Our Skill Up reports have clearly shown how learning new skills can increase your salary and what knowledge is most in demand in key areas of IT. So now you know what you need to learn, how do you actually go about learning it?
Mark-Anthony Torrocha from coding school Coding Campus explains how online learning can be the best option if you are looking for flexibility, although you need to have commitment to make it work well.
Simon Dudley notes that without a degree, you may not be able to earn as much over the course of your career. At some point it does seem to become economically unfeasible to earn that degree conventionally.
Most Coding Campus students, especially distance learners, come from promising careers before attending our bootcamp. Business owners, marketing directors, program managers all want the opportunity to create something of their own. They have spent time and money earning a bachelor’s, sometimes even a master’s degree in their profession and know that it is a risk to start over. For online students, it is even harder to think about starting a program that would take time away from their work and family. A great deal of thought and preparation must be taken, not just by the student, but also their families.
When Breana Gonzales decided to take the Python Web Development course, she knew that it would take all her time to be a successful web developer. It was a conscious decision to take the course. The same goes for other online students, David Fall and Ervin Kleitz Gonzales, when they immersed themselves in the Angular Web Development course. Fall was working for a small company in Washington, while Gonzales did side work while telecommuting for the nighttime course. “You really need to be disciplined when you are taking the classes as an online student,” remarked instructor Mark Price. “The success is in keeping up with the work and remembering that you are investing time and money into what you are doing.”
Issues
Though Gonzales recognizes that a degree in Computer Science would give her greater income, she had bills to pay, and other things to do, but not the time to go the traditional route. Both Fall and Gonzales have the computer science background from their university education, but the rigorous training provided by the course gave them leverage in their new roles as web developers in their new found jobs. After completing the course and gaining experience at Verisage, Gonzales now works at EMC as an applications developer. Her course led her to her job, which allowed for her to fulfill her other plans.
As much as time is an issue, money to participate in a course is also a key indicator of participation. A full-time immersive course can cost close to ten thousand dollars. Twelve weeks without a source of income can be daunting for many. Most students that take our online option choose a part-time course that allows for them to keep their current jobs while learning new skills. Some will take out loans to fund their time in the bootcamp. There are also those who choose to delay their programming education in hopes to getting enough money that they can afford the program.
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to federal money like most schools, but we do want to help in jumpstarting people’s programming career. Here are other ways online bootcamps help with minimizing your costs:
Climb Credit
Coding Campus teams up with Climb Credit allowing students to finance their schooling
Scholarship for Women, Minorities and Servicemen
We offer 10 percent discounts, sometimes even 30 percent, to qualified individuals. Scholarships have been provided by civic employment programs, local companies, and others who really want you to succeed. Refer a friend and get even more money.
On the Job training
Companies have invested money in Coding Campus by means of projects that students work on during the course. Some even consider your time as a job, or apprenticeship, that you can refer to on your resume.
It’s all about priorities
“Despite discouraging headlines, a college degree remains the best route to finding a job in this tight market,” TICAS president Lauren Asher said in a statement. Distance learners accepted by Coding Campus go through a stern admission process giving them the time to figure out if the course is something that they are able to commit to making them accountable to their learning. Before securing a job as a programmer, Bobby Clawson made a living as a firefighter. Turning to a career in programming was a step to provide for his growing family. “If you’re going to go the route of not going to college and not getting a degree for anything, then of course you’ll have to be prepared to find a lot of ways to study yourself which can be its own challenge,” Clawson said. “So I guess that has to be the type of thing that you have to weigh or consider for which path you want to go.”
Coding Campus puts the same kind of attention to its distance learners as its in-person participants. Sometimes, they even require more. Distance learners are required to participate in real-time, turn in their assignments in local time, and maintain their attention to the course without physically being in the class. It is a lot of responsibility which is made known long before the course starts in order to prepare the students for the challenges. Because of these expectations, our distance learners thrive.
Distance learning works for our students because it allows them time with their families, provides them with a real classroom experience, and an understanding that we provide the resources and it is up to them to apply it in their careers. To learn more about your options in starting a career in web development, visit us here.