For lots of us, the opportunity to live in another country and study, learn, and grow in a variety of ways has come and gone a few times. Most times, experiences abroad after your 20s consist of a week or two on vacation or a short work trip, but what if you could make it longer?
Studying abroad at a tech bootcamp is a great way to have that experience and the chance to enter a world of new possibilities. The benefits to studying abroad are limitless; let’s discuss.
Reasons to Study Abroad at a Tech Bootcamp
Open a new perspective
If moving just 100 miles away can be a major shift, imagine moving across an ocean or continent! Leaving your country gives you the chance to:
See how people live in a different climate, culture, landscape, and history
See how much it differs from your own culture and customs
Meet new people and learn about their points of view
2. Learn more than just one language
When studying at a tech bootcamp, one of the major goals for web development and cybersecurity professionals is to learn coding and other computer languages. And when moving to another country to study tech, you have the choice to learn another language–a different kind of language, of course! Computer coding languages may not be used for verbal communication but languages like German, Spanish, and French are. Maybe you studied a language in college or grew up learning it and a tech bootcamp abroad could mean reconnecting and relearning an old language. It’s just like becoming reacquainted with an old friend.
3. Escape from the same old and create a new life
Life can sometimes become monotonous and dull; however, new changes and adventures can be an opportunity to invigorate your life again. A tech bootcamp means new challenges and opportunities abound and starting your exciting adventure in a new place can also be a way to put the past behind you and focus on a future full of hope. And as you’ll be moving into a field that has so much room for growth and limitless potential, your future is very bright.
4. Grow as a person
Living in a city where you don’t know the local language can be quite difficult; nevertheless, deciding to study abroad is where so much growth and development happens. When we are faced with challenges that we are capable of overcoming and go on an adventure that connects with our deepest desires and hopes, we connect to ourselves and develop more confidence.
We can try new foods and be fine, we can order that coffee in another language, mess up the words, and still enjoy the experience, knowing that we have our own backs. When we put ourselves out there time and time again, it can lead to incredible personal growth.
5. Balance work, life, and studying
Tech bootcamps vary in duration and can be full or part-time and depending on the schedule you choose, you have the option to study abroad, work, and explore what the area has to offer. Having the option to choose a part-time schedule in a new country can be a luxury and may be exactly what you need to give you a great work/fun balance that you didn’t have before.
In some parts of the world, you live to work while in other parts you work to live. A mindset shift when it comes to time management and lifestyle can have a lasting impact on your future.
6. Adapt to remote work abroad
Since the Covid-19 pandemic shook the world, many workplaces and institutions have turned to remote work and studying at a tech bootcamp in another country would also be a fantastic way to accumulate remote work experience. While at a tech bootcamp, many continue working, balancing their studies and job to maintain a steady income and learn. And living abroad and completing remote work with a new time schedule adds another layer to improve upon and adapt to for remote work.
7. Make contacts around the world
Studying abroad anywhere is all about the new and people is no exception:
People from around the world go to tech bootcamps abroad and also locals enjoy the tech bootcamps in their cities.
Having access to both foreigners and locals gives you the opportunity to create lasting bonds with people that you can not only visit in different countries, but also can show you around the city you’re living in.
Your classmates can even potentially connect you with potential job offers and point you in the right direction when you graduate and start expanding your circle. Having access to all these contacts is really important after graduation.
8. Improve soft skills
Classrooms are a place for learning but classrooms in a different country means learning takes on a whole new form. You can learn a lot of soft skills when studying like time management, growth mindset, and teamwork; however, stepping out of the classroom into a new country gives you access to develop other soft skills like adaptability, communication, and networking. Soft skills such as these look great when it’s time to apply for jobs post-bootcamp. What kinds of situations outside of the classroom might help you work on these soft skills?
Socializing with new people in a variety of different settings
Adapting to a culture where the norms and customs differ from your own
Altering your own speaking style to help others understand you better
Handling conflicts with roommates from other countries
Listening actively to unfamiliar words, expressions, and ways of speaking
Developing these soft skills come in all sorts of flavors and in a new country, the chances to have many at-bats are infinite.
9. Experience new styles of learning and studying
There are a variety of ways in which students learn and how they do it depends highly on the country and their education system. Some have more of a hands off approach while others believe that more work like on group projects and tests are the best methodology. For example, in countries like Spain, teachers tend to lecture more often and give less assignments but in the United States, there’s lots of homework and more outside office hours.
10. Find your home
Moving to any new place could provoke feelings and a connection that you haven’t experienced before. If you've lived in one town, city, or country for your whole life, an unfamiliar setting you’ve never been to before can mean you find a new home and life. The culture, food, and maybe even a special person could be the determining factor that turns your study abroad experience into a long-lasting decision to make a new life in a new place. Or it may make you realize that your home was right where you left it before your study abroad experience began.
Although we’ve only listed ten benefits to studying abroad, there are many more that make it a really exciting and great opportunity to not only work on your professional life, but also your personal life.
The most important aspect to keep in mind is that if you’re looking to change your life in a big way, take the dive and do a tech bootcamp abroad because it will 100% have a lasting impact on how you see and experience the world.
If you’re looking to take the plunge and study abroad, look no further than Ironhack’s tech bootcamps. There are options to do so all around the world:
And if you have another place in mind, you can always do an Ironhack course remotely. The world is your oyster.
