Coding bootcamps are intensive programs (from one weekend up to a three months) of software development tuition in an immersive learning environment. They arose due to the demand for trained software professionals exceeding the number who were qualifying through traditional education routes. While coding bootcamps can be part-time or online, designed to be undertaken while in full-time employment, many are full-time and funded by employers or qualify for student loans.
Like coding dojos, coding bootcamps are immersive environments where students spend relatively little time in lectures, instead spending most of the day coding software that demonstrates their skills. While there has been some controversy in the fees some organisations have charged, reports of graduates gaining significant increases in pay rates still encourage them to go down this route.
Video Coding bootcamp
History
Coding bootcamps made their debut in 2011 with the Code Academy (now Starter League) with many others following.
Growth has been rapid, with the number of developers graduating from coding bootcamps nearly doubling from 2014 to 2015, and doubling again to over 22,000 by 2017. As a point of comparison, it is estimated that there were 79,650 undergraduate computer science graduates from accredited US universities in 2016.
As of July, 2017 there are 95 full-time coding bootcamp courses in the US, but there are concerns that the bubble is bursting, with too many organisations rushing to deliver coding bootcamps with not enough focus on quality or outcomes for the students.
Maps Coding bootcamp
Job placement and outcomes
In a job outcomes study conducted by Course Report researchers published on Dec 19, 2017, the following trends were found:
- The average first salary after a coding bootcamp is $70,698 with a 50.5% increase.
- 85% of graduates are placed in a full-time job within 120 days after bootcamp.
- There's an average satisfaction rating of 8.3/10.
- The average age of a coding bootcamp graduate is 30 years old.
- Graduates in California show the highest salaries of $100,482.
Reception by U.S. government
On August 16, 2016, the US Department of Education announced up to $17 million in loans or grants for students to study with nontraditional training providers, including coding bootcamps. These grants or loans will be administered through the pilot program, EQUIP which stands for Educational Quality through Innovation Partnerships. This will allow students, especially those who are low-income, to access federal student financial aid. Eight entities were selected to participate in the pilot program including four coding bootcamps - Flatiron School, MakerSquare, Epicodus, and Zip Code Wilmington. Two of the bodies selected to oversee EQUIP partnerships are industry lobby groups, which has raised eyebrows among skeptics. The groups are the American Council on Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Programs must partner with an accredited college and third-party quality assurance entity (QAE) in order to receive federal financial aid.
Collaboration with higher education
Universities have started to take note of the coding bootcamp model, and these partnerships are on the rise. Traditional colleges are trying to meet the demand for people with coding and data analytic skills. They are doing this either by starting their own intensive coding programs, like Northeastern's Level, or by partnering with an existing private coding bootcamp. Examples of these partnerships include General Assembly and Lynn University, Trilogy Education with Northwestern, UT Austin, and Case Western Reserve University and Coding Dojo and Bellevue - all of which are not part of EQUIP.
Online coding bootcamps
There are various online coding bootcamp options to provide students with flexibility in their learning. These remote programs offer convenience and structure, usually by matching students with a mentor. These online coding bootcamp options are also more likely to be cheaper and more accommodating to specific student needs.
Data science bootcamps and fellowships
The demand for skilled data scientists and data engineers remains strong in 2016 and will continue to grow. Big data analysis is becoming a necessity for companies to prosper in all industries from agriculture to finance. The requirements for enrollment are more stringent than those of coding bootcamps. For example, The Data Incubator's acceptance rate is widely reported to be lower than that of Harvard's
Tuition
According to a 2017 market research report, tuition ranges from free to $21,000 for a course, with an average tuition of $11,874. Courses range from 8 to 36 weeks, but most courses are in the 10- to 12-week range with an average of 12.9 weeks.
Schools like App Academy and The Grace Hopper Program can offer "Deferred Tuition." Deferred Tuition refers to a payment model in which students pay the school a percentage (18%-22.5%) of their salary for 1-3 years after graduation, instead of upfront tuition.
In Europe, coding bootcamps tend to be 'more reasonably priced'. One reason for this is because university tuition can be free or a couple thousand euros per program. In contrast to formal university education, private offerings for training appear expensive. As of 2016, the most 'affordable' bootcamp offered in Europe in English is, Elium Academy according to an article on Switch Up, a leading programming bootcamp review source. Elium Academy is based in Brussels and offers programs as low as 1,800 Euros, or free with their Learn and Train model.
Acquisition
The first coding bootcamp acquisition was in June 2014 where Dev Bootcamp was acquired by Kaplan Test Prep. With rapid market growth in the bootcamp industry, large for-profit education companies and universities are stepping in to acquire more coding bootcamps. Additional acquisitions include, but are not limited to:
- Apollo Education acquiring The Iron Yard
- Strayer Education acquiring New York Code & Design
- Capella Education acquiring Hakcbright Academy and DevMountain
Controversy
Experts are worried that partnering private coding bootcamps with federal financial aid could attract less reputable organizations to create coding bootcamp programs. Some believe that "integrating bootcamps into the established system, might just saddle them with all the established system's problems." Barriers to entry and exit mean established schools face less competition than in a free market, which can lead to deterioration of quality, and increase in prices. Also, problems within traditional university models could easily transfer to the university/bootcamp partnerships. On the other hand, others believe that enhancing policy around financial aid will help lower income prospective students attend. There are several sentiments of coding bootcamps being accessible only for the rich.
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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