A Coding Bootcamp For Every Type Of Learner
STEM! Or is it STEAM? Whichever way you slice it, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are hot topics of discussion, especially when talking about supporting women and girls in these fields as they learn and enter the workforce.
Maybe you’re a student looking for the next step toward your tech industry career. Perhaps you’re a seasoned professional looking to add or hone skills for your path at your current company, or maybe you’re simply a lifelong learner who’d like a little more tech savvy without having to go back to school for a traditional four-year degree. No matter what’s drawing you to it, the following coding bootcamps are great options for all types of web developer learners, near and far.
1. Thinkful
Thinkful’s Web Development Bootcamp can be done full-time or on a more flexible schedule. Financial aid scholarships are available for veterans and women for both options in varying amounts depending on the format chosen. As someone who has taken a Thinkful course previously, the format is easy to follow and engaging. Students are paired with mentors, generally located nearby when the student is near a major city, and oftentimes they have meetups for networking (and as a way to get out from behind the screen; all Thinkful assignments are handled through its online interface and video chats). Thinkful also offers a pretty strong incentive for their higher education program: They guarantee the bootcamp will help you “become a hired web developer online,” and they also claim to offer “more accountability and support than any other bootcamp” in terms of hands-on training.
2. General Assembly
General Assembly offers a number of courses surrounding coding, including Front-End Development, Full-Stack Web Development, and iOS & Android Development. Based in most major cities (Boston, London, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Sydney, Washington D.C., etc.), prospective students can choose to take classes in person or online. Classes are offered in 10 or 13 week “learning experience(s)” and vary in cost. Having also taken a course at General Assembly’s New York City campus, I can also attest to the quality of learning there, as well; however, the class was not in Web Development, so I can’t speak to these specific, extended courses. I have worked with many industry professionals who have also taken a number of courses there, though, and I have not heard any complaints.
3. Fullstack Academy
Based in New York City and Chicago, with an online version for those who don’t live near these metropolitan areas, Fullstack’s coding bootcamp is extremely thorough. Addressing both front-end development and back-end development, they incorporate real life events (in person meetups, open source projects, etc.) and an extremely thorough curriculum in their course offering. While they don’t offer the same guarantee that Thinkful does, they do have an impressive job placement rate for grads of 97%, and they also go beyond coding to address other topics in their curriculum, like leadership and community.
4. Coding Dojo
Despite the seemingly playful name, Coding Dojo is quite a bit like enrolling in a college course. With an emphasis on community and a gratis “meal plan,” Code Dojo students are connected with each other to locate housing so they can attend the school in person. Their emphasis is on learning a multitude of coding languages, including Ruby on Rails and Javascript, encourages agility and self-driven learning, much like the ever-changing tech landscape. With campuses in Dallas, L.A., NYC, Seattle, and San Francisco, there are more than a few locations to choose from. To close out the course, Code Dojo students use the hands-on experience they’ve acquired to demo their work to companies and partners in the hopes of getting landing full-time employment.
5. Flatiron School
Based solely in New York, the Flatiron School focuses on both iOS and Web Development. Their programs are full-time and require a substantial amount of work even before attendance begins. Touting highly trained instructors, Flatiron’s higher education seems more like Master’s program with either a Capstone or specialization chosen depending on the chosen course track. Offering 500k in scholarships for women, Flatiron claims that students attend their school to “change their lives” and indicate a 98.5% full-time employment hiring rate for graduates of the program.
6. Dev Mountain
With perhaps the greatest flexibility out of all of the courses described here, Dev Mountain’s program is designed to fit your current work/life schedule. Many courses offer online options, but generally bootcamps are more rigorous, so the fact that Dev Mountain has after-hours classes and mentors who are generally available any time is a big plus for those who can’t learn code full time. Focusing on both Web and iOS, Dev Mountain also boasts affordability for their 12 week program.
7. Metis
For a more traditional programming bootcamp experience, Metis offers the skills needed, in an immersive environment, to facilitate a career in data science. While this isn’t a traditional method for learning to code, understanding what can ultimately come from code can provide better insight into the big picture, and in an industry where many people are learning to code, this type of course could help a candidate stand out from the crowd. Analytics and big data are hot topics for many aspects of eCommerce and Digital Marketing. Metis also offers scholarships for minorities, veterans, and women, and is based in New York and San Francisco.
