What is the Best Software Language to Learn at a Bootcamp?
The basic gist of it all
Bootcamps are popular with folk trying to make a career change into software programing as in the case of the Great Resignation.
I wanted to tackle the topic of software bootcamps for beginners. Maybe you have an inkling like you’d like to be a coder, but aren’t sure. Do you really have a strong interest in coding and how would be a good way to find out if you had the aptitude to work and keep on learning and growing in the field?
While these remote software bootcamps can be good ROI for those with aptitude remember it’s not so much about learning skills here as it is about learning how to learn and DIY learning programming. Having a foundation is a good start, and not everyone can do this on their own.
What do we mean by this?
Bootcamp Success: Learning how to Self-Learn Programming
The skills you learn at a bootcamp can range – you'll probably learn HTML/CSS, JavaScript, a backend language like Rails or Java. But a lot of instructors and industry folks will tell you that the programming language itself doesn't matter; what you're really learning is how to learn a new language.
Bootcamps are typically intensive training programs, for instance. Coding bootcamps are intensive, accelerated learning programs that teach beginners digital skills like Full-Stack Web Development, Data Science, Digital Marketing, UX/UI Design, Cybersecurity, and Technical Sales.
Coding bootcamps are an innovative new form of short-term, intensive, and often immersive education designed to provide aspiring tech professionals the technical skills they need to start careers in software engineering and other tech fields.
Bootcamps are Practical in the Great Resignation Era
Bootcamps are usually 1/5th the price of a University degree in software engineering, however results may vary. Around 75-79% of alumni of such programs report being able to find a job in their intended field.
There are bootcamp campuses in over 85 cities throughout the US/Canada, although many bootcamps moved online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the Great Resignation since the pandemic, this number likely increased.
New Kinds of Payment Options for Software Bootcamps
There are also new payment arrangements. For instance as of 2022, University Bootcamps are now competing with household bootcamp names, payment options like Income Share Agreements and Deferred Tuition have exploded in recent years, and many bootcamps are dipping into the corporate training market.
How fast is the process? Through project-based learning, coding bootcamps get students job-ready for a career in tech in about 12 weeks. So you can expect at least 3 months of really intensive training. So typically, Bootcampers graduate from bootcamps with a portfolio, an online presence, interview skills and more.
Coding bootcamps attract a variety of prospective students, including college graduates, working professionals, and individuals just out of high school or the military. Therefore payment options really have improved in the early 2020s.
ISAs are weird but can also be effective. Think about it, taking advantage of an income share agreement is an increasingly popular way for students to join a coding bootcamp without paying any money -- or paying very little money -- upfront.
ISAs let graduates repay their tuition after they get a job by paying a set percentage of their salary over a predetermined duration of time. Graduates typically pay 8-25% of their salary over 1-4 years. If that sounds like a lot to you, it might not be the best option depending on your personal circumstance.
A Bootcamp In an Ideal World
In theory, by the end of the bootcamp, the student should be sufficiently prepared to navigate the coding world, as well as to land a job as a programmer. Also in practice, online coding bootcamps are often seen as the quickest and most accessible option available to aspiring web developers.
Bootcamps of this nature are likely most useful for career changes. If your goal is to switch careers and land a job as a professional programmer, the short answer is “Yes” if you are wondering if programming bootcamps are “worth it”. The best online coding bootcamps boast an impressive job placement rate, with the majority of students landing a developer job just months after graduating.
What Software Languages to Focus On?
Learning a most loved or most wanted programming language could also be a good start. Rust, Python and Typescript all topped Stack Overflow’s list for the most-loved languages in 2019 and 2020, with only slight shuffling across years. Similarly, Python, JavaScript and Go ruled the top three of Stack’s Most Wanted lists for both years. Though for the most part, you are learning how to learn coding by yourself, so you can get a foot in the door. This could be a good option if you still in your 20s, perhaps less optimal if you are in your 30s or 40s, although of course exceptions to this are common.
WFH and Remote Work in Coding
While (when possible) in-person bootcamps can be advantageous in terms of the networking opportunities with your peers and teachers, another benefit of online coding bootcamps is that they’re also teaching you how to work remotely. A lot of programming are now done by remote teams.
Software Bootcamps Typically Cover
Learning to code is an integral part of most bootcamps. At the end of your coding program, you’ll be proficient in essential programming languages and frameworks. These might include HTML, CSS, Ruby on Rails, Python Django, JavaScript, or PHP stacks.
Best Online Software Bootcamps
There’s no way to know which are the best online coding bootcamps right now, but you can do your own research, some that pop up often are:
CareerFoundry
Code Fellows — Software Development — Top Pick
Flatiron School — Online Software Engineering Course — Best Self-Directed Course
App Academy — 24 Week Software Engineering Immersive Course — Best ISA Program
Codesmith — Part-time Remote Software Engineering Immersive Course — Best for Advanced Students
General Assembly — Software Engineering Immersive Online Course — Best Job Placement Rate
Hack Reactor — Software Engineering Online Immersive Course — Most Immersive Experience
Code Platoon — Intro to Coding — Most Affordable
Fullstack Academy — Live Online Coding Bootcamp — Most Intuitive Interface
Thinkful — Software Engineering Bootcamp — Most Beginner-Friendly
Coding Dojo — Full-Time Remote Software Engineering Bootcamp — Most Languages Covered
Wild Code School.
Coding Dojo.
WBS Coding School.
Springboard.
A good place to start may be SwitchUp. Since 2014, SwitchUp has been a trusted source for helping people identify their ideal bootcamps. You can start here.
For a related field to datascience, they also have rankings. More Rankings: Online, Data Science, Web Design, Product Management, Cybersecurity
If you are considering a Bootcamp for programming or a related discipline, I hope this basic article gave you some ideas and or inspiration.
The Great Resignation (2020 - mid 2023) might be a good time to pivot into a coding future if you feel the timing is right in terms of your financial situation, the labor market and your interests.