Our Team
Jordan Castelloe, Program Director
Before I discovered programming, I managed a family-owned store in Asheville, NC. I started teaching myself to code because the store's database management system couldn't give me the numbers I needed, so I jerry-rigged it with custom scripts. It was a slippery slope: before long, I was having a lot more fun building hacking software for the business than I was managing it. I attended Nashville Software School for full-stack web development and stayed on as a teaching assistant after I graduated. I love working in a field where there's always something new to learn. I'm excited to help NewForce students embrace the learning curve and take their first steps into the new frontier of the tech industry.
Tommy Spurlock, Lead Instructor
What really sparked my interest in becoming a developer is the opportunity to create content for others to use and enjoy. My first experience with development was trying to teach myself html for fun. I chose to be a developer because I enjoy creating new content. I get excited learning new things and being able to implement them in a project.
Sarah Brooks, Junior Instructor
After working with The Walt Disney Company for over a decade to improve customer and employee experiences, I decided that I wanted to dig deeper into the data behind-the-scenes. This led me to NewForce, where I had the privilege of being a student in Cohort 3. I’ve always loved sprinkling a little magic to transform mundane processes into something better, and, through coding, I’m able to do that even more. As Junior Instructor, I’m excited to help other West Virginians develop the skills they need to pursue careers in the tech industry and make their own dreams a reality.
Courtney Susman, NewForce Coordinator
Having spent the bulk of my career in theatre education, I learned a few things: every person is individually extraordinary, bravery comes in all forms, and I am most satisfied when I’m helping people find their strongest self. Here at NewForce, I am dedicated to helping students develop their interpersonal skills to not only further their careers in technology but also make their experiences in the program as fully transformative and positive as possible.
Organizational Partners
Employer Partners
Curriculum
NewForce uses proven curriculum developed in partnership with Nashville Software School
The C# language and the .NET framework are the centerpieces of Microsoft’s technology stack for application development. When combined with other Microsoft technologies or open source technologies developers have the ability to build a wide variety of applications from web applications to server-side web services to enterprise-scale transaction processing systems using this technology stack.
Front-end Development Foundations
Months 1-3
Front-end Development Foundations
Months 4-6
HTML5 and CSS3
Learn how to structure webpages using semantic markup in HTML5 and then style those pages using CSS3.
JavaScript
Learn the basics of programming & JavaScript – the world’s most widely used programming language. Use JavaScript to extend your static HTML & CSS and create dynamic user experiences.
C#
Learn to write C# (pronounced “C sharp”), an object-oriented programming language designed for building applications that run on the .NET Framework.
.NET MVC
Master building applications using Microsoft’s ASP.NET MVC framework.
AJAX, jQuery, JSON & More
Learn to use JavaScript libraries and more advanced techniques to build applications and more complex single-page web apps.
React.js
Learn the leading front-end framework and build amazing single-page applications.
Visual Studio
Learn Microsoft’s integrated development environment (IDE). You’ll learn how to take advantage of Visual Studio’s power to become a productive C# Developer.
SQL Databases
Use the industry-standard SQL language to store and access data from relational databases.
Responsive Design
Build websites for any device with mobile-first strategies.
Command Line & More
Work faster. Use the terminal without fear. Learn shortcuts, how to use your editor like a ninja, and other developer tools to create a professional, streamlined environment.
Source Code Control
Learn how to use Git to safely manage and track changes in your code. Learn how to use GitHub to collaborate with other developers on your team or around the world.
Collaborative Development
Gain experience working in teams, so you’re ready to work on one when you graduate.
Collaborative Development
Gain experience working in teams, so you’re ready to work on one when you graduate.
Source Code Control
Learn how to use Git to safely manage and track changes in your code. Learn how to use Github to collaborate with other developers on our team or around the world.
APIs and Services
Learn how to expose data using a RESTful API, as well as how to access data via third-party services to make your applications more dynamic.
Capstone
Leave NewForce with a completed C# .NET MVC capstone project that demonstrates your abilities.