Coding Bootcamps are not dead

I guess I have to address the somber forecast regarding coding bootcamps.

The media coverage of both Dev Bootcamp and Iron Yard closing is quickly snowballing into a general moratorium on coding bootcamps a whole. However, the need for web developers is still one of the fastest growing occupations in the US. Due to the fast growth of these bootcamps there has been an organic consolidation and restructuring as the market shifts to see how to support this need.

The fact that learning to code is one of the few technical skills the can be learned outside of a university is an opportunity that should not be overlooked. I get it though the business model and cost to provide this type of skillset can be high in it’s current format; however, it is still much less expensive than any college out there. What is lacking is access (as always) to the resources to be able make this investment. More scholarships, government funding, and other forms of financial assistance would make a significant difference.

Many in the industry expect more closures as the space begins to consolidate around dominant schools able to produce top-flight coders. — Reuters

This statement of the need to produce “top-flight coders” could not be more insulting to the many competent bootcamp graduates out there. What graduates lack is not expertise, but opportunity. They are every bit as qualified as any entry level computer science graduate from a more “dominant school” to code and pursue careers in tech. One key thing to note is that bootcamps tend to attract those from a much more diverse background — what I like to call “nontraditional” folks. It is nothing new that people who do not come from the right pedigree, training or socioeconomic status are seen as less competent or ill equipped for the rigors of such a cerebral field. There is a bias clearly here that needs to be addressed.

This is where I put my foot down… this is why I created The Difference Engine’s apprenticeship program because everyone deserves the chance and opportunity to work in this field. We are preparing people from all backgrounds that have already invested in themselves and wish to gain meaningful life changing employment in tech. We provide a real life software development experience where they build real software for real clients while making a social impact. Thereby removing barriers many nontraditional developers face when seeking their first job as web developers.

Coding bootcamps are not dead and this is far from over!