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Ben Halpern Subscriber for CodeNewbie

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Are Coding Bootcamps Still A Thing?

Are coding bootcamps still effective and relevant in the current tech landscape? Are they viable alternatives to traditional schooling and degrees?

Have you personally attended a coding bootcamp? If so, how did it impact your career? Tell us more, and help out our CodeNewbies out there who are weighing the pros and cons.

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Top comments (3)

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sally077 profile image
Sally077

Yes, I completed my code camp in April after 16 weeks of intensive coding. It was good because it gave an overview of most topics needed for front end development. It was very career focused in terms of things you needed to know to help gain employment. I felt that after finishing the course I was not ready for a job in tech yet as I believe it takes time to understand, build and practice the skills. What I have gained from this is a belief that I can get a job as a dev in the future. It has given me the habit of coding every day and I have to say at the time it was really hard but now I code through my own interests I am enjoying learning much more. I think without the code camp I might have lost confidence not known what to learn and where to go when I got stuck. So boot camp for me was worth it. Obviously the cost is a huge factor but there are ways that this can be part funded or even free.

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ja5onco3 profile image
Ja5onCo3
 Thank you for this well-constructed response. I am currently earning an AS in Cyber Security. Even still, the college curriculum feels lacking. Additionally, prerequisites are siphoning focus from my program courses in order to maintain my GPA. I want to devote more attention to the classes most relevant to my degree, but I am relying on grants that wouldn't be there if my grades took a dip. 
 I had considered code camps primarily because I don't feel college curriculum is establishing the sort of foundation I had hoped for. My concern is graduating with a similar sense, not feeling prepared enough. You mentioned that camps can be partially funded or even free. I have seen some offer Financial Aid options. I'm unaware of how one might attend for free or at a steeply discounted rate. Is that just a rare exception, or is it a viable option? 
 I have a chronic illness, and I generally spend a few weeks in the hospital once or twice a year because of it. I've lost many jobs because of it. I am grateful to be on disability, but that also comes with constraints. My hope is to establish myself in a career path that pays enough for me to maintain my own insurance, some flexibility for when I do get sick, and no longer rely on disability coverage. Yet, I'm not sure how far an Associates degree will get me, and I'm concerned about the debt I would likely acquire while earning a Bachelors. 

 Could you share any resources that you found valuable during your search for your chosen Code Camp? What Code Camp did you choose, and for what area of study? Forgive me if my questions feel intrusive; you are not obligated to answer a single one. I'm just curious. 
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sally077 profile image
Sally077

Hi Jason

I am glad that my post has spurred you on. I have found it so hard learning to code and still do. My front end code camp was fully funded by the UK government. My husband tried applying for a cyber security boot camp and was declined as you have to fulfill certain criteria.

The lessons were online, but the course was really well organised with group work, TAs course leader and even options for one-to-one tutoring, we worked in pods with other students I opted for evening classes (11 hours of taught lessons and about 20+ hours of independent challenges to meet each week - it killed me working full-time and doing this but it was good and I would do it again).
There were 100 people started out and only 40 at the end and many complained that they did not complete all the challenges to qualify, so it is tough.

This is the link below for the boot camps (sorry I haven't linked this properly I'm going with the excuse that I'm new to dev.to :)
skills.hyperiondev.com/full/

Have a look about and see what there is I am now working through freecodecamp which is good for different reasons - you can work at your own pace and I think there is a cyber security unit but I haven't got to that part yet.
I am a school teacher and a few years ago some of my students found a free udemy course on cyber security so keep looking about and do what you feel you can.

Good Luck in your endeavors
Sally