Associate Spotlight – Deborah Francis

For our latest associate case study, we have interviewed our associate Deborah Francis and asked her to share her La Fosse Academy experience and tell us what makes La Fosse Academy special.

Student Contributor

What made you join La Fosse Academy?

I started learning to code the year before I joined La Fosse Academy and loved it so much that early on in my journey, I decided to work towards getting a job in the tech industry. However, I had gotten to a point where I felt stuck. I felt that I needed guidance on an individual basis, as I had watched so many YouTube videos, and Udemy courses, read so many articles and still wasn’t quite sure which direction to go in, what to build and so on. While I was grateful that there was so much information available, it was quite overwhelming at times. I also generally found that I learn better in a more structured environment.

I came across La Fosse Academy and it was exactly what I was looking for. The course promised to teach technology fundamentals, including JavaScript and Python which were the two main languages I had wanted to learn. They also helped to get placement where I could continue to learn and grow and on top of that they offered a competitive starting salary, and it was all completely free. This all seemed too good to be true, but I applied anyway and was lucky enough to be accepted onto the course.

What makes La Fosse Academy special?

On joining La Fosse Academy, I really felt like I belong here. As the weeks went on it was clear to me that our trainers were not necessarily looking for ‘natural talent’ but for our resilience in working through problems, our enthusiasm for what we were learning and the willingness to try. These traits and more were also monitored and discussed with us individually every few weeks, giving us a chance to reflect, and take on constructive criticism but also be encouraged by positive feedback. I found this to be an organised and effective way of processing where I was at the end of each LAP.

I also loved my cohort! We were in a unique position in that we were completely online but were still able to bond. My trainers, Beth and Romeo were incredible at teaching core concepts and were somehow able to keep us energised, entertained, and encouraged during long, full days of learning.

On joining La Fosse Academy, I really felt like I belong here. As the weeks went on it was clear to me that our trainers were not necessarily looking for ‘natural talent’ but for our resilience in working through problems, our enthusiasm for what we were learning and the willingness to try.

What advice would you give to La Fosse Academy applicants?

I would say to be determined and make the most of the process! The course itself can get intense but what you gain in the end will be worth it. Spend time going over things you don’t understand (some weeks contain private study days) and don’t be afraid to ask loads of questions. This is something I learned how to do more of on the course and it has helped me significantly while on placement.