Changed careers from teaching to software engineering in DFW. Took 14 months. Here's what actually works and what's a waste of money.
Paths that work:
1. Coding bootcamp → junior dev role
- Recommended: Tech Elevator (Dallas campus, $15K, 14 weeks)
- Also good: Coding Dojo, Hack Reactor (online)
- Timeline: 3-4 months bootcamp + 3-6 months job search
- First role salary: $60-80K in DFW
- Success rate: ~70% placement within 6 months (verify independently)
2. Self-taught → portfolio → freelance → full-time
- Free resources: freeCodeCamp, The Odin Project, Harvard CS50
- Timeline: 6-12 months of consistent learning + 3-6 months job search
- Harder path but $0 upfront cost
- You MUST build projects that demonstrate real skills
3. Internal transfer at your current company
- Many DFW corporations have internal training programs
- Capital One has TIP (Technology Investment Program)
- AT&T has workforce reskilling initiatives
- Easiest path if you're already at a large company
What DOESN'T work:
- $20K bootcamps with no job placement support
- "Learn to code in 30 days" promises
- Expecting $120K as your first dev salary in DFW (be realistic)
- Skipping the fundamentals and jumping straight to React
My timeline:
- Month 1-3: CS50 (free) + JavaScript basics
- Month 4-7: Bootcamp (Tech Elevator)
- Month 8-11: Job search (applied to 200+ positions)
- Month 12: Accepted junior dev role at $72K in Addison
- Month 14: Started working. Teaching salary was $52K.
Sources:
- Course Report — bootcamp reviews and outcomes
- LinkedIn — DFW junior developer job postings
- Glassdoor — entry-level dev salaries in DFW
- BLS — software developer employment projections
Real talk — what are your thoughts?
Internal transfer is the move if you can do it. I went from marketing to data analytics at my Fortune 500 company. No bootcamp cost, kept my benefits the whole time.