Culture, coding, and phở – Why budding developers are heading to Vietnam

IT is advancing in leaps and bounds, new innovations are being invented every day and all around the world, opportunities abound for developers.

If you've realised that becoming a developer would be a great fit for your skillset and the lifestyle you'd like to live, you're ready to take the next step – a deep dive into a coding bootcamp.

Coding bootcamps can be found online or done in-person. They're intense courses that aim to throw you into the deep end and immerse you completely so you emerge with practical skills.

CoderSchool's three-month full-stack web development and machine learning courses in Vietnam have garnered a healthy interest from international applicants for their practical focus and the low living costs of Ho Chi Minh city.

Ricardo Escalante is an alumnus of CoderSchool who has completed its Full Stack Web Development Course. He was the third-prize winner in CoderSchool's recent Fullstack Web Development Demo Day.

We spoke to him about his experience at CoderSchool and how it's impacted his path as a software developer.

Originally from Chile, Escalante wanted to learn how to code because he was enticed by the possibility of building things and being in a dynamic environment that is always growing and evolving.

"I realised that you will never finish learning code, and I think that is exciting," says Escalante.

He researched coding schools in different countries and followed them on social media, and found CoderSchool stood out in its dedication to teaching applicants and sharing its technical knowledge.

"Also, they were fully committed to helping Vietnamese people get involved in the exciting world that is Software Development," he adds.

Escalante had also previously travelled to Vietnam as a tourist, relished the experience, and based his decision on that.

He signed up for CoderSchool's Full Stack Web Development Course.

He was already versed in the basics of HTML and CSS, but found the course enabled him to gain a deeper understanding of concepts he'd previously struggled with.

Being in Vietnam as a student was even better than being there as a tourist, Escalante found.

His local classmates were friendly, supportive and made him feel welcome – vital things for someone new to a country.

"Vietnam has wonderful people, an amazing culture, delicious food and great coffee - these made my experience unforgettable.

Escalante also found that CoderSchool gave its participants great recruitment opportunities, connecting students and employers with one another.

"For a newbie, it is always more complicated to get a job because of your minimal experience," he says – but adds that he has had several interviews.

"Being a foreigner has its pros and cons, but overall I can tell that Vietnam feels like an amazing place to live and develop my career.

To find out more, head to CoderSchool's website.
To apply for a course, fill out the application form here.