New year working in the same job where every day feels like the Sunday Scaries? Let’s leave that feeling in 2021. If you’re feeling the desire for professional growth, or just looking for a new creative challenge, transitioning to a career in programming may expand your skills and opportunities. The Great Resignation occurring in the workforce has many companies scrambling to find capable employees for hard-to-fill tech roles. - Now may be the time to invest in your programming skills and coding classes can help you build them.
According to CIO, a top-rated business trade publisher, “companies (are) reporting they are hiring (for tech positions) “at or beyond pre-pandemic levels”. Of (those) surveyed, 52% said they planned to add new positions in the coming year”. With the growing number of openings, professionals from all backgrounds are turning to coding classes to fulfill the high demand.
Coding bootcamps are built to help fill that demand, and many don’t require you to have a technical background. Even without formal tech experience or a STEM background in your bachelor's or master's degrees, coding bootcamps. Coding classes offered in-person and online, teach foundational logic and essential programming languages, machine learning, data science, and web development in an intensive immersion designed to have you adopt skills more quickly.
According to Government Technology, “analysts from the data research company Optimal say the current rise of “tech bootcamp” training courses has coincided with the largest college enrollment decline in a decade, as students look to cost-effective alternatives to gain IT credentials outside of traditional four-year degree programs.”
Economics aside, transitioning to a computer science career and considering becoming a student is a big-time consideration as well. This article will help explore the world of the coding boot camp so you make a well-informed decision when kicking off your transition. Let’s dive into why a coding course can work for anyone willing to throw themselves headfirst into a coding skill, the differences between in-person and online bootcamps, and exactly what to expect when you enroll in either format.
Why Bootcamps Work
Whether you’ve had previous experience in programming, dabbled in becoming a web developer in the past, or are making a full transition into a computer science-driven field, coding classes help hone all levels of coding skills. This is from the basics of web development to exploring advanced programming languages. Similar to an internship, you’re also assigned real-world examples to demonstrate the ability to solve coding problems you’d encounter as an entry-level developer. Also similar to the “real world”, coding classes are offered in formats created for student success.
Both part-time and full-time coding classes teach workplace-relevant skills that build a dynamic portfolio and put you in a strong position to impress hiring managers. Bootcamps emphasize making sure graduates collaborate well with other developers, are comfortable at proposing multiple solutions to problems, and have a fluent understanding of modern programming languages used by some of the largest companies in the world.
In-person versus Online Coding Bootcamps
2022 is an ideal year for those interested in a career transition to pursue a coding course without necessarily needing a formal degree. According to PC Magazine, “40% of those recruiters said they had already hired technology professionals who didn't possess formal qualifications in technology-particularly programming. Popular alternatives were tech "bootcamps," self-directed certification training, or simply self-teaching.” Moreover, they also say that 57% of recruiters are reporting they put less emphasis on an applicant's formal education. Now that we're living in a remote-capable world, recruiters are likely seeing that talent learning a programming language, computer science concepts, and full-stack web development online is an underrated asset.
Those popular alternatives are more accessible as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we quickly adopt remote technology across every industry, coding courses are a beneficiary, but hybrid and on-ground classes are out there. In-person coding classes are offered at specific locations with set dates, times, and durations. They’re led by instructors and include required assignments, projects, and exams. In-person classes also still require at-home self-paced learning.
In-person coding bootcamp courses can be in the same synchronous format as online classes, though online courses provide flexibility to part-time and full-time students alike.
Students hoping to make a quick transition, or those with a background in tech or computer science degree, may enjoy full-time coding classes with a set schedule throughout the week. These courses are led by a programming instructor with a highly focused, short-term schedule.
Enrolling in a Coding Bootcamp
Once you decide on the format and schedule you’d like to take your coding classes in, there are 5 steps to getting started in your course:
- Reach out to your top three bootcamps of choice. This is an essential step to making sure you know all the details of coding classes within the course curriculum, as well as making sure the financials make sense. Each course offering and provider is different so compare your favorites to find what will serve you best.
- Discuss the course costs and next start dates with admissions representatives. The cost of online coding classes will vary by format so make sure to consider what you’re paying for vs. what you’re receiving - the return on investment - based on the length of the program. Admissions representatives can help advise students on programs and you should ask as many questions as possible about their success and challenges with learners like you. Choose the coding boot camp format that fits your life, schedule, and long-term career goals best.
- Weigh your options then communicate with the bootcamp of your choice. Consider your learning style and the enrollment options available concerning your location and your budget.. teaching Once you decide, the fun part is committing to a course and program and beginning the pre-work most curriculums require of students.
- Set up the financing option that works best for you, then submit your intent to enroll. Paying your coding bootcamp tuition will look different for each student. Always read the fine print of how you pay to enroll. Once that’s decided, submit your intent to enroll in the hybrid or online coding course with your payment option.
- Become a student and start your class. Now's the start of your skill-building and immersive study into a programming language, fundamentals of logic in computer science, and building real-world apps for consumers and businesses. Keeping a schedule and making time for self-study will be the key to your success. Start strong, actively participate in one of the most education-heavy immersions of your lifetime, and prepare to put in heavy practice hours after your classes. Showing that level of passion will help you stand out among your peers.
Building new technical skills takes time and unapologetic focus. Whether you enroll in coding courses in-person or online, the job market numbers for web development professionals are an encouraging sign for entry-level coding professionals. Interested in enrolling in a coding class near you or online? Get matched to one of the best coding bootcamps for you by filling out our questionnaire.