prep_work: This is all the mandatory preparatory work I did before I started the paid portion of Launch School.
lessons: All the coursework for the paid courses.
exercises: All my exercise solutions.
Good question. In a nutshell: LS is 'online school for developers' that focuses on mastering software engineering fundamentals. The belief is that by focusing on the fundamentals rather than frameworks, one can truly learn how to solve engineering problems.
Interested in learning more? Launch School
Because I had no other choice in order to get the kind of job I wanted.
I have always wanted to be a programmer. I have also found programming immensely hard to get into as a career. For a long time I fell into the trap of learning 'just enough to get my foot in the door' as described in this article: The Dangers of Learning Just Enough
I know a lot of self-taught programmers that found their way into the industry. I'm sure a lot of them used 'learning just enough' to help them start their careers. I've gotten a lot of similar advice when I first started looking for developer jobs 3 years ago.
That strategy worked once for me. That and my connections helped me land my first contracting gig, which eventually led to my first full time gig.
But when I was ready to look for job #2? You can't really find a job with just HTML and CSS anymore, my two main skills at work. Last year I walked out of a job fair in tears because every company I talked to kept directing me to internships instead of even junior jobs.
I quit my job in August 2018 because my office was moving out of state and I didn't want to have a daily 3 hour commute on public transit. Launch School was a last minute decision. Their approach appealed to me. I had done the prep-work about a year prior, but I stopped because the idea of the assessments scared me. But now I figured this would be the last time I could seriously commit to the program without having any major responsibilities. And since I was quitting anyway, why not?
So watch this space and watch my code. And if you're an awesome company in Philadelphia who needs an enthusiastic programming intern? Come find me. 😉