I’m Nick Santiago. I’m a proud veteran — I served for ten years in the US Marines. But after I left the Marines, I wasn’t sure what to do. I knew I was interested in tech, and I tried to teach myself — I bought books, I watched YouTube videos, I learned enough to build a game — nothing fancy, but I was proud of it. I went back to school to start learning Computer Science, and that’s where I heard about Code the Dream.
I had no idea that Code the Dream would mean what it has meant to me. The instruction was much more nuanced than I had gotten from other classrooms, and the collaboration with other students taught me so much. We were all working together for a common goal — I’m still in touch with the people from my Code the Dream classes.
I think tech is a natural fit for veterans, who know how to work hard and solve problems. But I know that it can be hard to transition back into civilian life. That’s why I recommend Code the Dream. If you’re willing to work hard, they will stick with you and help you. Code the Dream saw my ceiling, the people from the organization stuck with me even when I struggled. They saw that I worked hard, and they went out of their way to help me find resources so I could keep pursuing this career. The structure and support helped me, and my career path started making sense. I’m a contractor with Google now, working with other software engineers for this tech giant, and I give credit to Code the Dream.”
Nick Santiago, San Francisco, CA
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