For the past 10 years, students from all walks of life have found new careers in tech with the web development, data analytics, or data science skills they gained at Nashville Software School. No two journeys are exactly alike. In this episode, we’ll hear from three students, one representing each bootcamp course at NSS, all with different backgrounds and experiences. 

Josh Webb Full-time Web Development Cohort 32

After graduating from Nashville Software School in 2019, Josh began his career in Web Development with Newcourse Communications, Inc. Prior to NSS, Josh’s professional background was in hospitality. “[Hospitality] can take so much out of you,” he shares in the podcast. “[So that makes it] so hard for you to then invest your own time into yourself, to go and do something else.” Josh credits his opportunity to not only discover a new career in tech, but a completely new chapter of his life to NSS’s Opportunity Tuition. 

This unique tuition plan reduces the deposit amount, provides a scholarship, and then defers the student's remaining tuition until after they are working in tech. If they do not graduate and get a job in tech, their deferred tuition is erased. Opportunity Tuition allows NSS to lower the financial barrier for students to launch their career in tech. “There's nothing but opportunities ahead,” he reflects. “And [thanks to] my time at NSS, I'm gonna be reaping the fruit of that for really the rest of my life.” 

Selam Tekie - Part-time Data Science Cohort 2

Selam Tekie reflects on how her experience with hands-on learning at NSS, along with NSS’s Opportunity Tuition, gave her the tools to succeed in her first job out of bootcamp. “Before joining NSS, I knew people who went through [the program] who didn't have a tech background, just like me,” she tells our podcast host, Clark Buckner. “I had no prior tech experience before joining NSS, but they had very positive things to say about the curriculum at NSS.” 

From the networking opportunities with local professionals and potential employers to the hands-on experiences that NSS provides, Selam shares that she’s continually impressed by how NSS continues to help the growth of the tech community with providing opportunity tuition to students like her. “I mean, it felt like too good to be true at points,” she laughs. “But once I joined and actually saw what came out of it, it does make you understand that the opportunity tuition allows people to pursue the program, regardless of their economic circumstances.” 

Mitl Montoya - Full-time Data Analytics Cohort 3 [NSS’s 2,000th Graduate]

Mitl Montoya was working for Nissan North America for more than 10 years when he decided to switch to a career in Data Analytics and applied for the Full-time Data Analytics program at NSS. Little did he know, just 4 months later, He’d graduate as the 2,000th student. “I was in the graduation and suddenly there was like, you know, this kind of pause. And then John started saying the next one will be our 2,000th graduate. And then there was my picture right there,” he shares. “Yeah, really excited. All my family were cheering and everything. So that was a bonus, for sure, I was not expecting.”  

Mitl shares that he was drawn to NSS because of the unique Opportunity Tuition. “It not only gives you the confidence that the school is behind you and they want you to succeed, they [also] have all these resources for you. Once I started the bootcamp, I felt at home. I felt very supported.” 

It’s always so encouraging to hear about the different backgrounds of the alumni and recent graduates of Nashville Software School because it just goes to show that if you have the aptitude and motivation, you can gain the skills for a new career in tech! If you are ready to begin your own NSS journey or you’d like to donate to NSS’s scholarship fund to support Opportunity Tuition students, visit www.nashvillesoftwareschool.com.  

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