I had 1 full year of dev experience and I had direct bootcamp experience. Also, I'm technically a TA, not the lead teacher. Bootcamps, such as GA, hire teachers and TAs who are fresh out out of their own bootcamps, with a lot less professional experience than I had.
Also, like a lot of bootcamp grads in this thread, I did a lot of programming on my own, getting better and more confident. So I personally believe I was/am a stronger programmer than my years of experience would imply.
There is a stigma with the hiring of developers solely based on the number of years of experience they have. If you are qualified to do something, and the employer has determined that you are qualified for that position, then number of years of experience you have should be irrelevant.
I graduated from General Assembly in NY 2 years ago. I worked as a junior dev on Long Island for 6 months. Then I hopped across the pond to Berlin, Germany to teach at a Bootcamp whilst I travel Europe. It's been a dream so far :)
I read enough negative comments that I feel the need to weigh in here...
I went to General Assembly in NY in 2015. I had a great experience with them - learned A TON and was successfully able to change careers. I am now teaching at a bootcamp in Berlin, Germany. Attending General Assembly changed my life for the better, I can say the whole-heartedly.
The cons are the cost and the time commitment. It will take you many months to become a proficient programmer, this is only the first (several) steps.
You obviously need to be wary of bootcamps that don't live up to their promises. I would say stick to the bigger names in general, but do your research and make sure that the school has alumni who were went on to have successful careers.
A lot of comments on here are saying things like "Bootcamps are a scam" and "Bootcamps are just not worth it". This could not be further from the truth. These bootcamps have changed a lot of people's lives for the better. There are some bad ones out there (as with any institution), and it is ultimately on you to do your due diligence to make sure that school is right for you. But as for me, attending a bootcamp was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Also, like a lot of bootcamp grads in this thread, I did a lot of programming on my own, getting better and more confident. So I personally believe I was/am a stronger programmer than my years of experience would imply.
There is a stigma with the hiring of developers solely based on the number of years of experience they have. If you are qualified to do something, and the employer has determined that you are qualified for that position, then number of years of experience you have should be irrelevant.