How to Choose a Coding Bootcamp
Over the past five years we have witnessed a rise of coding bootcamps, a jump in the establishment of incubators, and an overall focus on tech, innovation and the “startup-life.” The emergence of incubators such as 1776 in DC, 1871 in Chicago, and the success of national accelerator programs such as Tech Stars, YCombinator and DreamIt Ventures are all a result of the growing demand for resources and support for startups and early stage companies. There seems to be articles every week hailing the importance of innovation across industries, and which city will be the next best place for entrepreneurs and innovation.. The permeation of technology across all industries demands a tech savvy workforce.
Startup founders will either come to the table with the tech skills themselves, outsource to a development group, or hire someone with the desired skillset. Outsourcing comes with a high pricetag, and in the lean startup years it can be cheaper in the short-run to hire someone with a combination of equity and either contract payment or salary. While there are programs to encourage graduates from top universities to consider working for startups (e.g. Venture for America), startups are risky. With much top talent going to the top companies, it becomes a challenge for medium and small companies alike to tap into a workforce with the right skillsets.
Enter the coding bootcamp.
The door has opened for non-traditional educational institutions to step in and provide high quality skills based training to help develop tech talent. Institutions such as General Assembly, Dev Bootcamp, the Flat Iron School, the Iron Yard, and Betamore are just a few. These bootcamps are filling the gap between a traditional liberal arts education and the demand of 21st century jobs.
To use Betamore as an example, in addition to providing workspace and resources to early stage companies, we also run an Academy that offers long-form (8-12 week) courses in Front-end Web Development and Back-end Web Development. This Academy runs off of a year-long educational programming schedule that also incorporates pathways to drive the needs of individual learners through workshops within the areas of Business, Design, and Technology. This type of industry-based learning allows students to select trainings based on the skills they need for their career, not the classes required to get a degree.
How does college experience, or lack thereof, fit into all of this?
A college degree lowers barriers to certain positions. Many HR departments look for the rigor of college experience, even if the degree or concentration is not in a technology related field. Additionally, if you’ve been successful in college you have demonstrated a degree of discipline and self-motivation to attend class and study outside of designated classroom time.
The gold standard for most jobs in the programming/coding/software development space is still a college degree in a related field, because college provides quality study time and immersion. College students have four years of coursework that allow time to process, internalize, and apply skills. The additional time of a college experience gives students the ability to further explore the realm of software development, so arguably you should graduate from a four-year program with a deeper and more extensive understanding of a broader range of material.
However, traditional educational institutions are not generating enough workers.
There is demand for technology workers and students who did not major in Computer Science or a related IT field are looking for ways to improve their skillsets without having to return to college for another degree. Additionally, the technology being used in startups and other innovative companies changes rapidly. When it comes to learning from the best, most bootcamps have industry experts instructing the courses and generating content. In Betamore’s case, our instructors work full-time and consist of CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and lead developers at local Baltimore companies. They see first hand what is needed in the workplace and ensure those skills and tools are reflected in the curriculum. Students attending bootcamps come from a variety of educational backgrounds and these alternative educational opportunities are gaining momentum.
So, what should I do if I’m interested in a bootcamp?
Do your research. Every coding bootcamp is going to be different; find one that’s the right fit for you. Like any purchase or investment, a lot of what you look for depends on what you’ve identified as your goals or reasons for purchase. First and foremost, make sure you like to code! There are a lot of free online introductory resources that you can explore before making an investment in a bootcamp. Some great online options include, but are not limited to:
Second, check your schedule, and be honest with yourself about whether or not you have the time and discipline to devote yourself to the experience. The most successful students who come through our program are the ones who are excited and motivated to be there. They hustle and take advantage of all of our program’s resources, and it pays off - they get jobs and build incredible networks.
Some additional questions to ask yourself before looking at any bootcamps are:
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What is my budget?
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Am I planning on working while attending class?
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Am I trying to make a change within my industry, or am I changing industries completely?
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How much do I already know about the material being covered?
When researching bootcamps ask a lot of questions and expect realistic answers. Keep in mind that most coding bootcamps provide a foundation, or jumping off point, for students to apply for entry-level positions. In an industry that constantly evolves, you should be willing to continue to learn beyond the bootcamp. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Remember that coding bootcamps are not a magic pill.
Learning to code is like learning any new language. The best way to learn a foreign language is to immerse yourself in an environment that demands you to understand and eventually think in that language. Bootcamps can provide an environment for students to immerse themselves in the material and to accelerate gains when learning to code. By interacting and learning from some of the best in the business, students expand their professional networks, which lowers some of the barriers to employment.
While bootcamps can provide a foundation, upon completion most graduates are looking at an entry level job - and there will still be a lot to learn. As in all things, some people take to the skills naturally, whereas others struggle. At Betamore, we do our best to interview each potential student and make sure they are not only prepared, but that they manage their expectations and understand that ultimately it comes down to them as an individual to make coding their career.
Special thanks to Michele Farquharson from Betamore