8. Dev Bootcamp
Perfect for those who are looking for intensive, yet remote experience, Dev Bootcamp has both collaborative work with other students and one-on-one work with a mentor. While they don’t guarantee a job placement, nor do they report graduation rates, they do have a comprehensive course that involves a prep period, followed by nine weeks of tutorials and hands-on training. Dev Bootcamp is based in Austin, Chicago, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. They work with students on a number of programming languages, including Ruby on Rails, Javascript, SQL and Git.
9. Hack Reactor
Hack Reactor covers the major programming languages, like HTML, CSS and JavaScript, across all possible methods of learning, including mixers and networking events. Hack Reactor provides multiple opportunities for students to mingle with, and pitch, those in the industry. The 12-week program is not inexpensive, however they do boast a 96% rate of employment after completing their code boot camp. Likely curtailed to those who already have some knowledge of code but without the experience working in web development, they are based in Austin, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
10. Hackbright Academy
Hackbright has a narrow focus: only Python, only women. With the very specific goal of increasing the amount of female developers and software engineers in the industry, their program, based in San Francisco, focuses on community and connection. At the end of the course, students are given the opportunity to interview with tech companies. Completion of a coding challenge is required in order to apply, but students receive two mentors during their time at Hackbright.
11. Digital Crafts
One of the longer bootcamps offered, Digital Craft’s 16-week bootcamp is based in Atlanta and Houston. Their Full Stack program takes a community based approach that facilitates an incubator style approach to programming and ideas. Covering a wide range of languages including Bootstrap, Angular JS, Python and CSS3, teachers are experienced developers. This full time program has a traditional daily schedule with options for extended days for electives. With a coding challenge included in their application process, Digital Crafts is an intense, immersive program perfect for the serious student. They also offer a part time program.
For those with a strong desire to learn in an immersive environment, learn more about Digital Crafts here.
12. Coder Camps
Coder Camps’ accelerated program doesn’t end with completion of their 12-week course. Graduates are “encouraged to return as often as needed, free of charge, to refresh their knowledge, learn new technologies and find new opportunities,” according to their site. They also offer the opportunity to learn how to work within an Agile methodology by learning from industry experts in an immersive environment based in Seattle and Phoenix. Offering financial aid scholarships for women and veterans, they offer a bootcamp in Full Stack Web Development as well as Coding from Scratch.
13. The Tech Academy
Based in Portland, Oregon, The Tech Academy offers students the opportunity to move at their own pace through either 15 or 20 weeks of study. Their Software Development bootcamp is available in person or online, and they assert that all graduates achieve employment, generally starting at 60k per year. Languages covered in the bootcamp include Git, HTML, .NET, PHP and more. They also cover SQL and focus on Data Structures, Algorithms, Design Principles and Mobile.
INTERNATIONAL OPTIONS
14. Startup Institute
Startup Institute currently offers a full-time program, with a part-time program coming soon. With a wide breadth of course offerings, students can pick a more traditional Web Development technical track, or study Web Development, Digital Marketing or Sales & Account Management. The languages covered in their introductory courses include Ruby and JavaScript, and for part-time they will be held one evening a week to accommodate those with day jobs. Startup Institute is based in the UK.
15. Codecore
Codecore has an interesting approach to bootcamps. Providing 4 bootcamps each year, topics range from Python and PHP, to Java and .Net. Focusing on languages, topics can shift depending on how the industry evolves. Hiring day is the peak of the program, and with more than 15 hiring partners, there’s plenty of exposure. Based solely in Vancouver, Codecore lasts 12 weeks and is one of the few bootcamps offered for under 10K.
16. Ironhack
Ironhack is keen on hands-on experience, encouraging students to design and code during their time there. While they are primarily international, located in Madrid and Barcelona, they also have a location in Miami. Boasting “more than 500 graduates,” networking is a key point for Ironhack, and their immersive courses are intended to prep students for their real-life tech industry career through workshops, mixers, and projects. Offering full time and part time web development/programming bootcamps, they also offer a course in UX/UI Design. Focused on a wide range of languages, students will study AngularJS, CSS, Node.js, JQuery, and more.
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Katie Klein is a blogger, former magazine editor, and ecommerce director. She’s passionate about supporting working moms (because she is one!) and navigating unusual career trajectories (because she’s had one!). She also loves funky shoes, flea market finds, and female empowerment. You can find her on her blog, overlyambitious.com.
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