Recently, Concordia University Wisconsin announced a new partnership with Upright Education to offer new tech bootcamps. This collaboration aims to fill the need for focused training in a short amount of time that leads to new employment opportunities. Sounds great, but what exactly are bootcamps, and are they right for everyone? Our business partnership team went looking for some answers.
What is a tech bootcamp?
More specifically, tech bootcamps are training opportunities that allow students to gain specialized knowledge and develop skills needed for a range of careers in the tech-industry. Judson VanAntwerp is the Director of University Partnerships at Upright Education. He says, “Tech bootcamps will train adult learners into career paths such as software development, UX/UI, and Tech Sales, and for a variety of positions within those career pathways.”
Bootcamps vary in price ($3,200-$10,000) and timeline (8 weeks-24 weeks) depending on the program. You will only pay for the essential, job-related training needed for your career. This gets you into the workforce quicker than a traditional route.
What does a tech bootcamp look like, how much time per week?
These bootcamps were built for active learners. In most cases, students are coming to the camp with little to no skills and will be ready for employment within several weeks. To get the most out of the experience, learners can expect to spend significant time engaging the material.
For part-time learners, 20-30 hours per week is a good expectation for success. A full-time commitment should anticipate over 40-hours of engagement. This time includes things like working with instructors, practicing concepts in homework, and collaborating with classmates on group projects.
Who is a tech bootcamp best for?
According to VanAntwerp, these bootcamps are often best for adult learners who are interested in career-switching. They have typically been in the career world for a while, are highly motivated, may already have a degree, and are looking to make a change. These career changers have a surprising demographic makeup. An Indeed study released on CNBC in 2019 revealed that of the 58% of participates that were willing to take a pay cut to change careers, the average age was 39-years old.
Other evidence indicates that these pre-pandemic career-changers were primarily comprised of middle-income earners. This more recent survey further discovered in 2021 that “Close to half (48%) of six-figure salaried workers are plotting their switches”. Workers are looking for better career opportunities that allow for more flexibility to their work-life balance.
Why is CUW collaborating with Upright Education?
This is a collaborative effort. Sarah Pecor, AVP for Continuing Education Studies at CUW, explains, “Upright has cultivated a robust team of knowledge experts from the tech industry. These experts have built the curriculum and are teaching the bootcamps. We were looking to expand our offerings in this field, so it was a natural fit for us to work and grow together. We are excited to be partnering with Upright.”
What types of tech jobs do bootcamp participants seek?
According to Antwerp, many completers achieve employment in the roles of Sales Development Representative, Account Executive, or Customer Success Manager. However, the roles vary based on the specialized tech boot camps.
For instance, those learners that complete the Software Development bootcamp will likely find roles as a junior software developer. Similarly, UX and UI designers may get there start from a specialized bootcamp taught by leading industry experts.
Could businesses use these tech bootcamps to upskill or reskill employees?
Yes! “All of our bootcamps offer flexible, part-time options which are great for adults working at organizations in order to advance at the company,” says VanAntwerp.
Many companies offer generous tuition reimbursement and education benefits that could help offset the costs to the individual. Some may even cover them entirely!
What are the recruitment opportunities?
We all know that this remains a challenging time in workforce recruitment. Concordia’s Business Community Partners will now have access to an additional pipeline of trained professionals in the tech space for recruitment. Often times these professionals are ready to enter this space within 3-6 months. In addition, we will seek companies to collaborate with Upright Education and CUW by sponsoring a student’s capstone project.
These projects allow students to build their portfolio and showcase the specialized skills they have gained. These opportunities alone make tech-bootcamps a great fit for future employment.
Are there any scholarships or discounts available?
If companies are looking to provide these opportunities for multiple staff, please reach out about possible additional savings for your employees.
What else should we know?
“Don’t let the news of tech layoffs distract you,” says VanAntwerp, “We are in the ‘great tech talent redistribution’. While the big players in tech may not have the roles they once had, many new and growing organizations have more tech openings right now than there are available job-seekers to fill them. These are still in-demand fields that offer fantastic career growth.”
Explore all of these tech bootcamps at bootcamp.cuw.edu. Business Community Partners can reach out to me at Christy.call@cuw.edu to discuss all of these bootcamps, as well as customized professional development for your company.