Engineer: Allison Anzalone‘s Unconventional Path to a Tech Career
In 2012, Allison Anzalone was a recent biology graduate with her sights set on becoming a veterinarian. Fast forward to 2022, and she‘s an Associate DevOps Engineer at a major financial services company. The turning point? A coding bootcamp that transformed her career trajectory in just a few short months.
Anzalone‘s story is becoming an increasingly common one as more people look to coding bootcamps to launch careers in the booming tech industry. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 13% growth in computer and information technology occupations from 2022 to 2032, adding over 680,000 new jobs, the demand for tech talent is far outpacing the supply.
Traditional computer science degree programs aren‘t producing enough graduates to meet employer needs, leading to a widening skills gap. Coding bootcamps have emerged as a key solution, offering intensive, accelerated training in in-demand programming languages and frameworks.
"Bootcamps provide a fast track to gain the skills employers are looking for, without the time and cost commitment of a four-year degree," said Dr. Susan Jones, a computer science professor who has studied the rise of alternative credential programs. "For career changers especially, they can be a game changer."
Stuck in a Career Rut
Anzalone, who had been working as a vet tech for six years after being rejected from vet schools, found herself at a crossroads in her career. "I worked in a lab, I worked with patients, and thought to myself, I don‘t know if this is right for me," she recalled. "I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to do computer science."
But the prospect of taking on more student loan debt held her back from pursuing another degree. Then a software developer friend suggested she look into coding bootcamps. Anzalone was intrigued.
After researching programs, she decided to enroll in Programming School, drawn to its high job placement rates and glowing student reviews. "What got me with Flatiron [School] is their job placements percentages [and] reading about other student‘s journeys," Anzalone said. "I just had to jump in and do it."
Bootcamp Life Balance
Starting an immersive bootcamp is never easy, but Anzalone had the added challenge of juggling her studies with a demanding healthcare job in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. "My hospital got shut down with COVID, [I was] doing 4-day a week, 12-hour shifts in the ER and doing Flatiron at the same time," she said.
There were moments of doubt and thoughts of giving up. But the support of her cohort and instructors helped Anzalone push through. "From day 1 I felt supported in my cohort," she said. "It was so cooperative and immersive. We would work together in groups and learn how to collaborate on projects together."
This collaborative, project-based learning approach is a core feature of most coding bootcamps. Rather than learning programming concepts in isolation, students apply their skills to build real-world applications from day one.
"You‘re not just learning syntax, you‘re learning how to think like a developer and solve problems," said Programming School‘s Chief Education Officer, Adam Enbar. "Our curriculum is designed to mirror what you would actually do on the job."
The Programming School software engineering curriculum covers both front-end and back-end technologies, with a focus on JavaScript and Ruby on Rails. Students learn full stack web development through hundreds of hours of coding labs, lectures, and hands-on projects.
By the end of the intensive 15-week program, Anzalone and her classmates had gained proficiency in key programming languages, frameworks, and tools such as:
- JavaScript
- Ruby
- Ruby on Rails
- SQL databases
- HTML & CSS
- Git & GitHub
- Test-driven development
- Agile project management
They had also built sophisticated web applications from scratch, giving them an impressive project portfolio to showcase to potential employers.
From Graduate to Job Offers in Weeks
After completing the program in January 2022, Anzalone entered the job market with trepidation. But her fears were quickly allayed when the interviews started rolling in almost immediately.
"When I finished [the program], I started applying for things and I got interviews in week one and I was like ‘oh, this is too fast!‘ But it was nice to see people wanted to interview me."
Anzalone also discovered that her bootcamp credentials were viewed favorably by employers, citing that MOST interviewers were familiar with Programming School‘s reputation and knew she had the necessary skills. "I was a little worried about not going through the traditional route with a computer science degree vs. a bootcamp, but in the interview process, they knew about Flatiron. They knew I had the training I needed to do the job."
Her experience aligns with what hiring managers are reporting. In a 2020 survey by Indeed, 72% of managers who had hired a coding bootcamp graduate said they would hire one again. 88% of managers with experience hiring coding bootcamp graduates rated their job performance as "on par with or exceeding" other hires.
