Coding academies offer a number of Bootcamps and courses to boost your career in IT. However, with the expense and commitment that comes with enrollment, it is challenging to find one that is worth the money. To overcome this, we’ve compiled a step by step list designed to guide you while searching for a bootcamp!
IT Industry and Changing Your Career
Career switches have become increasingly popular since the COVID pandemic. In addition, the speed at which the IT industry is growing, has created a number of well-paid job positions that have created a challenge for the labor market. With the shortage of trained employees for the new positions, companies have started to offer better conditions to their future employees. With this in mind, if you are considering changing your career path, then a lucrative IT job may be the answer. Dive into our list of tips below!
1) Are coding bootcamps the way into the IT industry?
First of all, ask yourself – why would you like to enroll in a bootcamp? The more determined you are, the more likely it is that you will achieve success and complete the bootcamp. Remember that no matter the course of education, your self-determination is the first indicator to a coding career.
2) Do they work?
With a quick round of research, you will soon discover that coding bootcamps work. But it really depends on what you chose, how determined you are and how much effort you will put into achieving life-changing goals. Despite our opinion, the numbers prove that coding graduates have a salary increase of 64% over their pre-bootcamp jobs. Moreover, between 74% -90% of coding students land a programming job within six months after graduation.
3) Why should you pay for a bootcamp instead of free courses?
While free courses do have their fair share of advantages, self-education comes with it’s own set of challenges. Time is money, and it’s worth considering whether you are not wasting too much of it digging through different content. We spoke with Cezary, a graduate of Coders Lab IT Academy, who recently completed the Python – Data Analysis course:
““A coding bootcamp? After all, this knowledge is on the internet for free!”. True, but they don’t know how much time it takes to extract and purify this free knowledge. I joined the course after several months of working on my own. Now, I can see that most of the time I had to sift out what was of real value from what was not. So I highly recommend not wasting your time and joining a course!”
4) Online or on-site?
You probably already know what kind of learning is the best option for you. If you prefer to work in a group and have the possibility to motivate each other with your classmates then its best to find an on-site option. However, if you are more comfortable learning from home, then it’s worth pursuing to save time and energy.
5) Calculate your own return on investment
If you’ve already examined a bootcamp’s syllabus, make sure to do some basic calculations to determine if the course is really worth it! It’s essential to understand if the money you invest will return over time and how quickly it will happen.
Take the estimated yearly payment that you will earn after the bootcamp and subtract your current year salary from it. Then divide this number by the cost of bootcamp plus the missing salaries (for example if a bootcamp lasts 3 months then you will be missing three monthly salaries). Multiply the equation by 100. The percentage above 100 will show you if the bootcamp will pay off.
If you’re planning a part-time bootcamp then the advantages are even better. Just take the first equation (estimated salary minus the current one) and divide it by the bootcamp cost.
These calculations are based on the first year but you should remember that you will keep earning returns on an investment in this course for the rest of your life.
6) You’ve completed the bootcamp – what’s next?
In order to showcase your value to a future employer, it’s advantageous to move further with your learnings. Don’t stop on the one obligatory project from your bootcamp. Create an additional project that will highlight your willingness to learn and gain knowledge in solving problems.
7) Learn how to present what you have learned on bootcamp
Probably the most crucial tip of all. If you want your investment to pay off quickly, prioritize learning to sell the skills that you gained. Put extra effort so that the hiring manager will know that you are an interesting candidate. Remember to prepare an online portfolio that you will easily link to your resume. List the most impressive projects, the languages you used, and the tools that you have learned.
8) Take your time
In conclusion, and taking all the tips listed above into consideration, it’s crucial to choose the best option on the market. Look for something that will get you on the right track. When investing in your career change – spend no expense in preparation. Remember, you are your own investment. The more focused and committed you are, the bigger chance of success.
Even a geologist can become a programmer!
Read the story of Mark, another graduate of Coders Lab, one of the biggest global IT academies. It is never too late to decide to change your career path, even if you are related to a completely different industry.
”My job was to drill holes in the field for all construction investments and to prepare documentation related to the parameters of the tested soil. The salary in relation to the work performed was also not satisfying.
Thanks to my friend, I found out about programming courses and decided to change the industry.
Despite a concern that I would not be able to cope with such a challenge, I overcame my doubts and did some online JavaScript courses. I started looking for mentor-guided courses and decided to go to Coders Lab. The teachers were helpful and had stoic calmness. They wanted the material to be understood by everyone. Introducing a friendly and relaxed atmosphere also had a positive effect on the course of the classes.”
This story delivers proof that you can become a programmer even if you come from a very different background. The success of attending a bootcamp depends on the mindset and your devotion!
About Coders Lab
Coders Lab is the largest IT academy in Poland and the biggest coding bootcamp in the CEE region. Since its establishment in 2013, it has educated over 8,000 junior programmers, testers and Digital UX specialists. More than 80% of Coders Lab graduates found their first job in IT within the first three months after completing the course. The brand is present in Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Austria, Spain and Indonesia and offers franchise licenses for running coding schools.
