The coding bootcamp industry has exploded in recent years, with several leading players emerging as the go-to providers of coding education. Bootcamps offer intensive, short-term training programs for aspiring developers, and some of the top players have established themselves as the leaders in this space.
In this blog post, we will take a look at the coding bootcamp industry, examine the top players, and provide a framework on how to evaluate candidates with a coding bootcamp background versus a traditional computer science background.
Overview of coding bootcamps
Traditionally, there were only a few pathways to becoming a software developer. Most software developers had a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Computer science degrees are an excellent way to gain in-depth knowledge of computer science principles, such as algorithms, data structures, and programming languages.
A much smaller number of folks had degrees in related fields such as Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering etc where they were exposed to Computer Science topics. Most folks in these degrees did not have the full knowledge set but had enough of the basics to continue the learning on their own. An even fewer number, had backgrounds in mathematics or statistics. Most of the time, those degrees did not provide any actual hands on experience with Computer Science but these graduates had the necessary analytical and logical thinking to learn on their own.
With the increase in people looking to gain skills in web development in the last two decades and the massive demand for software engineers, bootcamps emerged to fill the talent pipeline.
The top coding bootcamps have a range of curriculum designed to give candidates a comprehensive understanding of coding and software engineering. For example, some bootcamps focus on full-stack web development, while others focus on data science or mobile development.The bootcamps typically have a project-based learning approach, which means that students work on real-world projects throughout the program. This gives them the practical experience they need to be successful in their future roles.
The top coding bootcamps also provide job-seeking assistance and mentorship to their students. This includes workshops on networking, resume writing, and interviewing skills, as well as help with job searches and post-graduation career support.
Bootcamps are also extremely popular - there are currently more than 300 coding bootcamps in the United States, with more than 50,000 graduates since 2012.
Key players
The top players in the coding bootcamp industry include General Assembly, Flatiron School, App Academy, and Hack Reactor.
- General Assembly is a global leader in technology education, offering courses, workshops, and bootcamps in web development, data science, and more. They have campuses in 21 cities around the world and the executive leadership team includes co-founder and CEO Jake Schwartz and co-founder and COO Matt Brimer. General Assembly has been funded by notable investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Maveron, and Learn Capital.
- Flatiron School is another leading bootcamp provider, offering online and in-person coding education. The executive leadership team includes co-founder and CEO Adam Enbar and co-founder and COO Avi Flombaum. Flatiron School has been funded by notable investors such as Learn Capital and Box Group.
- App Academy is a San Francisco-based coding bootcamp that offers programs in web development, software engineering, and data science. The executive leadership team includes CEO Kush Patel and COO Tarlin Ray. App Academy has been funded by notable investors such as Y Combinator and Learn Capital.
- Hack Reactor is a bootcamp that focuses on software engineering and offers both remote and in-person education. The executive leadership team includes CEO Harsh Patel and CTO Ryan Hamner. Hack Reactor has been funded by notable investors such as Learn Capital and SV Angel.
Pros and Cons of bootcamps from a recruiter's perspective
Some benefits of hiring bootcamp graduates:
1. Technical skills: Coding bootcamps typically provide intensive, hands-on training in a specific programming language or technology stack. This can give graduates strong technical skills and the ability to hit the ground running on a project especially on the frontend.
They also tend to have fresher skills with experience in the latest technologies e.g. Reactjs and Nodejs versus Angular or PHP for someone coming from an old school company.
2. Motivation: Many coding bootcamp students are highly motivated and have a strong desire to learn and succeed in the tech industry - they have usually just paid tens of thousands of dollars to attend a bootcamp. This can make them eager to take on new challenges and work hard to achieve their goals.
3. Adaptability: Coding bootcamp graduates often have a flexible, adaptable mindset and are comfortable learning new technologies and approaches. This can make them well-suited to handle the fast-paced, constantly-evolving nature of the tech industry.
4. Diverse backgrounds: Coding bootcamps often attract students from a variety of backgrounds, including those with non-technical degrees or no prior programming experience. This can bring diversity of thought and perspective to your team.
5. Cost-effective: Hiring from a coding bootcamp can be a cost-effective way to find talented software engineers, as the program fees are often lower than traditional four-year computer science degree programs and the expectations of many graduates are lower than someone graduating from a typical four year college CS degree.
On the other hand, there are some cons as well:
1. Limited education: Coding bootcamps are shorter programs that typically focus on specific technical skills, so they may not provide the same level of comprehensive education as a four-year computer science degree program.
This may be a concern for some employers who are looking for candidates with a broader range of knowledge and skills or roles that require detailed problem solving that needs CS fundamentals to find a solution or have experience with scaling a product.
2. Lack of real-world experience: Many coding bootcamp graduates have limited professional experience, as they are often early in their careers. This can be a concern for employers who are looking for candidates with more extensive experience working on real-world projects e.g. dealing with the impact of maintaining code over the long run.
3. Hiring risk: Because coding bootcamp graduates often have limited professional experience, it can be more difficult for employers to gauge fit for a specific role or company culture. This can be a risk for employers who are looking for more established candidates or like to do detailed reference checks before hiring.
4. Limited networks: Coding bootcamp graduates may have limited networks within the tech industry, as they have not had the same opportunities to build relationships with professionals in the field as those who have completed traditional computer science degree programs. This can be a concern for employers who value a candidate's ability to tap into industry networks.
Conclusion
Coding bootcamp graduates are particularly well-suited for entry-level positions such as frontend software engineer, web developer, and data analyst. The top coding bootcamps have a comprehensive curriculum and offer job-seeking assistance and mentorship to their students. Additionally, the success rate of the top bootcamps is typically around 80% in terms of finding a role within six months. While a computer science degree can provide a more in-depth knowledge of computer science principles and open the door to more advanced positions, coding bootcamps are typically shorter and less expensive and can provide an alternative entry point to a career in tech.
As a recruiter - it is important to be aware of bootcamp candidates and the kinds of roles they could or could not be a fit for based on the role requirements and the hiring manager's preferences.
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Rocket pairs talented recruiters with advanced AI to help companies hit their hiring goals and knows technology recruiting inside out. Rocket is headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley but has recruiters all over the US & Canada serving the needs of our growing client base across engineering, product management, data science and more.