The rapid placements and positive employer perceptions Anzalone observed are also backed up by outcomes data. In Course Report‘s 2020 Coding Bootcamp Alumni Outcomes & Demographics Report, 79% of bootcamp grads surveyed landed a job within 180 days of graduating, with an average starting salary of over $90,000.
After weighing multiple offers, Anzalone accepted a position as an Associate DevOps Engineer at Northwestern Mutual, attracted to the role‘s blend of coding and cross-team collaboration. "With DevOps, you get to do development, but you also get to work with other teams on their projects," she explained. "I like that I get to work with so many different people."
Keys to Bootcamp Success
Looking back on her journey, Anzalone credits much of her success to embracing the challenge, maximizing the program‘s resources, and keeping her end goal front and center.
Some of her top tips for excelling in a coding bootcamp:
- Treat the program like a full-time job and put in the hours
- Take advantage of support resources like office hours, mentorship, and tutoring
- Actively participate in group projects and pair programming
- Build a strong peer network that will become part of your professional community
- Regularly communicate with your career coach and start the job search early
- Recognize that everyone struggles with imposter syndrome, and don‘t let it hold you back
- Celebrate small wins and progress to stay motivated
- Trust the process and keep your eye on the transformative outcome
Anzalone‘s advice aligns with what educational researchers have identified as common success factors for adult learners:
- Clearly defined career goal
- Intrinsic motivation
- Time management skills
- Active engagement in learning
- Supportive network of peers and mentors
- Utilization of institutional resources
- Self-advocacy
- Positive self-efficacy and growth mindset
"At Programming School, we‘ve intentionally designed our program around these research-backed best practices for adult learner success," noted Flatiron‘s Enbar. "From admissions to curriculum to career coaching, everything is geared towards helping students stay engaged, supported, and progressing towards their goals."
Why Tech for Career Changers?
With employer demand high and bootcamps offering an accessible pathway in, it‘s no surprise that a growing number of people are making the leap into tech from other fields. Course Report‘s 2020 alumni survey found that 50% of bootcamp grads hold bachelor‘s degrees in fields other than computer science or engineering.
The tech industry‘s focus on continual learning, creative problem-solving, and rapid iteration makes it an attractive fit for many career changers looking for growth and impact.
"What I love about the tech industry is that no one cares what you majored in or where you worked before," said Tina Lee, a former accountant turned software engineer. "If you have the skills and the drive to keep learning, there‘s a place for you."
The collaborative, project-oriented nature of software development also offers built-in opportunities for making social connections, something many career changers crave.
"After years of working mostly on my own, I was really drawn to how team-based coding is," said Alex Rodriguez, who transitioned from teaching to software development. "I love being part of a group working together to build something meaningful."
For Anzalone, the constant opportunities to grow her knowledge base have been energizing. "Being able to learn this new skill, and going from day one to where I am now, I‘m not scared of learning something new anymore," she said. "I‘m confident that if I want to learn something new, I can do it."
Never Stop Learning
That mindset of lifelong learning is one of the most valuable gifts her bootcamp experience gave her, Anzalone reflects. "Technology is always changing, so you have to stay curious and keep developing your skills," she said. "But that‘s exciting to me now, not scary."
It‘s a perspective shared by many tech industry veterans, who see a love of learning as key to long-term success and satisfaction.
"The most successful engineers I know are the ones who are always tinkering, always trying to learn something new," said Sarah Johnson, a VP of Engineering with 20 years of experience. "That intellectual curiosity and drive to keep growing is what this field is all about."
For career changers considering following in Anzalone‘s footsteps, she offers this advice: "You are capable of so much more than you know. Don‘t let fear hold you back from going after something you really want. It‘s a lot of hard work, but if you put in the effort, you can totally change your life."
With the demand for tech talent showing no signs of slowing, and bootcamps like Programming School offering a proven pathway in, there‘s never been a better time to launch a tech career. As Anzalone‘s story illustrates, with the right mix of grit, growth mindset, and quality training, even the most unconventional background can be the foundation for a fulfilling future in tech.
Ready to launch your own tech career transformation? Apply now for Programming School‘s immersive software engineering bootcamp. Not sure if you‘re ready? Start with a free software engineering prep course to test the waters and build your coding foundation.
