Coding bootcamps are a challenging, rewarding and fun way to learn new skills or improve your existing knowledge. But naturally, many students want to know: will I get a job after a coding bootcamp?
So, how employable does a bootcamp qualification make you, and how long will your job search take?
It’s important to remember that a bootcamp certificate alone won’t get you a job – but then, neither will a traditional degree or diploma. Industry-aligned skills, sound technical knowledge and a strong portfolio are the attributes you need to land the developer job you’ve always wanted.
How do employers perceive bootcamp graduates?
A 2017 survey conducted by job site Indeed found that the vast majority (72%) of employers consider bootcamp grads to be “just as prepared to be high performers” as graduates with degrees.
A much smaller percentage of employers (17%) favoured degree holders over bootcamp grads, while 12% of employers actually perceived bootcamp learners to be “more prepared to be high performers” than traditional graduates.
Simply put, a large majority of employers out there view bootcamp graduates in a fair light, and don’t consider a lack of a traditional computer science degree to be a setback.
More recently, in 2018, Fullstack Academy released findings that showed a positive upswing in bootcamp graduate hiring trends over the past 5 years. According to Fullstack Academy:
- Start-ups have been hiring bootcamp grads since 2013, but bigger companies took longer to get on board.
- By 2018, major companies like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon, Dropbox, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Amex were hiring bootcamp graduates.
- Middle-grade companies, which are profitable but very risk-averse, are still the most hesitant to hire bootcamp grads.
Employment rates for coding bootcamp graduates
The results of the Stack Overflow 2018 Global Developer HIring Landscape report shone some light on the statistics around bootcamp learning:
- Nearly 90% of developers have taught themselves a new language, framework or tool outside of their formal education.
- 10.5% of these learners participated in a full-time developer training programme or bootcamp.
- Other popular learning methods included participating in hackathons, and contributing to open source software.
- 45% of coding bootcamp participants already worked as developers, using the bootcamp experience to update their skills.
What do the success rates look like for the other 55% of bootcamp graduates, in search of their first coding job?
- 16.3% found a job immediately after graduating
- 7.5% found a job in less than a month
- 10% found a job in 1-3 months
- 5.2% found a job in 4-6 months
- 3.6% found a job in 6-12 months
- 3.2% took longer than 12 months to find a job
- 8.7% are still in the job market
Misconceptions about coding bootcamp graduates
There are still some false beliefs and misconceptions floating around the job market, but these are shifting as more employers and learners become aware of the value of bootcamp training.
- Bootcamp students have no experience working as professional developers: Looking at the Stack Overflow report, we can see this is false, as nearly half (45%) of bootcamp learners surveyed were already working as developers before starting the course. That means many coding bootcamp graduates have plenty of experience under their belts and are actually ready to take on senior roles.
- Bootcamp graduates struggle to find jobs: Graduates with recognised bootcamp qualifications are in high demand, just as their counterparts with more traditional degrees are. Of course, a bootcamp certificate doesn’t guarantee a job, but the interview and hiring process won’t differ significantly between bootcamp graduates and more traditional graduates. Technical ability speaks louder than a piece of paper.
- Students only use bootcamps as a way to change careers: This is certainly the case for some learners, but many others enroll in bootcamps to supplement their current non-programming jobs.
- Bootcamp students need a background in science: Neither science nor maths is a prerequisite to succeed in a coding bootcamp. Many learners come into the course with non-traditional backgrounds, including writing and art. At the end of the day, the most important thing is the developer’s ability to write quality code.
HyperionDev bootcamp graduate success rates
Our 2018 Graduate Outcomes Report for our South African bootcamp graduates revealed these positive trends:
- 95% of graduates reached their career outcomes.
- These outcomes include: moving to a tech career, starting a business, upskilling in their current tech role, or using their new skills in a non-tech job.
- 61% of graduates switched to a career in tech.
- 72% switched to a new career within 3 months.
- Average salary increases post-graduation were estimated at R12k per month/ R144k per year.
Post-course support improves the hiring process
Our support doesn’t end once graduates receive their bootcamp certificates. We also offer career services to help set them apart from other candidates. While we don’t place our graduates directly in jobs, we do provide comprehensive post-course support to make the process that much easier.
Technical CV and portfolio creation: We provide technical assistance in getting each CV industry-ready.
Interview preparation: Helps graduates know what to expect when getting ready for that big interview, with expert preparation and advice from industry professionals.
Hiring network: We work with select hiring partners to place our students in new jobs within 6 months of graduating. There are also internship placements available with select partners.
To sum up, skilled coders are in high demand, and in most employers’ eyes, your skills and knowledge often take precedence over the type of qualification you have. It’s certainly possible to get a job after a coding bootcamp – and a rewarding one too – especially with the help of post-course services.
Editor’s note: This was post was originally published on 28 May, 2018 and has been updated on 4 March, 2019.
