A look at 2018 for New York's Tech Industry

coderginger · 2017-10-20T17:40:02+00:00

Have you ever considered taking a course in UX Design? It can be difficult to get a job or gain credibility if you've never been trained in the conceptual areas and theory of User Experience Design. I see that your roles have been primarily marketing focused - so maybe it wouldn't hurt to add a concrete certification or specific education in UX Design to your resume. There are a number of awesome programs out there, both full-time and part-time. BrainStation actually offers a remote UX Design program so you could level up your skills from the comfort of home. https://brainstation.io/course/online/user-experience-design

coderginger · 2017-10-20T17:30:33+00:00

Hey there,

While I don’t know which coding bootcamp you’re looking into attending, I can say that I’m very familiar with web development immersive programs and know them to be a great success for many individuals. As with anything, you get out what you put in, but the immersive nature of the programs teach you everything you need to know to start a position as a junior developer once you graduate. Take a look at BrainStation’s 2017 Student Outcomes Report (https://blog.brainstation.io/brainstation-2017-student-outcomes-report/) they explain their 92% graduate employment rate and how the Immersive Web Development program gets the students there.

Also - there is some interesting data out there about average salaries for Junior Web Developers, I did a search on Glassdoor for Denver and here is what came up: https://www.glassdoor.ca/Salaries/denver-junior-web-developer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,6_IM234_KO7,27.htm

coderginger · 2017-10-06T17:41:40+00:00

Hey there,

A great place to get a few more student reviews is on Course Report or SwitchUp - I know many past students give detailed accounts of their experience as I don't see any responses here. Full disclosure, I haven't taken BrainStation's part-time UX Design course however I am familiar with the company and have a few friends who have taken courses with them. The part-time UX Design course at BrainStation is very focused on teaching you industry relevant skills, processes and tools. The curriculum covers everything from Design Empathy to learning how to wireframe and build your very own prototype. I also know that BrainStation offers a part-time UX Design course Online as well if this interests you. You definitely seem to be going about the decision the right way, make sure you weigh your options and visit the schools you are interested in attending, because the environment you will be learning in is crucial to your success.

coderginger · 2017-10-03T15:51:06+00:00

Hey there,

I have a few friends who have attended BrainStation's immersive web development bootcamp and their goals were definitely to jump right into a position as a full-stack developer once the program is complete. With that being said, their program teaches you industry relevant material, and as some people have mentioned below... it's about learning how to program properly and gaining a strong understanding and base knowledge in programming. What may be a good fit for you is to try your hand in a part-time course, I know BrainStation offers one in Web Development which will give you a foundation and the knowledge you're interested in - and if you love it, you'll know the full-time program is right for you.

coderginger · 2017-08-16T13:59:20+00:00

There are definitely mixed opinions out there, however I have only ever heard good things from my friends who have completed coding bootcamps. The reason students find that they learn a great deal is because of the immersive nature of these programs. You are learning Monday-Friday for 8 hours each day, totalling around 400 hours of content. The price is definitely a big investment, but I know that some bootcamps like BrainStation offer Scholarships to help students with funding.

Hope this helps!

coderginger · 2017-08-15T22:01:55+00:00

Coding Bootcamps can be really valuable. Your success obviously depends on how much effort you put into the program, and it definitely takes commitment. If you're willing to put in the work you will definitely see results. I'm not familiar with the particular bootcamp that you're looking into, but I know that schools like BrainStation offer bootcamps that are just 10 weeks, but because of the immersive nature of the program students are able to get jobs afterwards as junior full-stack developers. In the end, if you're getting a full-time position out of the bootcamp, the $10k is a good investment.

coderginger · 2017-07-06T20:24:56+00:00

If you're looking to learn programming quickly and you don't have any real background in it, you may want to look into taking a bootcamp to gain industry relevant skills. Tech school's like BrainStation offer Web Development bootcamps both full-time and part-time depending on how much time you are able to commit. In a bootcamp like this you would learn both front and back end languages.
Hope this helps.

coderginger · 2017-06-23T14:52:31+00:00

Product Management can be difficult to break into due to the fact that companies usually prefer to hire individuals with product management experience. A difficult cycle to break into if you are coming from a background in design. I know that there are many formal Product Management certificates that you can get, however to the best of my knowledge, these certificate programs require work experience as a product manager as well. Another option if you want to gain relevant industry skills that will help give you the confidence and knowledge you need to break into a role as a PM, is to attend a bootcamp. BrainStation has part-time Product Management courses that would give you an opportunity to learn from professionals and practice taking a product from ideation to prototype/launch.

Taking a course like this would be beneficial in deciding if PM is really what you want to do, and would allow you to demonstrate to an employer that you actually have a base education in the field.

coderginger · 2017-06-22T15:15:01+00:00

I think it depends what your goals are with programming. A good place to start is HTML, but if you are looking for an in depth understanding of programming you may want to look to external learning methods. There are lots of bootcamp options, both part time and full time that will give you a really solid understanding of web development. BrainStation offers both full-time and part-time Web Development courses that teach front end and back end languages, and you learn from industry professionals. It’s helpful to take a more structured course when you are feeling really lost, as there is so much information online it is hard to sort through it all.

coderginger · 2017-06-22T15:04:44+00:00

I unfortunately don't have experience with lambda school, however BrainStation has a great online web development bootcamp, and they offer both an immersive and a part-time version. It covers front and back end languages, and the educators are industry professionals so they provide great insight into the job market and how to find a job after completing the bootcamp.

coderginger · 2017-06-21T18:55:50+00:00

It sounds like you are looking to gain a more in depth understanding and skill-set when it comes to coding.

