What are you supposed to do when the career you’ve been working your whole life for is no longer an option? For Hastings Reeves, this was a very real circumstance when quarantine hit.
Having received his bachelor’s degree in music performance and his master’s in vocal pedagogy, Hastings had all intentions of becoming an opera singer. However, with performance venues and theaters shuddered due to the pandemic, that was no longer a possibility. Additionally, Hastings had a three-year-old daughter to take care of which made this a situation where he needed a certain kind of job. But first, he needed the know-how.
When Hastings came across Springboard, a virtual learning platform that offers comprehensive, mentor-led boot camps in software engineering, data science, UI/UX design, cybersecurity, tech sales, and more, he knew that it was his ticket to a thriving career.
Today, Hastings works as a Business Intelligence Analyst at a company that suits him perfectly. Recently, we got to chat with Hastings regarding his experience at Springboard and how it helped him get to where he is today.
The Circumstances
When Hastings came to terms with the career transition he needed to make, he knew what he wanted to do but not necessarily where to do it.
With a natural affinity for math, Hastings was drawn to coding and knew he wanted to do something with data and numbers. Additionally, Hastings needed something that would allow him to take care of his daughter when needed.
Naturally, the Data Science boot camp with its advanced curriculum and flexible hours was a perfect fit.
The Curriculum & Coaching
Powered by some of the leading schools of thought and professionals across the industry, the curriculum and coaching at Springboard rivals that which you might find at universities.
During his time with Springboard, Hastings learned how to build machine-learning models, explored new and complex coding techniques, and began to gain skills that are being employed at some of the highest levels of the data science industry today. As Hastings said, “pivoting from standing in front of a panel and singing arias to a career in data science is not an easy transition.”
Luckily, the curriculum at Springboard was backed up by incredible coaching to help make that transition possible. In our conversation, Hastings reflected back on the relationship he had with his mentor, AJ Sanchez.
The Contract
One of the biggest draws at Springboard is their job guarantee. After Hastings completed his boot camp and earned his Data Science Fellow accreditation, he was paired with a career coach who helped him locate a job.
Hastings met with his career coach bi-weekly after graduation all the way up to the point where he signed a contract. While Hastings got several offers, he chose to wait for the one he really wanted. One that paid well, allowed him to work remote, and enabled him to grow within the company.
Eventually, after 18 months of hard work doing something he had never done before, Hastings finally got an offer he liked from a company called Velocity Global. It was a day that will stay with him forever.
Quarantine wasn’t kind to anyone but when it came to Hastings’ situation, things were certainly dire. Luckily, Springboard offered the lifeboat he needed to learn a new trade and find a new career path. This January, Hastings will be celebrating the one-year anniversary for the business analyst role he found through Springboard.
If you’ve been waiting to break into an industry, make 2023 the year you do it. Start browsing all of Springboard’s boot camps today and start building your career toward success.