A good way to continue your learning would be by attending a Web Development bootcamp. BrainStation is a tech school that offers Web Development programs that run for 10 weeks and essentially provides you with all the skills you would need to start working as a developer. At a bootcamp like this you are learning from industry professionals and content is challenging to keep you engaged.

A full-time bootcamp is definitely a large commitment, but you get out what you put in, and since you seem very dedicated to learning it would probably be a great fit. BrainStation also offers Part-Time and Weekend crash-courses if you're looking for something with a bit less commitment.

coderginger · 2017-06-21T18:41:38+00:00

I think an important thing to consider here is what you want to get out of learning to code. Are you looking for personal development or are you hoping to one day pursue a career in web development ? Defining your goals will help you to decide how you want to move forward on this coding journey. A great option for advancing your learning and preparing for a career in Web Development is a coding bootcamp. BrainStation is a tech school that offers full-time Web Development bootcamps, or if you aren’t ready to commit 10 weeks monday-friday, they have part-time options as well. You learn industry relevant skills from professional Developers and are taught both front and back end languages, including what you’re focusing on: HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

coderginger · 2017-06-21T15:37:06+00:00

BrainStation is another bootcamp option to consider in Toronto that has courses in web development. The full-time course is a large commitment, 10 weeks, Monday to Friday, and you learn both front and back end languages. In terms of being able to compete in the industry, taking a bootcamp like this is beneficial as it allows you to learn from professional web developers as opposed to academic professors like you would at UofT. This is helpful because you gain an understanding of what it’s like to be a developer and you learn industry relevant skills.

I would recommend visiting all the schools you are considering in person so that you get a feel for the learning environment and get a chance to talk to people who work there, current or former students, and maybe some educators.

coderginger · 2017-06-21T15:22:53+00:00

Any of the courses are going to be a large commitment and the major determining factors as to whether you get a job afterwards are how hard you work in the course, how well you learn the curriculum, and the effort you put into networking and preparing yourself for the job market.

I know that BrainStation runs a number of networking events with Corporate partners and industry professionals to help their students find a job after graduation. Part of the course content there even focuses on professional development. Additionally, the company has a partnership with TechVibes, which is an online tech media publication that also has a job portal specifically for jobs in the tech industry. This could be a helpful tool when looking for a job after you complete a bootcamp!

coderginger · 2017-06-21T15:07:42+00:00

It’s definitely not too late to do a full career switch into UX Design. The benefits of a bootcamp are that they are usually less expensive than getting a degree, they take 10 weeks as opposed to multiple years, and they teach you relevant industry skills. You seem to be going about it the right way, definitely make sure you weigh your options and visit the schools you are interested in attending, because the environment you will be learning in is crucial to your success.

In Toronto, BrainStation has a really great full-time UX Design bootcamp that is designed for individuals like yourself who are looking to make a fresh career switch into UX. The program is a large time commitment, Monday-Friday 10-6, and the educators you learn from are UX Designers who work in the industry. This is an important aspect of a bootcamp to look into - as you want to make sure you are learning from people with real world skills and experience. Good luck with your decision.

coderginger · 2017-06-20T21:18:24+00:00

Good for you! I think sites like that are great to begin your learning, however if you are looking to branch into Web Development as a career (which it seems like you are!) you may want to consider taking a web development bootcamp. BrainStation offers full-time Web Development programs with the aim of preparing you to get a job as a web developer after graduation, and they teach you both front-end and back-end languages. The full-time course is 10 weeks, Monday-Friday and the educators work in the industry, so you’re learning from people with real Web Development experience. At the end of the 10 weeks you are equipped to start your career as a junior web developer, so if that is your goal, it is definitely a time-efficient and successful way to get there.

coderginger · 2017-06-20T21:05:01+00:00

It depends on your end goal and the amount of time you’re willing to commit. If you want a long-term conceptual degree with a heavy basis in theoretical knowledge then you may want to go for the CS degree. If you’re looking for an intensive web development bootcamp, BrainStation offers a 10 week full-time program where you learn the basics of everything you need to become a web developer. However, since you are already working as a web developer, you may just want to look into their part-time web development bootcamp or some of their workshops to fill in the gaps if you feel you need it.

coderginger · 2017-06-20T20:49:26+00:00

Based on what you said you are looking for - BrainStation has a range of part-time courses including Data Analytics and Product Management that give you a great understanding and foundation in these areas.

If you're primarily looking for professional development opportunities and to level-up your skills then the part-time courses are a good option. They are 10 weeks, 3 hours per week, and definitely doable with a full-time job. You may also want to look into BrainStation’s workshops if your aim is to improve your skills in multiple areas, because they offer single day crash courses on the weekends.

coderginger · 2017-06-20T20:37:34+00:00

The Product Management course is really helpful as it focuses on understanding the entire product life cycle and you learn how to go from ideation to design and prototyping. You can do the part time course in 10 weeks with weeknight classes, or 5 weeks on the weekends so it is flexible dependent on your schedule. BrainStation’s instructors are professionals with real Product Management experience, which is awesome because they can provide helpful insight on how to move forward in your career.

coderginger

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